In conversation with
The Staff
of Executive Edits

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A spirited traveller. An explorer of culture. A user of technology. A lover of people. An appreciator of beauty. A creator and crafter of images. A writer. A publisher. A designer. A Principal Photographer for Ee.

Executive Edits says 'hello' to Blue Perez.

Who is Blue Perez? 

A spirited traveller. An explorer of culture. A user of technology. A lover of people. An appreciator of beauty. A creator and crafter of images. A writer. A publisher. A designer [I design websites, blogs, folios and iPhone folios for photographers, artists, makers and other creatives, and occasionally for other trades, such as cool cafés, bars and restaurants. I’m working on a couple of pro iPhone photography app concepts.] I provide career consultancy services to professional and semi-professional photographers.

A surfer and open water swimmer. You will never find me far from the ocean for more than a few days. Too far away, and I get twitchy.

That's me, centre top of my profile images.

You seem to have a nomadic life, are you always traveling? 

I don’t ever stop. Right now, I have no plans to, I don’t wish to. If I stay put for more than six weeks in one place, I get itchy feet, I miss the travel, the adventure, the people. Travel is the best education, it is a PhD in life. I’m British, but when I do spend a rare few weeks in the UK, I feel like a visitor from another country. My passport says British, my heart and soul say southern European.

Where's base camp? 

Wherever I am. I’m fully portable, transferrable, and hold no attachment to place or things. It’s a Zen thing. I explore culture as much as I explore place. Today, I’m in Cornwall, UK. Later this week, I will be travelling through Spain, to Luz, in the Algarve, Portugal. I’ll stay in Portugal for maybe six weeks, maybe six months. I plan to spend some time in Lisbon this year, working on some editorial projects, then on to Cadiz, Tarifa, and off to Casablanca, to shoot and write some pieces on the surf capital of Morocco.

I’m considering making a travel base in Portugal, in the western Algarve, or just west of Lisbon, Cascais. Key elements for a base are to be near a centre of culture, within one hour of a major airport, and have surf. So far, Lisbon, and Cadiz fit the bill. Biarritz tempts me too.

You're a writer, photographer and designer. How did these passions evolve?

From an early age, I declared that I was an artist. I waived the opportunity to do A’ levels to study fine art photography and film for five years. It was love at first site with photography. After that, my career developed around teaching, training, and consultancy in photography and videography, alongside which my graphic design skills developed, initially as a hobby. By the mid 1990s, I was doing both. A demon of hand rendered cut and paste, I needed Mac skills. In 1994/95 I got them, and the rest is history. I took to digital like a duck to water. The first student in my faculty to build a website, I had to teach myself. I later returned there to lecture in graphics, web design and contemporary culture.

I developed a fascination for editorial writing and journalism, alongside a passion for magazines in print and online, and love to explore the different formats for presenting words with images.

At what age did you start playing with cameras? 

From an early age, I played with box Brownies, and Kodak Instamatics. My first camera was a Kodak 110. I loved that format, the pocketable long slim cameras, the tiny negatives. I remember getting my hands on the first Land Cameras from Polaroid. My Dad used to bring them back from work, and I would get to try them out. My favourites were the early folding models, and the beautiful SX70.

After spending time shooting with different equipment, why the switch to just an iPhone? 

Simplicity. Focus. The ability to shoot everywhere and anywhere. The ability to have my darkroom in my pocket. I decided to stick my neck out. It is already paying off. I believe in what I do, and know that this is the best way for me to focus my attention and my work.

I’ve had more than a few cameras, but recently sold them all to focus on the iPhone. The iPhone is the challenger for the crown that has until now, belonged to cameras like the SX70. But it’s so much more than a camera. It’s a visual tool, a writing tool, a publishing tool. It’s way more powerful than most people realise, and all in your pocket. For the record, I dislike the term ‘iPhoneography’. I’m a photographer, who shoots with an iPhone.

From where do you draw your inspiration? 

Photography. Fine art. Magazines [online and print]. Fashion. Cafés. Life. Travel.

What are you working on now? Any exciting projects on the horizon? 

I’m working on my editorial career, both as a photographer [iPhone of course], and as a writer. I want to shoot and write more editorial travel, lifestyle and culture. I’m also working on concepts for a couple of iPhone apps for professional photographers. My main project is to develop my existing blog, ‘Travel’ into an editorial online journal. Titled ‘Modifo’ - Esperanto for ‘edit’. The tagline is ‘life, edited.’, it’s to be a showcase for my editorial ideas and work. A testing ground. I shoot, process and publish with my iPhone. It is my camera, darkroom, studio and my desk all rolled into one, popped in my pocket. That whole mobile publishing market is going to be big, and I’m backing the iPhone and the iPad as key platforms. Content design and development for the iPhone is still lagging behind, I’d like to help change that. The iPhone is my core focus.

Ongoing personal and editorial projects? 

Surfers. Swimmers. Artists. Makers. Designers. Ateliers.

Recently you decided to part with a lot of equipment and simplify your life. What was the reasoning behind this and has it worked for you? 

As a constant traveller, either in my VW stealth van, or flying, with one carry on and one checked bag, I could no longer face the packing, unpacking and carrying of all that kit and cables, doubling up on everything from laptops to chargers and memory cards. Two of everything,the whole pro photographer thing. Im still a pro photographer, but I’ve decided to break the mould, and make a few rules of my own.

Has it worked for me? Oh yes. It is heaven. I pack a 13” now, instead of my old 15” MacBook Pro, smaller power pack, less heft. It does everything I need. I store my work in the cloud, so if I lost all my gear tomorrow, I could carry on with any gear I could get my hands on. If I need more acreage, I plug in a monitor.

What publications are on your regular reading list? Why? 

Monocle. I track it down and read it no matter where in the world I am. My favourite place to buy magazines is a little newspaper stand in Sagres, Algarve, Portugal. Mainly I read fashion and culture magazines. I like to explore all the latest ones. I look for unique layouts, people breaking the mould. Currently, I’m checking out ‘Do You Read Me’ magazine store, on the advice of Stuart Hobday.

Films to see before you die?  

None. I really don’t find film an inspiring medium, although I originally trained in film and video alongside photography. Watch less movies, turn off the TV, read good magazines, online or in print, get out there and live your own life. Films to see before you die? Make your own. Shoot them and edit them on your iPhone. It’s the super 8mm of the future.

Essential sites people should have in their bookmarks? 

BluePerez.com [me]
ExecutiveEdits.com [watch it grow]
StuartHobday.com [Stuart Hobday, a master of his medium]
Graphic-Exchange.com [Fabien Barral’s inspiration showcase]
Flickr.com [photographic inspiration]

What does the future hold for Blue Perez? 

Travel. More travel. This year, I have some work on in Europe, with trips planned to Portugal and Morocco, perhaps France and Spain too. Milan, Paris, Casablanca and Barcelona. Next year, I’m off for three months in Japan – Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Okinawa, followed by Australia–Bondi, Bronte, Noosa and Melbourne. Still planning, I try to live in the moment.

Focused on the development of my career as an editorial iPhone photographer and editorial journalist. Travel feeds my imagination.

You can view Blue’s journal, photography and links to her other projects, on her website http://blueperez.com