Spirit Behind the Lens

The collected photographic works of Eddie Otchere, Britain's foremost chronicler of Black youth culture. Spirit Behind the Lens is a reminder that photographic narratives are the bedrock of photography. Its intimacy is borne from the printed material that defined the history of contemporary Black culture. A whole life on film, curated by pivotal moments donated from the past. The photography of today is taken from the journals of yesterday. The visual world of one of hip-hop's most enigmatic photographers, Eddie Otchere. Hailing from the epicentre of London's jungle scene, this book documents how Otchere crafted the visual identities of house, garage, jungle, drum n bass and hip-hop, working with artists including lil Louis, So Solid Crew, Kemet Crew, Goldie and Black Star. Accompanied by a written memoir in which Otchere outlines his practice, influence and personal history, Spirit Behind the Lens is not only a history of Black British culture told through the work of its greatest and most influential photographer, but a manual on how to navigate the emotional aspects of being creative and an exploration of the romance of photography itself.