Chrystall Toomer

Name: Chrystall Toomer

City: London

Camera: Olympus Pen-F. It’s a stylish retro design so it gets quite a bit of admiration when I’m out and about shooting.

Main photographic subjects: People, places and food! My chosen method of experiencing the world is through my stomach which has me dining out a lot. Everything from discovering a charming cafe, to the people who work in them and the plating of their creations inspire me to take photos and document these places.

Style: Quite close and focusing in on the detail. I also try to play with angles and take shots from non-traditional perspectives.

Favorite destinations: New Zealand, Algarve and the west coast of Portugal

Influences: My mum would have to be my strongest influence, she would drive us all a little crazy on holidays taking in excess of 300 shots a day! My husband is also a great inspiration to me, he taught me to ‘see’ to look up and down at the opportunities around us (not just walk around with blinkers on!)

When did you start with photography?

I have been interested in Photography ever since my parents bought me my first digital camera, a compact Leica, as a teenager. It had a tough life with me, travelling around Europe, Asia and North Africa but it served me well! I started taking photography more seriously when I moved to London from Australia in 2013, this city is such a constant inspiration.

Where does this passion come from?

I love the ability to capture a moment and secure a memory. A strong image can transport you back to a different time and place and trigger the mind to fill in the gaps of smell and touch.

What do you look for in photography?

I look for vibrancy and life, you will rarely see me take a black and white shot!

What does photography mean to you?

It means being able to create something beautiful, often out of something quite ordinary and mundane. It’s about highlighting something that a million people could walk past without noticing.

What should photography communicate according to you?

I think the beauty of photography is that each and every person can have their own unique experience/reaction to a shot and it doesn’t necessarily need to communicate anything in particular.

Do you conceive photography as an instinctive or a more planned activity?

For me, it’s a bit of both. I carry my camera with me all day every day in case an opportunity arises!

What inspires you the most when you travel?

There isn’t much about travel that I find uninspiring! People, places and food are my ultimate inspirations so discovering a great little local café or restaurant is equally inspiring to me as admiring a jaw-dropping natural landscape. I tend to focus on the details, the Azulejo tiling in Portugal, the spice stall in a Goan market or a punga fern backlit by a bright summer sky in New Zealand.