MPB Meets: Street Photographer Polly Rusyn

didPolly Rusyn is an award-winning street photographer based in London, UK. Her work is imbued with colour, and the vibrancy of places and people. Using the world as an ever-changing canvas, she uses humour, light and a juxtaposition of objects and elements to reflect everyday life.

Polly has appeared in publications including National Geographic Traveller UK, Digital Photography and Eyeshot Magazine, and she has won or been shortlisted for awards at Photosynthesis PhoSofia, Siena International Photography Awards, Miami Street Photography Festival and the National Geographic Traveller annual photography competition, among others. She was also a judge for the London Street Photography Festival.

This week, we speak to Polly about her journey and arrival to her style, the oddities she finds on the street and her choice of equipment.

MPB: How did you first get into photography?

PR: I never wanted to be a photographer! Growing up, I used to draw anything and everything. So, I’ve always been artistic. I did a degree in Graphic Design and worked in that field for a while. I gave it up to travel around the world for eight months. And, of course, I took a camera—but I was a snapper, not a photographer. I was capturing memories, and maybe now and again making something more ‘artistic’. During that trip, I came across the work of fine art photographer Peter Lik. I found it so inspirational that he was making a living doing the thing he loved, although I hadn’t yet had the call to become a photographer myself. 

Later, during an office travel job, my need for a creative outlet grew. It felt natural to turn to photography. I joined a couple of photography social groups and found that photographing people was what interested me most. A few years later, I was lucky enough to go to Papua New Guinea to do a recce for the adventure travel company I was working for. By then, my camera went everywhere with me. And on that trip, I had the opportunity to photograph a tribe preparing for a show. I still remember taking one particular photo and feeling something switch in me—I knew I wanted to be a photographer. I left the travel industry and started to set up a photography business. It was a rollercoaster as I didn’t have a plan. That was five years ago. 

Now, I shoot portraiture and personal brand documentary photos and teach street photography. This year, I was made an Official Fujifilm X-Photographer, which felt like a massive achievement.

MPB: Did you experiment with different photography genres before arriving at street/documentary?

PR: When I first started my business, I experimented with different genres of photography. I shot some events and a few babies, and I tried my hand at stock photography. For fun, one of the first genres that interested me was architecture photography. I loved the geometry and lines of contemporary architecture, they appealed to the graphic designer in me. I also thought I wanted to be a travel photographer—particularly with how much I love to travel—but that often involves landscapes, sunsets and food. While I love all those things, photographing them didn’t excite me. I needed to photograph people. Plus, travel photography is more commercial than street photography. For me, it doesn’t embrace odd things that a street photographer might shoot.

MPB: What is it that interests you specifically about street photography?

PR: Well, to begin with, the actual shooting process draws me to street photography. I find it meditative, walking around and getting into a headspace where I focus purely on finding pictures. But it can also be very exciting especially when I can see something that I know will culminate in a photo I haven’t yet taken. It’s not quite the right moment—but it’s about to be—I have to get the composition right, and the clock is ticking! I see it as a problem-solving exercise. And I love solving problems. I’m faced with an environment I have no control over, yet it’s up to me to control everything in my frame. The moment, the subject, the background, the edges, the corners. Everything has to work together. And when it does all come together, it’s the best feeling. I love it. 

I’m mainly thinking about finding moments and being able to compose them well. Because the whole frame is important to me, my eye is always on the subject's relationship with the background. I love finding connections—visual or human. Ultimately, I think I’m trying to photograph joy in some way. Bright colours and sunny days are joyful, and if I can find a quirky, humorous or serendipitous moment, then I’m really happy.

MPB: You shoot a lot of your work abroad—do you change how you work when travelling?

PR: Travel is a massive part of my life, and most of my work is shot abroad. When I travel, I feel I can permit myself to shoot all day—day after day—and get into ‘the zone’. At home in London, I always think about work or feel I should be working. So it feels indulgent to take a day off and go out shooting. I find new places much more creatively stimulating than home's familiarity.

As long as I can give myself the time to focus on taking pictures, I approach everything in the same way. I hunt for light and colour, hoping to find those special moments hidden in plain sight in everyday life.

MPB: When you hunt for light and colour, what kind of weather—or time of day—do you prefer?

PR: I have a massive preference for sunny days. But, of course, not every day is sunny. I am happy to be out all day on those sunny days—I love the long shadows of early morning and late afternoon, but I’m equally happy in the harsh midday sun. Although my early street photography was in black and white, I am obsessed with colour. Bright sunshine enhances colour—especially when shooting with a small aperture—so the light can be as bright as it wants to be, and I just figure out how to work with it. Plus, you can have a lot of fun with shadows. While I like to play with pockets of light, it’s colour that I’m most interested in. I see it as shooting ‘about’ colour more than ‘in’ colour.

MPB: What equipment do you use?

PR: I shoot exclusively using Fujifilm mirrorless cameras. I have a Fujifilm X-T2 for client shoots with a Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 R WR and 35mm f/2 R WR. The X-T2 has twin SD card slots, so I can back up as I go along. I use a Fujifilm X100V for street photography because it’s the perfect camera for the street. I love the retro silver-and-black look, but I went with all-black to be more inconspicuous on the street. Since I gave up my DSLR, I’ve been hooked on Fujifilm. They’re small and stylish, and I love the colour I get—I always opt for the Provia Standard film simulation. Having the option of a silent shutter and a flip screen is especially awesome for shooting on the streets. I prefer to work manually to manipulate the light, so the external programmable controls and dials mean I can make quick adjustments while shooting.

MPB: You mentioned shooting during the pandemic—has your street photography changed due to this?

PR: I’ve had to adapt. In the early days of the pandemic, I was wandering around restricted to my neighbourhood, photographing urban abstracts, juxtaposing my shadow on things, playing on street photography without people, and experimenting with shooting reflections. I was social distancing to the extreme. In recent weeks, I’ve ventured further afield. Getting closer to people than before, while keeping a safe distance. It’s been challenging, but it’s good to be challenged.

MPB: What do you have planned for the future?

PR: I want to keep growing as a street photographer and add more complexity to my images. Equally, I’d like to do more street photography without people. It’s not as easy as it sounds and shouldn’t be confused with urban landscapes. I want to get more documentary work using my street photography skills to tell stories. I’d love to get some work with an overseas NGO. That would be the dream—to travel, photograph and tell stories to help bring about positive social change.

Looking for more street photography content?

This article is part of the MPB Guide to Street Photography, our comprehensive look at how to create street photography, with camera recommendations, advice and interviews with experts.