My Q&A session with Febs Digital Photographer Magzine

1) How long have you been taking photographs professionally?

I have been taking photographs professionally for the last 18 years, which makes me sound quite old really but I suppose I am at 46? Although having deviated away from pure photography a number of times , including setting up my own new media or interactive agency employing 15 staff even then it was with a photographic based approach.


2) How long did it take you turn professional?

I was almost professional from leaving University, but in those days my initial focus was on swimwear and I was chasing the Mintex calendar. I the realized that this was not for me and became a people and fashion focus photographer which I enjoy.


3) Did you undergo any training to get to where you are today?

I studied at Wolverhampton Uni for 4 years, 1 year foundation to explore all aspects of graphics and art and at that time had never touched a camera. On the foundation course we had a 5 week project around cameras, darkroom and studio. I was not able to go on a French trip that I was assigned a project to shoot a church? Whilst doing this I photographed my then girl friend and tried various shots and printed my own images. People liked them and the rest as they say is history! That was my intro into the world of photography, however it was not until the digital age that I felt liberated as a photographer. I began to teach my self a range of programs and in particular Photoshop. I am completely self taught and always willing to mix and match programs to establish a good work flow


4) What camera gear do you use?

Up until 8 months ago, I was Fuji S3 Pro with a range of not too brilliant lenses. Now I shoot with a Nikon D3 and I know many would say why not Canon and I would reply it is about the quality of capture not just the size or how many pixels it has. I chose the Nikon for it’s effective low lighting capeabilities which allows hand held in low light scenarios. I use Sigma lenses and have a Sigma 24-70mm, 70mm-200 and a recent addition 105mm macro. I shoot to a Macbook Pro and either shoot tethered or just upload images from the card directly into the mac. I have purchased the wireless facility for the Nikon but as yet not set this up!

5) What about you?


Whilst at Uni I was fortunate to go to New York state on an exchange and whilst there I went to RIT Rochester Institute of technology. This was completely funded by Kodak a it was Kodak City! Whilst there I saw the original camera that shot the film Gone With the Wind. I was also fortunate to be taught old fashioned printing techniques such as Cyanotype and Gum Bichromates. I have always been inspired by the classic movies Film Noir. I like the clever use of lighting and atmosphere that it creates. My lighting is very much motivated by the classic photographers such as Clarence Sinclair Bull. If you look at my lighting very rarely do I use more than one light.
At one point I decided to change what I did and went off to Athens. It has great editorial market and always pushed boundaries in terms of what it covered. It was there that I got the opportunity to assist some good London photographers such as Uli Weber and Johnathan Glynn Smith. I learned how the business was by watching these guys in action.

My post production is now becoming noted and some of my more colourful post produced images are signed up to International Graphics in Germany. These are images which have been distributed around the world and has helped my profile.

During another period in my working life about 10 years ago, I lost the drive in photography It was in the days when film was still king. I am completely darkroom trained and spent most of my time processing my own black and white films, Agfa being my chosen film and Agfa being my chosen paper slightly warmed with a selenium tone. I was very interested in the digital age and even though I didn’t have a digital camera I decided to embrace the digital age and purchased a computer. I couldn’t use it but had seen something called Photoshop. It was whilst experimenting with the computer and completely learning everything myself that I slowly moved more into creating interactive materials and within 18 months had set up a small interactive agency doing screensavers which were photographic based. This went slowly and the photography got less but over the next 7 years I built this up to employ 15 people and specialize in interactive media, I became the creative director and I worked mainly in my specialism which was screen based design. I would liaise with clients and produce CD and DVD publications and look at niche market development of interactive and streaming media and we were very strong in web development. Although very successful as an agency I had lost my interest and started to shoot creatively again over a period of time and set about building a website to promote me and what I did. Eventually I left the company and formed my own business yet again but in what I really like and do best (Photography) I learned a great deal about marketing and use all of my skills to create sites, visualize them and to make sure they sit near the top of Google. Sometimes being number 1 on Google for fashion photographer.

