JONATHAN CHERRY: What are your plans for the next six months?

JAMES BOWDEN: I try and make a plan for my next six months everyday, but then with a phone call or email it all changes again. So to be completely honest, I have no real idea what’s in store for me in the next six months, but I can tell you it’s going to involve going to some cool places, and I’m so excited about that.

JC: In your opinion what makes a successful portrait?

JB: From my perspective, a great portrait is one that begs me to find out more about the subject … one that opens a book of questions, and doesn’t answer them. 

JC: When you are not photographing what can you be found doing?

JB: I pretty much always have a camera on me, but when I’m not shooting, I’m most likely to be found in the sea, on a bike or with my spaniel, Vincent.

JC: You took a overland trip to China fairly recently - any poignant moments?

JB: Gosh, that was some trip, dream stuff for me. I think one of the most poignant moments was stepping off a 6 day long train ride into -20C, and saying goodbye to some great people I had got to know. Close behind was breaking my beloved rollei in Moscow, then the jubilation when I managed to fix it with a butter knife and small screwdriver. God bless analogue cameras.

JC: What is your favourite thing to photograph?

JB: Amazing people in amazing places.

JC: What is your current project about?

JB: Personally I’m planning a joint exhibition later this year, entitled ‘quit your job’ and then another collaborative project with my good friend and writer George Foulds, that will involve spending a month on a small sparsely populated island off southern Australia. Both I’m very much excited about. 

JC: What do you enjoy most about using your Hasselblad?

JB: The sound! 

JC: Any closing thoughts?

JB: If I can take one photograph that inspires one person get up from behind their desk, and go out into the world and follow a dream … well that would be successful picture and I would sleep happy.