You and your photography
Can you tell us a bit about yourself – where you work, where you live?
Well, I’m 35, I live in a little country town called Ballarat which is about an hour from the Capital City Melbourne in Victoria Australia. I love this town mainly because of it’s isolation to the outside world, it is virtually un-touched from it’s goldfield days in the 1860’s, so affords me a beautiful vista on the outside world with many locations and people that make my work unique.
I have loved photography all of my life, and took it up when my primary school moved into the most advanced school building in the country in Grade 3, and had a working darkroom and camera’s at disposal. My professional career took me in a slightly different direction for many years, working for a local television station, but photography always occupied my mind, and after having enough of the high stress life, I decided to focus my attention on my true love photography about 3 years ago.
Currently I work in a local professional photography lab, processing and restoring old images and working with digital and film cameras, and shooting and creating in all my spare time.
How would you describe your work?
I think my work is constantly changing, so it’s hard to describe. The easy explanation is it’s my view on the world, and what I find interesting.
But the longer explanation is it’s really a personal journey, to make ordinary women into amazing beings, showing there power and passion to the world. I primarily choose to use normal women over traditional models for a couple of reasons, at first it was out of necessity, living where I live supermodels don’t walk down the street like in New York. So I started using my friends and people I met in my work, with the plan of moving onto real models in the future, but as my work got technically better and better, I found that the exploration of working with real people was a very valid way of exploring real feelings and emotions, and showing someone that is seemingly a normal person in there best light and showing them they can be incredibly beautiful was immensely satisfying. And so instead of moving on I have found that my work has continued on that path, and hopefully exploring real people makes my work stand out from the crowd.
How long have you been shooting and what attracted you to photography as a medium?
Well as mentioned earlier, it’s really been quite a long time, but as with every passion there have been prolonged breaks throughout that time. But I keep getting drawn back to the medium for it’s instant nature, because I paint and sculpt as well, I know that art when done right takes a lot of time, but the instant nature of photography of going out with someone amazing and creating some beautiful work in a fun afternoon in a field is very appealing to me. The technical side is sometimes the killer, although I have been working within the digital realm, I still believe true photography comes from film, so over the years I have continued with my education on the technical side to film, exploring 35mm, and 120mm Medium Format and a range of Polaroid films. The technical side is much more complicated than digital of course but the personal satisfaction of getting something right on film is the ultimate goal. I have recently been trailing out cross processing, which is the art of shooting on hard to come by E-6 Slide Film and processing it in incorrect C-41 chemicals, the end result being unknown, but mostly it offers a high contrast and highly saturated image which is perfect for the fashion edge my work has recently taken.
How were you taught – did you have tuition/self taught?
I certainly think that you can be taught the technical side to photography, as is displayed in many courses around the world, but a lot of photographers with all the technical training have no soul or heart for it. They are trained to be able to actually capture an image, usually working on commercial shoots with technical and creative directors, so all they are employed for is to actually capture the image.
When you work by yourself with limited resources you learn to do all the jobs in the creation of an image, so along with the technical side of actually capturing the image, that is only the final part in a long journey to get a piece of art completed.
So I have tried to skill myself in many areas with only one reason, to make my work better because in the end I am a perfectionist. So although I have taken a couple of classes on Darkroom Techniques and Lighting, most of it is self taught from trial and error. It is also amazing by how much you can learn by looking at others work, and trying to work out how they created something that wow’s you. I also believe any creative process is helped along by having a mentor. I know that Harmony (dalaiharma.deviantart.com) has not only been a creative muse for my work but has been a mentor to me in technical aspects of my work, mainly with her extensive use of film, and whenever I have a question she is always there to offer an opinion or advice on what film does what. She has introduced me to many elements that my work would not be the same without, so it’s great having someone like that in your life.
But to me, real art in photography can’t be taught. I can take someone, and teach them everything I know about the technical side of capturing an image, but without the ‘Eye’ for it, and the ideas to create them there images are going to lack any real impact and feeling.
How often do you shoot. Commercially? Portfolio work? Just for the hell of t?
Honestly, I live to shoot. But being where I live I don’t have too many models at my disposal, so it varies in the availability of people. I have a couple of close people that I have worked with on a regular basis over many years, and that is where my work is based, exploring the world through them. Every now and then I meet someone new and do a series of images, but it is the regular people that I work with that inspire me to create more. But I am always on the lookout for wonderful people to work with. I don’t tend to work commercially, I shoot because I love it, and go in with set ideas and concepts usually. I have done some portfolio work for aspiring models, but even then I put my flair on it, I can’t imagine ever just shooting straight up images without putting some kinda SJP twist on it.
Which photographers have you found inspirational?
It’s a hard question really, because I see inspirational work everyday, it’s usually in individual pieces rather than stand out people who constantly amaze me. I love when someone can capture something real, an emotion, or a look that can never be seen again, it’s the way light hits a curve or a glint in an eye that inspires me. Also I am amazed by people that think outside the square, and go beyond what most of us think about, opening there mind fully to explore ideas.
Some names that come to mind that keep pushing the boundaries are Harmony Nicholas, Spencer Tunick, Herve Lewis, Helmut Newton and Gregory Crewdson. But really this is just a tip of the iceberg because there are hundreds of photographers that inspire me on a daily basis through Deviant Art and many other sites.
Do you feel that photography is an artform? Could you explain why you do or don’t?
Like any form of expression Photography is most defiantly an artform. I think it’s rudimentary form of being used to capture snapshots has dulled that slightly, but anyone who pushed the medium past it’s obvious task can certainly create art with a camera.
What is the most important aspect of a photograph for you?
Probably it’s impact on a viewer. If I get everything right leading up and including actually capturing an image, then it should hopefully touch people, and when it does I feel I have achieved my goal.