Feature Questions:

1) What inspired you to take up fashion photography?
I think it was a migration from general commercial shots still life’s etc which are often quite static, I wanted something a little more challenging for me and really enjoyed creating a story whilst taking pictures with people. For me it is creative interactive process. You start with various elements to create a story clothes and styling, makeup, location you etc and you write it! I was always inspired by the great black and white Hollywood classics and loved the use of light. Photographing people allowed me to reproduce this for myself.

2) What are the typical preparations that need to be made before a shoot? (Both in terms of camera equipment and researching the location itself / weather etc. if outside)

Before any shoot it is always important to prepare, standard things like battery charged, people booked, location booked and models arranged. One thing shooting higher res files and direct into the laptop is always make sure you have extra space in terms of a small external hard drive.

I have found on occaision that I have overshot a good look and had nowhere to capture them to and the last thing you want to do is have to select images for deletion in front of a client.
I tend to reccy a location as much as possible. If I can get there all the better but if not I Google and get as many images with as many angles as possible to get an overall picture of the location. When I arrive at my location and met my team for the day, I will always walk around with them to visualise my ideas and places to actually shoot in. I will also ask for their input and ideas.

I do have a strong idea of what I am going to capture on the day but I will also ask for input and have no problems with people suggesting a look that may work in fact I encourage it, after all I want the best I can from the shoot and sometimes you can get too wrapped up in shooting and can tend to dry up creatively. A shoot can often start flat and lifeless and unmotivated but it is up to you to direct the shoot especially initially. One other thing, make sure you have food arranged for later otherwise you will have decent in the ranks. People don’t work well on empty tummys!


3) What sort of locations would you recommend for this type of photography?

Fashion photography is a very creative process and most locations can work. I would say that composition is key to the success of the location and your use of lighting. Although I work in a studio for some of my fashion work, I tend to keep lighting simple but I do prefer a location s each is different a gives you a new set of problems to solve and backgrounds to master. I do like an urban feel and would be looking to shoot some editorials in and around an old refinery or power station with the industrial feel to it. Why try to create this sort of look in a studio and maybe over light it when it may already there. Of course budgets can make a difference but why compromise if there is no need.

4) What are the main problems you tend to encounter?

On location it is normally silly things but it is logistics, or models can’t find it or even you can be late. Going abroad is a completely different problem, Customs, equipment, excess, guides. All of these can create stressful scenarios but most of the time shots always create some type of problem and as a photographer you have to find a way of overcoming these for the client or getting your heads together to make it work.

5) Your images are characteristically very clean, crisp and beautifully lit: are there any rules that you follow when considering the lighting for your shots?

Most of my inspiration comes from the classic films but also from the master painters. I love their use of light and pose to create an atmospheric scene. This is how I do business. Keep it simple and don’t over complicate everything with too many lights. If you have available daylight use some of it and balance with the flash. I tend to use continuous or tungsten light such as a red head or blonde to give me the illuminated effect I achieve. Flash is great but immediate where as continous lighting allows the scene to build up light, tecture and depth. The colours are richer and more intense, the only downfall would be the that the exposure is slow. The model has to be aware that the lighting exposure is a fraction of a second and thus please keep still. You can often hear me shoot look left hold that 2 -3 etc etc.

6) If using studio lighting, to you favour a particular set-up? (How many lights / other accessories / a rough idea of the arrangement for example)

If I am shooting commercially then it tends to be the same lighting set up, sometimes the client will want high key in which case the whole set up is more or less copy lighting for the background i.e 2 lights at 45 degrees with a more powerful overhead light. I tend to do most of my creative studio workon a white background but use the continous light to create shadows or point of interest behind the model. Or flash High up and let the light fall off to create shadows with flash. Sometimes with a soft box or sometimes with no softbox and shoot it uncovered which will allow for a more harsh lighting similar to tungsten.
Early next year I will be creating a mini book in the form of a PDF which people can buy. In it will be the process from makeup, lighting techniques with samples and illustrated layouts to help people understand my lighting and help them improve theirs. Lighting is key to creating atmosphere and I will explore all of my techniques. It will also feature some really useful tips and techniques for Post production and retouching in Photoshop. I will expolore the simple beauty techniques but also go into detail about the heavy post produced imagery with many layers.


