London

A matt Irwin bedroom special

Fashion photographer/art director

Who?
Matt Irwin, 26, an amiable Devonshire-born lad with an eye for a striking image. The current ‘Eye Spy’ editor at Dazed & Confused and art director/editor of his own photography magazine Less Common, Irwin is one of fashion photography’s brightest new stars.

What?
Serene and beautiful landscapes and vibrant, engaging fashion images. After studying photography at the London College of Fashion, Irwin took his camera to the clubs he was frequenting (such as Kashpoint; he still DJs at The End on a Monday night) snapping his wildly dressed friends (who include designer Gareth Pugh and gang). During this time he kept an online photo blog on MySpace which got a quarter of a million hits in three months. Feature continues

Even when he’s shooting fashion, Irwin keeps things lo-fi, choosing film over digital and often using his bedroom as a backdrop rather than a studio. ‘I can’t make things up and I’m really offended by big production stuff, I don’t know why people would buy into that. I don’t get airbrushing, people don’t look like that. I don’t shoot digital because I don’t think it’s a realistic representation of what’s actually there. I think there’s such a quality you get with film – you have an amazing grain and gradient.’

Where?
Irwin lives on one of the streets off Brick Lane and works in Old Street; much of his work is centred on East End subcultures.

London loves
‘The fact London feels like home. The friendships I’ve made here are the ones I’ll keep for life.’

London loathes
I absolutely detest the transport system to the point where I refuse to buy a bus ticket. I walk everywhere.’

Five words to describe what you do
‘Spontaneous, honest, real, dark, heartfelt.’