Craig Whitehead – @sixstreetunder
Craig Whitehead, otherwise known as @sixstreetunder, is a photographer based in Cambridge, UK. Craig specializes in fine art street photography and workshops, with a focus on the use of colour, composition and attention to detail.
“Passing on knowledge is very fulfilling. If I can save months of someone's time - time they'd have otherwise spent discovering the things that I've discovered - then that's a great thing. If I can lead them to some understanding of what they want their work to be, then that's even better. It's very satisfying when you see someone shortly after a workshop, and they're selling a print, winning an award or being written about somewhere. Every time I see someone who’s been to a workshop and out on the street putting in the time, more motivated than they were before, then I know I did my job.”
An image captured by Craig attained the second position in the Night Stories category at our ProgresFestival 2024. I am elated by this accomplishment as his work is distinguished and stands out amidst the inundation of photographs on social media platforms, particularly Instagram, where he is known as @sixstreetunder.
Why Sixstreetunder? “I was looking for a name that firstly wasn’t taken, which is getting trickier, and that contained street somewhere in it. I put street into a pun generating website and went down the list until I saw something I liked and that was it.”
His images command attention through their adept use of colour, detail, and flawless composition. Craig's primary focus is street photography, but he differentiates himself from many street photographers by meticulously attending to details in search of sensations. In numerous instances, his images evoke auditory and olfactory senses, allowing one to almost hear the sound and smell the rain. He does not merely capture the city; he illustrates it. This quality reminds me of Leiter, who was a painter before transitioning to photography. Nevertheless, Craig's skill lies in his distinctiveness, avoiding resemblance to others. He possesses a strong and unique style.
“Details, colour, pattern and texture are almost always more interesting to me than a person I come across.”
A style that reflects his background. I found out that he studied illustration, which explains his obsession with texture and layers, as he mentioned in an old interview. His keen interest in light and its impact on colours, creating either dramatic or vivid effects, is also unmistakable. His colours are always perfectly balanced.
“Sometimes there is a story - but, for me, there absolutely doesn't need to be. I would enjoy an image of a random object, in great light with the right colour, maybe more than a photo of someone showing strong emotion.”
While he does utilize Instagram as a platform to display his own photography, he tends not to frequently engage with the images posted by others. His influences are pretty specific, drawing from particular cultural sources. It's true that we all derive inspiration from various external sources, but what holds greater significance is the journey of personal growth and a genuine curiosity about different cultures. These elements enable us to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse creative outputs of the world, extending beyond our individual spheres of interest.
His recent work in New York demonstrates his ability to stand out in a field that often produces similar shots.
“I still use the X-Pro 2 alongside the Leica. It was just that I had the opportunity to have one, and I didn’t turn it down - and who would? I tend to use them both now, one with a 35mm and one with 50mm.”
Shooting film makes you more aware of timing and it makes you analyse light even more. It also takes away some of your ability to post process. I love that things have to be right in camera.
click on