7) Is it preferable to work with a professional model when you’re starting out in this field, or is there an alternative way to build up a portfolio?

I work with professional, or semi or even amateur. It just depends on what I am looking for. I have just done a shoot with a guy who had no experience but was a real natural and I have some great shots. It is always an advantage that if you are using a model that they have some type of experience. It makes it easier for you to photograph and create shapes. I do find it frustrating that you have to spend so much time to create a look with some models but I can be a little intense in what I am looking for out of the model. I do spend a lot of time making sure the eyes look right and in different directions. Attention to the fingers and the shapes of the body all go to creating a great shot better. It can be ruined if one of the elements is not correct. It is up to you as the photographer to work with any model professional or amateur In a positive way and to make them feel at ease and doing things right, but make sure you tell them what you are looking for or direct them and they can help. You are in effect the director of your own movie. Tell them what you want and preview to them when the shots are either going well not. It helps them visualise what you are trying to achieve. One word of advice don’t rely on a numbers game and what I mean by this don’t expect to get a great shot just by shooting and shooting and hoping for the best. If I don’t like it or it isn’t working I wont shoot it and I will tell everyone that this is so. We the reset and start a new pose or location. If it is the model who isn’t working, be subtle and offer a range of scenarios to try. If still not working move it don’t try to force it.

8) Can you recommend anywhere for sourcing models?

If you are setting up and need models you can always ask friends etc but in my experience this doesn’t work that often. It can be a great way to get some initial images together to qualify you with potential models but it is best to build a relationship with your local model agency and if your work is up to scratch they will allow you to photograph their new faces in return for pictures. Failing this then you have online model portals such as www.modelmayhem.com and www.famode.com these are really good and they both allow you to create an online portfolio and build friends which in turn builds your credibility. The models on them test for pictures and normally for free. Maybe just for travel or overnight accom if they travel from a distance.


9) The models in your images exude confidence – how can our readers put their own models (professional or not) at such ease in front of the camera?

I have a basic idea of what I would like form each session, but I know if you open up the ideas forum to your team this can be a great help and your initial idea suddenly transforms and becomes a great one. You must always be positive and look as though all is ok and going well. Be happy and presentable and rise above any problems. In my experience I have been told that I am not the normal fashion photographer? What models have said about this point is that I tend to look laid back and not stressed, polite and no attitude.

They see many photographers with a basic attitude that I am greater than you and doing you a favour. Little do they know that sometimes I do feel like throwing my toys out of the pram or that I am extremely frustrated (more so with myself for not getting it how I wanted) it is ok to feel this but whatever you don’t show it as this will influence their attitude and make it a hard day. Be contained and the shoot will go well and their experience will be good and so they go off and tell others how good the shoot was. Really there is no need to demand anything offer suggestions and try to laugh and be friendly but businesslike.



10) Where do you get inspiration from when it comes to picking poses for your models?

In general you can get a great range of image reference from the web, Buy magazines and keep them. I used to start with tear sheets and lay them out on the floor of a studio and location. I would then try to emulate them. However I would say don’t copy the image use it to get you going and then lose the images, as much as they can help they can hinder too. I try to work with a model and look how she moves. I tend to shoot a range of what I call test shots, but these are me looking at her or his best side, how the light falls on them and what would be the best angel etc and when I am happy and all looks ok I begin.
Whilst you are shooting you can recognise the models potential and the top models who shoot all of the time are exceptional and know their craft. Subtle changes are required. I tend to be quite hands on and sometimes it is easier to jump in and show them what pose they need to work around than telling them.

11) Do you have any tips on composing fashion images?

Not really, just keep it simple and always when choosing a model look for a versatile profile of a model and you won’t go too wrong


12) Do you need specialised software to edit your images, or any other special equipment?

I tend to use Adobe Lightroom for preview and creating my web galleries for preview and Photoshop. I have a MacbookPro which I shoot to and back at base an Imac 24” with 4 gb of ram. I also use a Wacom A4 tablet for retouching of images. A few external hardrives at base and one that goes with me on location.

13) If you could give someone just 5 quick tips on fashion photography, what would they be?

Keep it simple
Research your location
Be flexible
Be creative
Choose models carefully for each location or studio session.