Biography

Born in England to parents of Jamaican origin, Joy Gregory’s work has been influenced by a combination of race, gender and aesthetics. She attended the Royal College of Art where she was awarded a Masters in Photography in 1986. Gregory has exhibited internationally, including in Cape Town, South Africa where she first showed her series Lost Histories, reflecting on colonization and its effects on culture and self-image.

In 2002, Gregory received the NESTA Fellowship, which enabled her to combine her unique 19th century printing process with digital media. Her work is featured in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia, and Yale University, New Haven. She lives and works in London.

Why did you fall in love with photography?

Fell in love with and continue to love photography because it is the most inclusive and accessible medium that I know. I love the magic of photography and amazement on faces at that first experience of an image appearing from nothing in the darkroom. I was doing cyanotypes with a group of people who had no concept of photography who gasped in disbelief when we removed the objects to reveal something, which was not there before. There is nothing like that for instilling in people the belief that anything is possible.

Can anyone become a good photographer?

Almost everyone is familiar with photography and most people in this country have access to a camera. Anyone can take a photograph but not everyone can take a good photograph. Taking good photograph can be second nature some people because they have an acute sense for the visual and probably spend a lot of time just looking. . For others it can be more of a struggle but if determined they will get there in the end. It is a bit like cooking – there are many great cooks that pull together some ingredients then follow their own path while others stick to a recipe to get good results –enjoyable food either way. I suppose in the same way a good photographer can come into being through sheer hard work and determination but great photographer’s will always bring something extra to the mix.

What is more important, creativity or technique?

In the argument of Creativity v Technique it depends what is meant by technique, if we are referring to a formulaic approach in the making of images then of course creativity is far more important. If considering technical competence, then I would stress that for a good photographer this goes hand in hand with creativity as one supports development of the other.

Is there such a thing as a perfect picture?

There is no such thing as a perfect picture as different people will appreciate different things in a photograph, which will depend on what they hoping to see. There are good pictures, bad pictures and great pictures. It is possible to love a bad photograph while hating a great one and recognizing the qualities of each.

What one piece of advice would you give a budding photographer?

Keep challenging yourself and your photography through making pictures, sharing experiences and discussing you work with other practitioners. Learn your craft and really become in control of your medium. If you are serious about developing your creative muscle it may be a good idea go college as you will get that sort of support in spades – especially from your fellow students. Most importantly don’t be afraid to follow you own path and do what feels right for you!