How long did it take you to find your own style? How would you define it or how do you feel about the work you produce?
I think like any artist I am constantly refining my style. I tend to want to try and master something before I can move on, I also like to try and bring something different to everything I try. So as far as personal style goes, I think everything I do has my signature on it, my unique way of looking at the world, even if the images themselves are constantly changing themes and ideas.
Definitions are so limiting, but the way I describe my photography is I am looking for a different way of looking at things, a different angle, a different situation. I try and bring my own emotions and past into my work where I can and try and bring out the same in the people I am working with. I am also looking at exploring odd ideas, because as a photographer you have an excuse to buy 1000 coloured balls because you can always use them in a photo……lol….. So, my style is weird, it’s personal and quirky, it’s weird colours, it’s odd angles and it’s like looking at the world through a circus mirror, it’s recognizable to you but it has a twist to it.
How do you feel about nudity in photography?
It’s an interesting question………..Nudity has been a staple of my work for a long time, and it will continue too, but rarely is it treated in a sexual way. I put a lot of work into my nude images, to ensure a couple of things, one that the model is part of an environment so the it’s a compliment, rarely is the focus based on the model herself, the model is part of a scene, and two that the model is always strong, I like to show the female form as a thing of beauty and strength, rather than a sexualized being. It’s a hard balance to keep, but I endeavor it with all of my nude images.
Do you plan your shoot or do you improvise it? Why?
It really depends on the shoot. I certainly like to have a list of ideas I want to try whenever I’m shooting with someone, I rarely go into a shoot without a concept.
But the ideas are certainly not set in stone, improvisation is a key to any successful shot, it’s really about taking an idea and working on that with a model to get the best result, rarely do I storyboard an image and have it come out perfectly on film, it’s usually a basis for a concept and then it’s tweaked when shooting.
Do you feel location is essential to the photograph, how do you like to use space you shoot in?
My locations are everything to me, they tell the story as much as any model can, so I spend a lot of my time finding amazing spots to shoot in. Living in the area I live in I’m lucky that a lot of old buildings survive from 100 years ago, so I have a lot of textures to work with. But as I travel around I am always on the lookout for amazing places with great light, then once I do see something I plan an idea around it to use it best.
What equipment do you use including lighting?
I use a variety of different cameras, my favorite is defiantly a Nikon F5 film camera, I own two of them, one is usually loaded with either Kodak Portra or Ilford XP2 and the other is loaded with slide film for cross processing. Those two cameras go with me everywhere. For medium format work, I own a Hasselblad 500ELM, and Salyut S and a Pentax 645N, all of which are wonderful cameras and work best in certain environments. In terms of Polaroid I work with a 600SE Profession model which produces amazing results, but I own about 20 different Land Cameras and experiment with them all. In digital I work with a Nikon D2X and D70, I also experiment with a Panasonic Lumix and a Sony Cybershot. Although I seem to have a lot of toys, each does something different with different light, so I plan on where I’m shooting and bring the right tool for the job.
How do you work with models? Do you find a muse or do you prefer to shoot more detached?
I certainly have both. As I mentioned before I have a few muses that I have worked with on a regular basis over a few years, and those relationships have certainly bought a new dimension to my images, when you get close to someone and work with them a lot the images get more intense and personal which is never a bad thing in photography. I do have one off shoots as well, mainly they come about because sometimes you feel you can capture everything someone has in one day, a muse is someone who you never feel you can capture everything no matter how often you shoot them.
When a shoot is finished, what do you try and take from it? Do you generally feel you’ve got what set out to achieve?
That’s a very individual thing, I have certainly had shoots where I have walked away thinking I have got the best images of my career, and this person pushed me past what I thought they and what I could do. Those are the great days. The connection is there, you fall in love with someone for a few hours, capture there soul on film, have some laughs and create stunning images that can never be repeated.
But then there are the days where you push and push but people don’t open up, so you get what you can with what you have. I am quite an open and careful person when I’m shooting, and try and open up the lines of communication so we can get the best shots, but that being said my part is only half of the process, if someone doesn’t bring there A game to a shoot there is nothing I can do to make wonderful images.
It seems you use dA as a gateway to the masses. How do you find this as a medium?
It is yes. I have found it a godsend really. Before dA I was producing images thinking I was the only one, and had no-one in my life that really “Got it”. Being exposed to an artistic community who understands what I do and why has been really good for me and my art. It has pushed me to be better, introduced me to some wonderful people and entertains me no end.
Have you any up coming projects that you are especially looking forward to?
I tend not to do projects, each shoot is an individual thing, so I have people interested in working with me that I am certainly looking forward to working with, but at the moment I am coming up with ideas for those shoots, which is always the first step in the process.
Have you scheduled any exhibitions?
Not as yet this year, with me I am still defining my style, getting images I love enough to put up on a wall, once I have a collection I’m truly happy with I will seek out a place to display them.
Of your published books, which one are you most pleased with?
With my books I’m always most proud of the last one, because as I get better and define what I love the most my work gets better, so it makes sense that the latest book would be the best.
If you could be published in one magazine, which would you like?
There are magazines all over the world that I would love to see my work in, just to expose it to a larger audience, you know. A local magazine that interests me is a wonderful glossy photograph based work, Black+White http://www.studiomagazines.com/htdocs/homepage.htm it has always been a dream of mine to get a write up in there with some of my images. I would buy a million copies and could show my mum that the effort I put into this crazy pastime is worth it.
Anything missed you feel is important?
I really think that amazing photography is having an eye for it, it’s about the idea’s and the concepts, it’s the craziness, it’s fun, it’s a pain in my ass and a major distraction on my life but it is also everything to me and I will never give up perfecting what I do.
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Get Scotts newest book 2am here or see his previous books at lulu.
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