Henry Kingsford on Grey

Hi Henry, can you start by introducing yourself quickly to our readers?
My name is Henry Kingsford and I've been shooting photos for about five years. During the past couple of years I have contributed to Document, Kingpin and Sidewalk although not regularly enough to say that I was shooting for them.

Why did you want to start a London based magazine?
The selfish reason was to create an outlet for my photographs. I also wanted to document new spots in the city and give coverage to skaters who might not make into the bigger magazines on a regular basis.

So what is Grey?
Grey is pocket-sized and is printed on high grade uncoated stock. My idea was to make a publication more in common with an exhibition catalogue or high end photography periodical than a glossy sports magazine. I wanted to make a magazine that people want to keep and collect, not just dispose of after reading. The content is photography-led, and the focus of each issue will be the gallery section. There will also be an interview and a selection of shorter, dynamic features. Of these, the two that are likely to be the most popular are Luminary - a catch-up with a London Legend complete with vintage Wig Worland skate photo - and The Brutalist, - a short story by James Davis of Uncle Someone fame.

Sounds great, but is there room for Grey in an already very saturated market?
I don't think that the print magazine market in the UK is that saturated, at least as far as skating is concerned. Since Document went out of business there is only one UK magazine (Sidewalk). That said, Grey represents a fresh approach to the UK skateboard media in two senses: it is free and it is region-specific, focusing on just one city.

Why do you insist on shooting film?
Actually issue 01 of Grey is about 50-50 film and digital but I am now back to working almost exclusively with film. I even bought a Leica M6 a couple of weeks ago. I suppose I am drawn to shooting film because pretty much any work that inspires me has been shot using this medium. This could be a generational thing - lots of the photographers I admire would never have had access to digital technologies. I also find the concept of changing colour digital images to black and white and applying film grains a strange one. It almost makes things too easy for the photographer - they don't have to decide how they want to shoot it until they are back at home on the computer.

Is it a magazine for skaters living in London only?
No, definitely not. The whole concept was based on the assumption that skaters outside London are interested in what is going on in the capital. The city has great spots and amazing skaters so why wouldn't someone in Manchester or Birmingham be interested? Grey will be stocked in core skate shops all over the country.

What do you want the reader to feel after having read it?
I’d hope that people would feel inspired to go street skating, and maybe go looking for a new spot. I’d also like to think that readers would appreciate the design and general aesthetic of the magazine, as a lot of thought has gone into this.

How hard was it to get enough advertisers on board to break even?
It was actually easier than expected. Many of the people I asked are good friends and/or people I had worked with on previous occasions, which certainly helped. Also my designer Chris put together a brilliant press kit which encouraged quite a few people to advertise.

Henry Kingsford - this time in front of the lens.
Photo: Luke Bird

How would you describe London as a skate city?
As a skate city I think London has a very unique and recognisable aesthetic, as captured in First Broadcast, Static 2 and 3 and more recently This Time Tomorrow. It has a huge amount to offer in terms of spots but I suppose the city's main strength is the abundance of rough, unusual, quirky spots, which certainly makes things easier for me as a skate photographer and also helps to keep the scene fresh and creative. At the same time skaters like Lucien Clarke, John Tanner and Nick Jensen (pictured on top with a front tail and interviewed in the first issue) help to keep the scene progressive and up to international standards.

Will London be a better or worse place to skate now that David Cameron is your prime minister?
I have no idea. That sounds like a question for Gustav Edén.

Who is your favourite London skater by the way?
That's easy. Nick Jensen. I've known him since he was quite young and have been consistently impressed by his development as a skateboarder. Perhaps most impressive of all was how he rose to the challenge for Fully Flared and came out with a part that was both worthy and refreshing (road gap to backside lipslide on a curb etc). Nick is very professional and never blows me out at the last minute. He also knows how I like to shoot photos and thinks up ideas to suit me personally.

How glamorous is the life of a European skate photographer?
Not very is the simple answer. It is no secret that skate photographers are poorly paid, however this applies to editorial photography in general. I think the main difference is that the standard equipment every skate photographer is expected to own is obscenely expensive, which makes them even poorer than your average freelance editorial photographer.

Who are your favourite photographers and magazines?
My favourite skate photographer is Fred Mortagne as he approaches the genre completely unlike any other. His work is very simple and graphic, yet leaves much more of an impact on me than another three flash fisheye shot. Mortagne's skate photography is obviously informed by modernist photographers such as Rodchenko. I feel quite strongly that skate photographers should be referencing other genres/eras of photography to keep things interesting. Outside of skateboarding my favourite photographer has always been Henri Cartier-Bresson.

My favourite skate magazines are those which have adopted different formats such as Soma, Fluff, Anzeigeberlin and Staple. As far as non-skate magazines are concerned, I admire clean and uncompromising art direction. Good examples include Paperback and The Wire, which were both important references for Grey.

What makes a good skate photo in your eyes?
I personally think skate photographers - especially beginners - get far too bogged down in flash lighting. To me composition is a far more important skill. So to answer the question, I love very simple, carefully composed skate photos shot without flashes.

That should just about do it. Any final words or thanks?
I’d like to thank all the advertisers who took a chance on a new venture. Without their confidence in the project, Grey may never have happened. I like to say a special thank you to Marshal Taylor and Mathieu Tourneur for their support and to Adam Sello, Morgan Campbell and Jack Pam for inspiration. Thanks to all the skaters who let me shoot them. A big thank you to the issue 01 contributors Wig Worland, Neil Chester, Paddy Jones, Will Harmon and Lex Kembery and last but not least, extra special thanks to Chris, Brad and James

Thanks Henry! Grey launches tonight in London, England. Make sure you check it out if you are in the area, and do not forget to head to www.greyskatemag.com once the site has been launched properly.