Laurence Bouchard is a Tokyo-based street photographer originally from Bath, UK. Not only is he an award-winning photographer, he has even worked with Apple to provide photography for an iPhone campaign.
He recently won the Mobiography (opens in new tab) Photographer of the Year 2021 award, and his photography focuses primarily on street photography, although he occasionally incorporates his wife and daughter into his images.
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He moved to Tokyo in 2009 and purchased his first iPhone. The combination of the freshness of living in a new environment and the realization of the iPhone’s image-making capabilities set him on a photographic journey that led to him working with Apple for its iPhone 7 (opens in new tab) campaign in November 2016.
He now shoots interchangeably with both the iPhone and the Sony A7R II (opens in new tab). However, it’s the iPhone that is (nearly) always with him and Laurence regards both cameras as essential.
Laurence's top tips for shooting with your Phone
1. Search for repetitive patterns
This photo is titled ‘Toeing the Line’, and was shot at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Tokyo. I saw a wall to stand on and set my phone up on a selfie stand with my headphones attached to shoot burst mode. I raised the selfie stick as high as possible and shot in burst mode.
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2. Shoot super shadows
This one is called ‘Running on Empty’ and was shot in Komazawa Park in Tokyo. I was leaving the park one day when I saw some joggers. The light and shadows weren’t good, so I used the Sun Surveyor (opens in new tab) app. You can use it to work out when the sun will rise and set and save the location. It’s a lifesaver in terms of knowing when a location is in the shade.
3. Look for brilliant backgrounds
This photo is called ‘To the Point’, and was shot in Tokyo. The tip here is to look for interesting backdrops. This was a temporary backdrop at a reconstruction site. These kind of backdrops are great for photography, but are often short lived. Again, shoot in burst mode to get the best leg stride. Graffiti can also make for interesting backdrops.
4. Use cool reflections
What makes this beach so special are the small river-like streams that run through it, making it a great place for reflections. It’s known as the Salar De Uyuni of Japan, although it’s a beach and not a salt lake. The tip here is to find places that provide good opportunities for reflection photography.
See more of Laurence Bouchard's work on his Instagram (opens in new tab) page.
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