Fifteen years photographing actors and musicians in London, now pushing into fine art.
Who are you, and what kind of work do you do?
I’m great, thank you. My name is Pip and I’m a portrait and fine art photographer, originally from Yorkshire in Northern England, though I’ve spent the last fifteen years living and working in London. Most of my work involves photographing people in the entertainment industries for editorial and commercial clients, but I’m increasingly shooting more art-driven and personal projects.
How did you discover photography, and when did you know it would be part of your life?
I always loved drawing and painting as a kid, but I was incredibly slow and often found that frustrating. Photography let me use my artistry with lighting, composition and creative direction while offering tangible results much sooner. As I matured socially I fell in love with the process of connecting and collaborating with my subjects — that’s when it really became part of my whole identity.
How were your first years? How long did it take to find your style?
From the start I knew I primarily wanted to photograph people. In the beginning that meant shooting my friends, many of whom were aspiring musicians, actors and models. That’s where I really cut my teeth, learning how to get the most out of a location and how to work with natural light. Since then I’ve steadily gravitated towards mastering lighting in more controlled environments and pushing the creative parameters of photography. My style is ever-evolving — I’m always trying and learning new things — so it has actually taken me fifteen years to get to where I am. I’m excited to see how it develops over the next decade.
What does a typical day look like?
As a self-employed artist there’s really no such thing as a typical day. Shoot days are hectic and all-consuming, but whenever I’m not shooting I’ll be working on personal projects or doing pre- and post-production on future jobs. Retouching often takes up a lot of my time, and is one of my favourite parts of the whole process. I used to work obsessively all day and night, but as I’ve got older I’ve realised the value of creating some mental distance from photography. In the evenings I’ll spend time with friends or work out, to keep a healthy balance.
How is photographing a celebrity different from photographing anyone else?
Fundamentally it’s no different. Celebrities are often built up in the media as phenomenally confident superhumans, but in my experience they have all the same hopes and fears as the rest of us. You have to be aware of what they are promoting, and portray them in a way that fits their personal brand, but in principle it’s the same as shooting anyone. Generally they’re used to having their picture taken, so they can be slightly more comfortable in front of the camera — although that’s a double-edged sword, because it means your images of them need to stand out from everyone else’s.
And your strongest work so far?
I recently shot a fine art series called Daemons which I’m very proud of. I developed my own long, multiple-exposure technique with red light trails, to create a painterly motion effect in camera. I think the results are emotional and visually striking.
Pick one photograph and tell us the story behind it.
This was one of the first images I ever took, many years ago back in Yorkshire. It’s of one of my oldest friends, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, in a place called Robin Hood’s Bay where we spent a lot of time as teenagers. It represents the very start of both our careers, and it holds a special place in my portfolio and in my heart.
Where does your inspiration come from, and is there a photographer you’d like us to interview?
I’m inspired by so many photographers. I love a lot of the old film masters like Irving Penn and Ansel Adams, and the portraiture of Mark Seliger and Anton Corbijn. You’ve already featured my friend Lena Aires; she’s a great photographer and a wonderful human. I’d love to see you interview Todd Hido — I think his work is really special.
Would you show us your studio?
What’s next?
I’m currently working on my most ambitious project to date. Sadly I can’t reveal much about it, other than that it will be like nothing you’ve seen before. It’s going to be a large fine art series, and hopefully an exhibition here in London, that encapsulates everything I know about photography. If you follow me on Instagram, @bypip, I’ll be announcing it there later this year.
