In Conversation with Aaron Paul Walker
Interview: Ella Kenneally
Photography: Aaron Paul Walker @aaronpaulwalker_, Brand: Zabala @zabala.mat, Model: Raheem @rahe6m
The first photo that made Aaron feel like they might actually be good at photography? A kid on a fairground ride, face frozen in pure excitement, lights streaking around them. From that moment on, they fell in love with the art of capturing life as it happens. Fast forward to now, and their work - whether shooting for The Basement, Arsenal, Armarex or self-directed projects - balances drama, intimacy, and energy in a way that feels alive and effortless. With 32 personal projects waiting in their notes and a growing focus on culture, identity, and untold stories, this is just the beginning!
What’s the first photo you ever took that made you think, “Okay, maybe I’m actually good at this”?
In college, I studied photography. And we got assigned a project which revolved around shooting street photography. Specifically, there was a photo I took on my Canon SLR of a kid on a ride swinging round on one of those pendulum rides. And I got so close she almost kicked me in the face. I slapped the camera in a slow shutter speed and used the flash on a TTL mode and caught an amazing shot with this kid’s face just losing it with excitement with the lights blurred
and streaked in the background. After I hand printed it and I saw it come out of the chemical processor, I stared at it for a while and felt something profound I haven’t felt with another art form before. At that point I still thought I was very mediocre at this, but I fell in love with the art form. Street photography is something I want to jump back into soon.
How would you describe your visual style in three words? And how has it evolved over time?
Chiaroscuro, Arbitrary, Heavy.
I use these words, because I’ve settled on a visual style which is the use of contrast between light and shadow. I always loved those moments in films where you couldn’t see the actors’ full face, where they were gradually brought into the light. Crazy, dramatic and suspenseful, I got love for it. Arbitrary, because I do like jumping out of that style sometimes and being a practitioner as well as an artist has made me capable of editing in other styles. But I want to push more self produced projects, working in the industry and making this your full time job, you wish you had time to preserve for those projects that inspire you. Unfortunately, it’s not the case. But I’m approaching a moment in my career where I can become more financially stable, where I can start to self fund projects. So I feel like my style has matured in quality, but you’re yet to see the best of my style because my artist’s touch isn’t in the world without driving concepts.
We absolutely loved your selection of work for Parallel X Studio - especially the pop-up campaign shoot. Can you tell us a bit about how that project came together and what your creative approach was for it?
The person behind that brand is a friend of mine, she’s called Tiffanie. Her eye and my eye match and is one of the few clients that approached me for my style. For that alone, other than her being an amazing and creative person, she is one of my favourite people in the world to work with. And I hope to continue to work with her more and more over the years.
That concept was derived from spotlight references, she’ll send me one board with 6 images on it and we’ll go from there. She understands that we can push towards idea’s but the beauty of the shoot is not capturing what other people have already done, it’s being inspired by it and putting your spin on that piece of inspiration. Which she allows me to run with, I just show her the interpretation and it’s a yes or no, either we tweak it or run away with it. In this instance, we went super dramatic with the spotlight, and using Akuac (Model) is also a dream, she makes it easy for you to get the direction you need.
Brand: Armarex @armarex___ , @umayrgaffar, Photography: Aaron Paul Walker, Creative Consultancy: Dellon @dellonmelon, Model: Kerlual-Thak @kerlualthak8, Assisted by: @krichhh
You’ve worked with some great brands and collaborators such as The Basement, House of Errors and Arsenal - what has been a standout for you, and what makes a dream project for you?
Trust in the artist is a big one for me. If the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldn’t hire someone unless I trusted them to capture the vision, as long
as I did my job in instructing what needed to be captured. All I need is a direct and clear communication on what you need and I can run with it whilst interpreting the subject and environment around me. Basement were amazing with that, can’t say enough good things about working with that company, the cover shoot for the latest issue still might be my favourite shoot I’ve ever shot. I equally love shooting indoors and outdoors (depending on the weather). This might be vain, but I love shooting concepts which I direct, the goal is to always be in the director chair and shooting it too. I’ll be the happiest man in the world when I can direct every shoot.
You often work with fashion - what’s the secret to making clothes feel alive on camera?
Gonna distribute some love to the models of the world. Directors and photographers bring the photo’s/video’s to life, but the models/actors are the ones who bring the clothes to life. It’s like you can get two people from the street and put them in the same fit and take a photo of them in that fit. One of them will bring the clothes to life more, it’s just the energy. Aesthetics is half of it, but energy and character is the other half. That relationship between a model and the director/photographer is so important for maximum output, they’re the finishing piece to your lighting, set design, mua team, styling etc. Casting is something I have developed a great taste for.
Left Image: Brand: Armarex @armarex___ , @umayrgaffar, Photography: Aaron Paul Walker, Creative Consultancy: Dellon @dellonmelon, Model: Kerlual-Thak @kerlualthak8, Assisted by: @krichhh
Right Image: Brand: Parallel X Studio: @parallelxstudio, Creative Direction & Styling: Tiffanie Alice @omgtiffanie, Photography: Aaron Paul Walker, Model: Akuac Yel @akuacyel, MUA: Noemie Adebiyi @noemie.adebiyi, Shoot Assist: Maya Maya @msmayamaya
Photography: Aaron Paul Walker, Brand: GARMS AFFILIATED @garms.affiliated
Some of your photos feel like stills from a memory - are you someone who’s nostalgic by nature?
Yehhhhhhhh! I can’t say I’m a futurist. No one’s gonna tell me the 90’s wasn’t goated. No smartphones, everyone’s present. This is why I want to do a lot more street photography, it’s the beautiful game in my opinion, when it comes to photography. Stepping into the unknown and not having a clue what frame and setting you’ll see next. It’s nice to not know and find something unexpected. Because we know everything, everything is set up and choreographed. All information is at the fingertips. So it’s nice to be surprised by the unexpected. In a way that is nostalgic, not knowing everything, everyone’s always tapped in and dialled to the max these days. I feel like street photography would also inform my practice, and would help you create a more natural feel to the photos you produce, because that’s what I want all the time. Even when the subject is looking at the camera, I want it to feel as natural as possible.
What kind of stories or people are you most excited to photograph next - on a deeper, personal level?
My mother’s Jamaican by blood but first generation British. She got married in Jamaica, and that was the last time she went. We went as a family in 2023 and learnt about our lineage dating back to early slavery in Jamaica. I soaked everything in from the leaves to the roots. We went with our Grandad, who’s an important figure in our lives and it was lovely to see the effect it had on him. But I’m really inspired by my culture and especially my parish St Thomas, it’s a quieter parish in Jamaica but has many stories which have been left untold. I have an idea for
a project out there that would require funding. But on a personal level I have a notes page with 32 concepts of projects I want to see out. Ranging from: masculinity, sport, race, identity, culture, technology, generational gaps. And I cant wait to get started.
Left Image: Brand: Bubon @bubonofficial, Photography: Aaron Paul Walker, Model: tiana.smith222, Assisted by: @krichhh
