I had a chance to interview Seattle punk photographers Luciano Ratto and Jimmy Humphryes. Photography has always been a staple in the punk community. Jimmy and Luciano are two well-known photographers in today’s Seattle punk community keeping the art of photography alive and well within the scene. 

 (Picture of a woman’s leg being tattooed – photo by Luciano) 

(Picture of the crowd at the show – photo by Luciano)

(Picture of a man jumping into the concert crowd – photo by Luciano)

(Picture of a musician with his guitar – photo by Luciano)

Luciano Ratto is a 26-year-old photographer in the Seattle area. He is greatly involved in the punk / art scene. He has been involved in the photography industry since he was 24, building a name for himself in the area. Throughout the years he has become a well-known photographer in Seattle’s music scene that people look for at the shows. They greatly anticipate the release of his photos after every event. He’s even published his own book, Taste the Floor, which displays his work from the 2022-2023 DIY music scene. Luciano’s work is extremely captivating. He describes his work as “unfiltered” and “voyeurism”. Luciano does an amazing job of captivating the realness of all his subjects, which is something he mentions that he strives for. All of his work is consistently raw and unique. When I ask Luciano about his journey getting into the world of photography, he tells me about his childhood dream of being a movie director. He states, “Photography seemed like the best way to get into it.” As for entering photography in the music scene, Luciano describes it as “all natural.” He got into it the same way most of us do, he knew some friends who took him to a show and through that he met new people and just fell into the scene. He says since then it has been “a journey of pure chaos.”  He describes his favorite moments from the past year being the “Animal House Special.”  He tells me his book release was a “very special project to work on.” On his book release he describes it as “a love letter to the community.”

I asked Luciano about who inspires his work. He says his friends, the community supporting him, and photographer Sally Man.  You can see a lot of her inspiration in his work. Luciano and I talk about what advice he wants to pass on to new photographers and just people in general. After thinking for a long time, he looks at me and says, “Look at the photos you think are good for a long time before you decide they’re good. Don’t get hung up on social media speed. Take your time in life.” I admire this piece of advice because I think we all, photographers or not, can apply this to our everyday lives. Finally, I ask Luciano where he sees photography taking him. He thinks for a second and then with a smile he says, “I have no idea and that’s why I love it.”

(Picture of Jimmy crowd surfing – photo by Jimmy) 

(Picture of a man in the Animal House pit – photo by Jimmy) 

(Picture of the Tin Foil Room – photo shot by Jimmy)

My next interview is with photographer Jimmy Humphryes. Jimmy is “31 and confused, ” he entered the scene in 2022 and since then he has proven to be an extremely influential face in the punk community.  He always makes a point to share his positivity and wisdom within the scene. Jimmy is a true inspiration to all. To us younger folk in the punk scene, Jimmy is a role model for people to learn etiquette and community building. For other photographers, he “sets an example on how to communicate, and how to stay positive.” Jimmy describes his journey into the world of photography by sharing, “I was raised with the premise that my dad was a photographer. Growing up I always had a camera in hand, and out of all my hobbies this one stuck.”  Through the years Jimmy has built a supportive community for himself and he has been a big factor in the whole community’s expansion. He describes this by saying, “This community was created for me completely by accident; it was so wholesome and welcoming.” I then ask Jimmy who inspires him and he says, “Luciano of course, and Kevin.” Luciano and Kevin are other photographers. “For me, I find myself being inspired by the young people in the community because being inspiring to others inspires me. As well as older folks, they remind me of how much I’ve already done and also how much I’m going to do.” Continuing this conversation of inspiration, I ask Jimmy about his favorite events in the past year. He takes a long time to think, and then he answers with, ¨It would be Animal House Punk Prom 1. It was the first time I felt like I had an impact. I started to feel at home with this, it finally felt real. I gained like 2,000 followers from it, from all age groups. It felt good.¨ I then asked Jimmy more about his actual photography process. He describes his style as “honest and vibrant.” Jimmy hopes that eventually he’ll start photography professionally.  He said, ¨I hope it takes me somewhere where I can support myself and just inspire people.” Finally, I ask Jimmy if he has any last words of advice or comments, he thinks for a minute and then standing up from the place we were sitting he says, “Stay open-minded, open-hearted, and stay f***ing patient!” 

If you are interested in joining the punk scene/community or want to get more into the music or photography aspect, I encourage you to check out sites like www.seattlerealpunkshows.com for information on upcoming shows in the area. Or check out Jimmy and Lucianos Instagrams for info on shows and events they’ll be at or to check out more of their work @poundingthenail and @luciano_ratto .