How old are you?
I am 21 years old and am now in my second year at Nottingham Trent University.
How did you get into photography?
My passion for photography began with my love for film; I loved the idea of creating narrative through different technical elements such as cinematography, actors, make up, clothes, and props. Everything that goes into the production of the film and collaborating a crew of dynamically creative people. I wanted to explore this and this lead me to study a BTEC in Media Production at Cirencester Collage along with a Photography AS level . As a result, through experimentation with both still and moving images, I developed a broad range of creative skills.
The media course is the best thing I could have done as a starting point, in that it covered every aspect that goes into the pre-production, production and post-production of making a film. This interlinked with photography in learning to organise a cast and crew, time manage and oversee every aspect that goes into each frame. I then went onto studying an Art Foundation course at Stroud College which made my final decision in University choice after specialising in photography. This has helped me now in my Degree with coordinating models, studio and equipment hire, make-up artists and stylists (if collaborating with Fashion Students) and it generally gave me a basis of structuring and organising a photo-shoot in a quick and professional way.
Photographers who I admire would have to be Kirsty Mitchell, Gregory Crewdson, Cindy Sherman, Tim Walker, Lewis Hine, Man Ray, Dorothea Lange, Edward Western and Bill Brandt. Each have individuals styles that appeal to me and have been relatable to my own projects.
What camera do you use?
I use a Canon 50D, Mamiya and Hassleblad
Advice on how to get started
A good place to start would be to visit as many exhibitions as you can and to find out what exactly interests you. Not just photography exhibitions but also other art forms, such as indie films, fine art, sculpture, design and illustration. I would also suggest setting up an online profile, such as Flickr. This will allow you to network with other people in the industry and you never know who may see your work!
What other art forms are you into?
Other art forms which I am interested in include moving image and fine art work, such as 19th Century portrait paintings, along with illustrators and mixed media work. When I was 11 I used to take Charcoal lessons which is where my interest in lighting started, this medium enabled me to hand draw shadows and lighting and to do it with detail.
Lighting is one of my many fascinations with photography and film. The way you structure the light on a studio or set can distinguish the difference in the subject matter and the emotion that can be expressed. I have experimented with natural light (street photography/film stills) to studio lighting (performance/fashion). I hope to explore in my next term on location lighting.
What’s your favourite colour?
My favourite colour is blue
What’s your favourite place?
My favourite place would be Prague, I went there when I was little and I remember how beautiful the place was- I'm sure I would appreciate the place a lot more now if I was to go back.
Tell us about your latest project
My most recent project is based around the four elements – air, fire, water and earth. It has been an experimental project using different fabrics, make-up, hair, lighting and backdrops to aesthetically represent each element. Throughout my project I looked at 19th Century portraits, Greek Art, Elizaveta Porodina, Erwin Blumenfeld, Ryan Doco Connors, Ekaterina Belinskaya, Joyce Tenneson and Kirsty Mitchell. I also looked at other projects based on the four elements such as Rachel de Joode’s work, absurd and surreal she intends to depict human existence through the use of overlooked and banal objects of our everyday lives. This project enabled me to develop my skills in the studio and in post-production (Photoshop), technically and creatively.
To see more of Anna's work check out our website Chalk&Wild
