As I told you yesterday, I have now teamed up with a photographer to take most – if not all – of my outfit photos. After five years of blogging solo, the team is slowly expanding, ready to take over the world when cats are done with it.
Yesterday before our little shoot, Richard and I sat down in a garden (trying to dodge flying figs) and I asked him a few questions so that you get to know him too.
How did you start photography?
I was studying drama at University in the view of becoming an actor. One day I realised that we were doing all those performances and rehearsals but they weren’t documented, so it was almost as if once we were done, they had never existed. I started taking photos during performances and rehearsals and found out I was quite handy with a camera. Fast forward a few weeks and I had spent my student loan on a DSLR, learned to edit images and use a camera better.
I was lucky enough to have the support of an eminent theatre photographer then, too.
Photos Richard Davenport
What camera do you use?
I have a Canon 5D Mark II and I use a 24-70mm L series lens, a 70-200mm one and sometimes a 50mm prime or a 100mm macro lens too.
What software do you use to edit images?
I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.
What do you like about fashion photography?
Theatre photography is about documenting what’s already there, whereas fashion photography I feel is about creating new worlds. It is about collaborating with other people as well to pull shoots together. There is more control of the creative aspect, at least from a photographer’s perspective. Most of all what I like about it is capturing people.
I also find it more personal – it is something completely new to me and I am eager to learn and progress.
In a perfect world, what type of photography would you be into?
Bigger budget fashion shoots with expansive sets and intricate lighting. Think Gregory Crewdson. Very theatrical fashion shoots, basically, with a lot going on in one photo. Something that compels people to look again and again and again and discover new things each time.
I also like filming as it enables you to extend photographs and tell a longer story.
Gregory Crewdson
Who are your main influences?
It isn’t so much about photographers than about individual photographs for me, but here are a few of my favourites: Annie Leibovitz, Tim Walker, Joey L, Lara Jade…
Annie Leibovitz
Tim Walker
Tell me about your personal style…
I love suits, but I don’t really get to wear them much! I have a fairly simple, monochromatic style. I wear a lot of black, grey, white. Just like my work, my style is pretty clean and simple. I do love shoes though… At my peak I owned 47 pairs!
Richard by Asia Werbel