“I walk the streets and my intent is - and always has been - to discover and make candid photos of our times, in public places, that are un-staged, unmediated, and representative of not only what I see but also of what I feel — my emotional experiences of the world.”
Sam Ferris (b.1985) has been shooting on the streets of Sydney for more than 10 years. He is an organiser and co-founder of the AUSSIE STREET FESTIVAL and competition. His work has been published in Leia Fotographie International, Internationale, Photo Review Magazine, Capture Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian, Lonely Planet, Fellow Traveller the magazine of China Rail, and as an Editor's selection on Lensculture. In 2019 Sam was named as the winner of ‘Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer’ in the category of Documentary/ Photojournalism. His images have been exhibited both in Australia and across the world.
BASED IN NEWTOWN, NSW, AUSTRALIA
PORTFOLIOS
IN VISIBLE LIGHT
“In visible light is a personal project that interrogates my perceptions and experiences of living in Sydney - a city where the cost of living has never been higher and the sense of anxiety never more acutely felt.”
OFF QUAY
“The harbour precinct, Opera House, ferry terminals, and their surrounds attract an array of local and international visitors. I became fascinated with the vibrancy of the terminus at peak hour, when ferried commuters glide by, seemingly immune to the harbour's charms. People of all ages, from different backgrounds and walks of life, are corralled into the same condensed public space. When a ferry docks, wave after wave of people come streaming through, and the chiaroscuro light serves as a disclosing tool that exaggerates and magnifies the sheer chaos and multitude of people caught up in this daily ritual.”
AUS BERLIN
“My partner relocated from Berlin to Sydney in order for us to be together. I didn’t ask her to, it’s what she wanted. She left behind her parents who care for her brother, diagnosed with many serious health issues and wheelchair bound. I’ve visited with her a number of times, usually during the holiday season; however, I’ve always felt like an intruder in their family setting. The one who took their daughter away. Always the outsider and separated by language, I began to photograph as a way of trying to feel connected to the family and at the same time hide my fears and guilt behind the lens.”
