September 15, 2009
Today's street style photographers might come a dime a dozen on the web, but before this style of photography became in vogue, photographer Ben Watts was roaming New York in the 90s in search of eclectic personalities to shoot. Unlike many photographers who turn their lenses to stylish pedestrians wearing ultra-styled looks, Watts’ street subjects were raw, authentic, and the antithesis of high fashion. In his latest book, Lickshot, Watts revisits his passion for diverse subcultures with a collage of images taken over the years of skaters, hip-hop heads and surfers. “I get off on things that have a hard edge to them,” says Watts via phone from Ibiza, where he's on an assignment shooting for UK High Street clothing store Next. We talked to him about his distinct style, the separate set of issues that comes with shooting celebrities, and his plans for taking his career to the next level.


