INTERVIEW
WITH TONY HOWELL - Questions frequently asked by students
Why did you take up photography? 'First of all my father gave
me a Kodak Instamatic. I took sunrises and sunsets, then a friend showed
me a photography magazine. I looked at some of the images and thought
'I could have taken that' - so I got a better camera. Suddenly I saw
the world with new eyes. I was hooked right from the start'
When did you start? 'In 1978, then I bought my first
proper camera, a Pentax K1000 35mm SLR in 1980'
In 1985 I bought my first medium format camera (Rolleiflex 2.8F, 6x6cm)
and was bowled over by the
quality of bigger transparencies'
Where were you born? 'In Plymouth, Devon, England on
13th January 1960'
What qualifications do you have? 'None. I'm self-taught, entirely
trial and error with ideas from books and magazines. What has made me
into a photographer is simply this - plenty of practice, dedication
and a real love of what I do
. I also happen to be something
of a perfectionist, which means a lot of my images are discarded.
I found I had a natural eye for composition from the start;
I never had to study or even think about it much, I knew when it was
right instinctively'
Was it easy to make it as a freelance? 'No. You need plenty
of patience and more marketing skills
than photographic ones. You need to find your market and keep sending
them top images. I spent several years on a low income. It was a difficult
time for me, but I worked hard with real determination to succeed, driven
by a passion for photography which remains undiminished to this day.
Taking photographs is a real joy, and the business side of being a freelance
I also enjoy, but it is hard work. Overall though, I love my job'
Who are your main clients? 'Book, Calendar and magazine
publishers, Design Agencies, Corporate clients'
Which photographers have inspired you? 'Ansel Adams and Paul
Strand, both legendary black and
white photographers. Joe Cornish for his large format landscapes which
show great patience, perseverance and planning. I also love Martin
Parr's work - he will become known as one of the greatest photographers
of all time'
What type of work do you specialise in? 'Landscapes
and Plants. From the largest distant view
of a landscape right down to the tiniest detail in a flower'
What cameras do you use now? 'I don't think the camera you
use is that important, it's what you see that counts - and plenty
of practice, but I use a 39 megapixel digital camera which is excellent,
and allows me to do very large prints, which some clients demand.
It completely changed my workflow switching to digital, meaning I
no longer had to rely on pro-labs to get my slides developed, and
was able to fulfil clients work much faster, and upload new images
to this website within hours of capture'
What's the best thing about your job? 'I really enjoy the
challenge of doing a great job when commissioned by important clients,
love meeting new people, but my favourite time of all is when I have
a
spare day, and I can then set off in my car to take
my own photographs'
What does a typical day consist of? 'If the weather
report looks promising, I may get up before dawn and travel to somewhere
local to photograph. Then I work in the office from 9am and reply
to important emails which normally takes an hour. I may then have
to send a few images to clients, then do a print for another customer.
I always have a backlog of images to process, so I then start working
on my RAW files. This could easily take the rest of the day. When
I'm on a commission, I'll spend a few hours preparing my camera gear
and researching how to go about the work, ready for the next day.
One day I may spend 9 hours on the computer and hardly leave my seat.
Another day I may be driving for several hours, then do lots of walking
under pressure to fulfil a clients brief. Other times I could be on
a beach, taking my own photographs, feeling so glad to be away from
my desk!'
What do you think about digital photography? 'Most Digital
SLR cameras are now sharper than 35mm, and full frame pro SLR's compare
with medium format cameras. The best thing about digital is the workflow
- much better. I love Photoshop, it opened up a whole new creative
side to my photography in 1996 when I first got it. The downside is
that I spend far too much time on the computer'
What's your favourite film? ''One flew over the cuckoos
nest' but you probably mean camera
film, which was Fuji Velvia - strong, vibrant colours and excellent
quality'
Do you use filters? 'Hardly any. I use a polarising
filter to reduce reflections and glare; also to darken blue skies
and increase saturation. I occasionally use neutral density filters
to reduce the shutter speed'
You seem to like Abstract images - why? 'Abstracts
make you think more about texture, lighting, colour and other aspects
that are easily overlooked with a 'standard' view. Abstracts enable
you to concentrate the viewers attention on one aspect, like texture'
You also like flower images - why? 'I've always loved
flowers, plants and trees, and enjoy gardening.
Gardening is a bit like photography in that it gets you outdoors more
often. When I first bought a macro lens, my flower photography really
took off - the range of colour, form and textures in the plant world
is amazing, and easily overlooked, which is why photographing plants
has given me so much pleasure. It really opened my eyes to the smaller
details in life'
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of Page
Do you take pictures of people? 'I like doing portraits
in natural light, but never get the time!'
What is your favourite image of the ones you've made?
'Maybe this one (click for larger version): -
...but all of my pictures remind me of where and when I took them,
so they're like a document of my life.
My memory isn't too good, but my visual memory remains sharp thanks
to photography'
What advice would you give to beginners? 'You have
to do what you love. Specialise in your chosen subject, get plenty
of practice, and know your camera well - then learn about marketing
if you want to succeed as a freelance! Read as many books and magazines
as you can for tips, but put it all into
practice. Like most things in life, practice makes perfect,
and I learn more from mistakes than successes, which is why practice
is so important. Practice builds your experience and confidence to
greater levels.
Be realistic. Being a landscape photographer is the best job in the
world, but it doesn't make much money.
If you want to make money, do fashion or advertising photography,
or if all else fails, get a proper job!'
Would you recommend a career in Landscape Photography? 'Only
if you absolutely love it and are
prepared to earn low wages for quite a few years. It is hard work,
but to me, it's the best job in the world; however, it doesn't pay
well, so if you want a big house become a doctor or a lawyer. It may
not make you happy though, and I'm happy'
Any other tips? 'There are thousands of good photographers
out there. You have to do something different or better than them.
Also, learn all you can about technique - but break the rules sometimes.
Strive to be different, and specialise in a subject you're
passionate about' See
also Photography tips
What are your future projects? 'If I ever get the
time, I'd like to do a series on old people. They deserve
more respect than they get from todays society'
NOTE TO STUDENTS
Tony gets requests for information on a daily basis from students,
and much as he'd love to answer all your emails in depth, he simply
doesn't have the time. Please don't send images for review, request
we fill in your questionnaires, or ask to be his unpaid assistant.
He's tried to answer your questions above. He hopes you understand,
and wishes you good luck with your photography courses. If you'd like
to find out more about
becoming a photographer and improve your techniques at the same time,
try a days Tuition
This page (only) can be copied from as you wish; however images and
all other pages are under strict copyright. The only permitted use
for images is up to five for your photography course folder
only.
Any other use is strictly prohibited. Beware! Three people have been
caught in the past year.
