Gavin McCourt is a Portrait and Commercial Photographer based in Glasgow, Scotland. Gavin graduated in 2016 from The Glasgow School of Art with a degree in Communication Design. Since then he has worked as a Designer & Photographer, integrating his skills from both fields to create work that challenges and celebrates the capabilities of digital creativity.
His approach to Portrait Photography is largely influenced by cinema and photo-journalism. Through a non-intrusive approach, he aims to capture the energy and narrative of a moment – much like stills from a scene. Capturing the essence of the subject is also an important quality for his work. Having always been fascinated by the concept of identity, he takes inspiration from the nuanced qualities of the people he photographs and aims to represent them in a way that feels personal and familiar to the viewer.
BELLUM
The purpose of this series was primarily a means to get out and shoot, having spent a lot of time through lockdown evaluating my work and realizing I had to commit more to personal creativity and development.
I had been planning to shoot with my friend Joseph for quite a while, so when lockdown rules began to ease we decided to go out for a few hours, taking our time creating images that had a strong narrative. Although not intentional at first, it became apparent the frustrations and themes of loneliness from the current circumstances surfaced and became the main theme of the collection.
I actually chose to title the project ‘BELLUM’ after Joseph’s tattoo on his chest, which is Latin for war. Considering the internal and mental struggles people have had and still are facing through isolation, it seemed a fitting title.
To view more of Gavin McCourt’s work please visit their website.