Mobile Photography & Art – ‘Intimate Interview’ with Rob Pearson-Wright from London, United Kingdom
Our forty fourth interview in this new series of intimate interviews is with talented mobile photography and artist, Rob Pearson-Wright from London, UK. This is an exhilarating, big hearted and in places, ripplingly funny interview, pitch perfect, enjoy!
To read the other published interviews in this series including artists, Adria Ellis, Rino Rossi, Mehmet Duyulmus, Alexis Rotella, Lou Ann Sanford Donahue, Irene Oleksiuk, Kerry Mitchell, Filiz Ak, Dale Botha, Lisa Mitchell, M. Cecilia Sao Thiago, Deborah McMillion, Rita Colantonio, Amy Ecenbarger, Jane Schultz, Anca Balaj, Joyce Harkin, Armineh Hovanesian, Kate Zari Roberts, Vicki Cooper, Peter Wilkin, Barbara Braman, Becky Menzies, Sukru Mehmet Omur, Sarah Bichachi, Michel Pretterklieber, Alon Goldsmith, Judy Lurie Whalberg, Andrea Bigiarni, Sean Hayes, Oola Cristina, Kathleen Magner-Rios, Linda Toki, Deb Field, Emilo Nadales, Lydia Cassatt, David Hayes, Jean Hutter, Frederic Deschênes, Mark Schnidman, Fatma Korkut, Fleur Schim and myself, go here.
All images ©Rob Pearson-Wright
What was your earliest childhood ambition?
To become an astronaut or anything spaceman related!
First Recognition
Future Music magazine in the 90’s. I sent in a cd with some tunes that I’d made and it made the review section. They liked my lead track but suggested I should look at the mixing of it. They had a point. Could have done with another look at the EQ balance. They liked the atmosphere of the track though and that made me feel fuzzy.
First Job
Helping out in the family ironmongery business. Defunct now.
Private or State school
Private schools. You don’t get a choice as a kid. That’s parenting stuff for better or worse.
University or work
Several Universities for a bit until one didn’t offer me a place on a film course. Then work proved necessary to pay for life things like food and bills.
Who was or still is your mentor?
No one. Just me and the internet. Inspiration comes in many forms. Books, music, films, TV, art, design & fellow artists.
How physically fit are you?
At 44 I feel reasonably fit. Bits creak but still mainly function.
Ambition or Talent. What matters more to success?
Both and more. Find your own voice and both can apply with a healthy dose of luck too. Throw hard graft in the mix and you might get a winning formula. Success will be defined in its own way by different people.
How politically committed are you?
I’m engaged with national and international politics and know where I stand on most issues. I always cast a vote given the opportunity. Politics is everyday life from the smallest thing affecting you locally to the widest issue we all face globally. We should all get stuck in.
What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess?
A Fuji X-T3 with a 23mm 1.4 lens stacked up front. Also a very pretty Gretsch guitar with a whammy bar.
What is my biggest extravagance?
Wine. It’s moreish! Travel too. There are loads of places I could drop a large wedge to visit.
In what places are you happiest?
I’m good within my own headspace. Handy that!
My hometown of London, England.
The Maldives was nice. I could slum it there.
Zakynthos, Greece. A beautiful Ionian Island and a great place to chill. I’ll be spending time there again soon. Crystal clear waters like you couldn’t believe. *sigh*
What ambitions do you still have?
I handed in my notice and am now a freelance photographer for hire. I would also like to try my hand at film making.
What drives you on?
The next good photo. The need to create. A drive to be better and nail each shot every time. Improve my craft. The next interesting moment captured. The joy of the hunt. To learn more.
What is the greatest achievement of my life so far?
Surviving thus far. No arrests and you can’t prove anything guv!
What do you find most irritating in other people?
Where do I begin…? Slow walkers. People standing on the left on escalators. Phone zombies. Plain old bigotry.
If your twenty year old self could see you now, what would he think?
You made it! Sorry about the stuff I’m going to do to you for the next 20 odd years.
What object that you lost do you wish you still had?
I’ve lost a thin black hoodie that’s really good for summer nights. Can’t find it anywhere. Fingers crossed it turns up in the last place I’d think to look for it.
What is the greatest challenge of our time?
Making people accept that pineapple is a suitable topping on a pizza….that and climate change.
Do you believe in the afterlife?
Only if I can bring my unicorn.
If you had to rate your life satisfaction so far, out of ten, what would it be?
Lucky 7.
Contact Details for Rob Pearson-Wright
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Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
