The Story of Makeout City: How Ian Howorth Created One Photograph Powerful Enough to Stand on Its Own
The Story of Makeout City: How Ian Howorth Created One Photograph Powerful Enough to Stand on Its Own
(This is the story behind the photograph—a glimpse into the moment, the process, and the vision that brought it to life.)
How do you photograph a feeling, not a place?
Ian Howorth approached this question step-by-step, carefully removing every distraction until only the emotion remained. While experimenting with film photography, Ian realized that capturing genuine expression required precise control, not luck or chance. Everything from the soft, even lighting to the composition was intentionally chosen to direct viewers’ attention to a single gaze. To Ian, the quiet intensity in a person’s eyes can say more than an entire scene.
Ian’s photograph, Makeout City, was thoughtfully built, selecting the right room, people, clothing, and even guiding their emotions. Every element of the photograph, from soft artificial lighting to careful framing, was deliberate, emphasizing human connection rather than location or time. Ian didn’t just capture a moment, he constructed it. That’s how photography turns a single emotion into an entire story.
Great images don’t happen by accident.
The room was quiet, lit by soft artificial light coming from above. The walls were covered in worn wood paneling, giving the space a feeling of being stuck in time. A large window looked out onto darkness, with only a faint hint of something beyond. Ian had visited this room before, and when he saw it, he immediately knew it was special.
"The reason I want to talk about the Makeout City, is the concept of intentionality and what it is that you're trying to create," Howorth explains. "It was something exploratory for me more than anything. I was still trying to work out how film reacted to different scenarios."
At that time, Ian was still learning about film photography, figuring out how different films reacted to different lights and colors. But something about this room felt perfect. It didn't give away where or when it was. This mystery was exactly what Ian wanted.
"I didn’t want anyone to look at this image and have anything other than the woman’s gaze be the impact," he says. "No signs, no cars, nothing that would tell you where this was, when this was, or who these people were. It had to be something extremely ambiguous so that the focus was purely on them."
Every decision Ian made was careful and planned. He arranged the picture so nothing would distract from the girl’s expression. The light had to be even and soft. The composition had to feel natural, as if the viewer were secretly watching this private moment. Ian knew exactly what he wanted.
"It wasn’t random," Howorth admits. "It was completely staged and directed by me because of the emotion I wanted. And once I got it, I knew that was it."
Creating this image wasn't easy. It wasn't about capturing a quick moment by chance, it had to be carefully built step-by-step. Ian had to find the right people, choose their clothes, and even guide their emotions.
"Directing someone for the correct emotion is something quite specific," he explains. "It isn’t as easy as just saying, ‘It’s this or that.’ There’s a whole bunch of things you have to keep your eye on to make sure it’s the right type of image."
Usually, Ian's photographs belong to bigger projects. But this picture, Makeout City, needed to stand on its own. It had to be powerful enough by itself.
"A lot of my images are part of a larger conversation. And when you have one image out of 40 or 50 that form a body of work, it’s harder for a single photograph to say everything you want to say," he reflects. "But this one—it had to hold its own."
Before this picture, Ian had already taken test shots of the room with another camera. But he knew the space was too empty—it needed people to tell its story. Everything was carefully prepared: the time of night, the quiet mood, the people's expressions.
"I knew straight away that I wasn’t going to waste this as just the location. It was too empty," he says. "So, I had to build it. The light was pretty standard, but I knew it had to be shot at night. That’s when I saw the image. That’s what I reacted to."
Each choice he made—camera, film, light, framing—came together to shape the emotion of the photograph.
"There’s a lot of building to it," Howorth admits. "And then, of course, you have the technical choices—how you frame it, whether you underexpose or overexpose. All of this lends to the overall emotion and feel of the image."
When Ian finally captured the photograph, it was exactly what he had imagined. The girl's gaze, the quiet intensity, the mysterious setting—everything was just right.
"I think I achieved what I set out to do in my head," he says. "Whether people marry up to that or not is a different matter. But in terms of what I wanted—I felt like I did achieve it."
Ian Howorth
Ian Howorth is a UK-based documentary photographer, known for his exploration of identity and culture. Living in Brighton, his notable works include "Arcadia" and "A Country Kind of Silence," both celebrated for their introspective look at the English landscape and societal nuances. Ian's multicultural background, moving from Peru to the US, and finally settling in the UK, profoundly influences his photography, adding depth and a unique perspective to his work.
Though his initial career path was not in photography, a transition from media studies to receiving an Olympus OM-1 camera shifted his focus to visual storytelling. His compelling narratives and thematic consistency have earned him features in top publications like The Guardian and The New York Times. Ian continues to captivate audiences with his ability to blend personal experiences with broader societal themes, making his work both reflective and relatable. (Website, Instagram)
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