26/1/10 Open Mic

An interesting documentary photographer I came across this week although Ive known of him for months was Ewen Spencer a graduate from Brighton University with his BA photography he became interested in documenting Youth culture and did a project called ‘Teenagers’ and another project called ‘Open Mic’.

Open mic also known as a life of grime is the culmination of a three-year project looking at the lives of teenagers in the UK. Spencer began taking photos of adolescents in youth centres an clubs across the country, later finding his way into the underground open mic nights where rival mcs and their crews would go head to head, engaging in vocal warfare that could make or break reputations in seconds. When he was there he would not necessarily photograph the main battle but instead photograph the people around it and their responses. Spencer began to realise the social hierarchy between the youths and how their music was more their lifestyle within the community. His work I find has a very raw feel to it; in the images you can really see the heated competition and repetitive style of clothing.