Tell us a bit about your photographic journey. How did you get started, and what keeps you motivated?
Photography came to me late in life, I was 38 when I made my first ever image with intent. It began as, and remains a way to maintain positive mental health. It has been a wild ride. Although I have a video and stills production company, my real passion is Light Painting. This fine art practice allows me to push, hard, into the extremes of light and shadow. Over the years teaching and sharing what I learn has become a real passion and keeps me pushing hard to explore new ground.
How would you describe your approach to capturing a scene or subject?
Early in my practice I discovered I could take my light painting into the landscape under a moonlit night and create images that look like daylight, inserting my light painting into the landscape. This encouraged me to try and be a better landscape photographer, understanding what makes an image pleasing. By the nature of my work, it is striking, but whether out in nature, in the studio with a model creating a portrait, or in the ocean, my goal is to make images that you feel something when seeing them. I hope you pause and try and figure it out, how on earth did this thing happen? Most importantly, when that shutter closes, and I see the back of the camera I just want to feel joy, excitement, pain, something. That’s always the goal.
What role do Tamron lenses play in your photography?
I have always been a huge advocate that you can make stunning images with very average gear, I did for many years. In 2024 it has never been easier to attach high quality glass to our cameras without breaking the bank. Companies like Tamron make this a reality.
What do you make of the emerging trend of AI and image generation?
Imagine the ability to imagine a thing, a scene, an idea and have it manifest into reality with the stroke of a keyboard. We live in this incredible time. When we go to the cinema in 2024 and watch any blockbuster movie, there will invariably be a component of the film that is just that, an idea made real using computers. I believe AI technology gives the power to realise an idea in this way to anybody. Imagine being present when artwork by Dahli, Bosch or Beksinski first came to life, the idea is the power. For me, the pixels I generate that you see are such a tiny part of the image. It’s the idea, planning, execution and absorbing of the result that is the real thrill, the thing that gives the image soul.
I have played with AI tech to create images in the style I make work, the results were bland, reductive and lifeless.
There is and will always be an element of concern around whether the image I am seeing is “real” if it is delivering information where dishonesty matters.
Beyond technical skills, what are some essential qualities that helped you become a better photographer?
By the nature of being a commercial photographer, selling light painting images as art and manufacturing the tools that make the images, it was essential that people “like” my work, that it seems achievable. The greatest thing I learned was to separate work attached to commerce from my “personal” work. There is a large body of my work that I literally do not care if anyone likes, in any way. That work has become my best most satisfying work, it’s where I push hardest, and find the most joy and peace.
Any advice you have for aspiring photographers?
Never let social media be your gauge of what is good photography. Never let gear be a crutch, images I made on beginner cameras with kit lenses are still some of my best, and most “popular” images. Because they are good images. Google the greats, Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange, Salgado and look at the images. Those works smash you in the face, and that has nothing to do with the technical quality of the image. They tell great stories, make you think. When I am doom scrolling socials some images stop me dead they are so different. Think of your own ideas.
Are you working on any exciting projects you’d like to share with our readers?
The next 12 months I am focusing on an old project that has been gathering dust, Liquid Light, for an exhibition in August 2025. I take my light painting into the water. It is an incredible way to mix movement and light, the play of water as it leaves the edge of a light painting tool is incredible. Reflections and refractions bend light like nothing else. I will be merging this with a couple of other techniques to create some completely unique work. I am really excited about this.
Thank You!
