Having shot a Cannes Gold Lion award winning campaign this year, building on an existing repertoire of award winning advertising campaign images, I caught up with photographer Gary Sheppard for a brief chat on past, present and future, including my particular love for his images shot during his photo essay adventures in middle America.
How did you first start out in Photography?
I originally trained to be an ecologist but its interesting the way life tends to put "Detour" signs in your best laid plans. Ever since I was a kid I've been fascinated by things optical. Things like telescopes and microscopes allow you to extend your vision. I remember getting a microscope kit in grade four and being so excited about seeing things in a new way that I was obsessed with it. Telescopes came later and were another variation on a theme. But somehow I never made the leap to cameras and photography. A chance encounter and an interesting conversation changed that. That was a "Detour" moment. Realising that cameras not only allow you to extend (and even create) your vision but to capture it and allow others to share it was a pivotal moment. The rest, as they say, is history.
Do you have a most memorable shoot?
I could nominate something exotic but I think I'll have to go back to the very first shoot that I undertook as a "professional" photographer. I'd just made the transition from assistant to photographer and one of the established photographers in the studio referred a shoot that he couldn't be bothered doing on to me. It seems silly now but it loomed in my mind as a "make it or break it" event Would I rise to the challenge and would the client be happy with the results? To say that I was nervous waiting for the trannies to come back from the lab would be an understatement. It still brings a smile to think of how inexperienced I was back then.
How about a favourite image?
Hopefully my next one.
Do you shoot editorial as well as advertising?
No, I only shoot advertising. I can understand the argument that by shooting editorial it allows you to hone your skills and show people what you are capable of but I guess I use my personal work for that. I did do an editorial shoot once as a favour for a friend. It was a great success and got in that magazine's 10 best photos of the year but I find editorial to uncontrolled. With editorial you may go out and get a fantastic shot, or maybe not. There are so many things beyond your control. With advertising you know in advance you're going to get a great shot. You've had time to think of the best approach, you've done your treatment and everything that can be locked down has been. Then, after you've got the shot and the result is in the bag its time to improvise and play around in the hope that you'll get a serendipity moment and something magical will happen. I guess that's kind of like adding an little editorial shoot on at the end. The other reason I don't shoot editorial is the pay rates. I can't understand how anyone makes a living doing it.
Do you find a mix of images in your books is necessary in our local market? What sections of images do you have in your books at the moment?
I believe that having a mix is important in that you never know what brief is coming in next. Is it portraiture or cars or still life etc? We've all heard about the red shoe syndrome and its very much alive and kicking. I think the Australian market in particular is way too small to overly specialise and still expect to remain busy. Overseas you've got a better chance to do that. I once heard a story (possibly apocryphal) of a photographer in New York who was so specialised he only shot broccoli. And only frozen broccoli at that. Now that's specialised. Try making a living in Sydney doing that. The sections of images in my book change quite often but they are divided into commissioned and personal.
How has the GFC affected advertising and photography in general?
A lot of people are vying for their piece of a smaller pie.
What about new techniques in photography. Are new types of cameras impacting on the craft?
Well obviously the rise of digital was the biggie over the last decade. I regard it as both a blessing and a curse. Don't get me wrong, I love the way digital has taken a lot of the technical work out of photography and allows you to concentrate on the creative aspects when on a shoot. No more worrying about whether Mr Schiempflug would agree with your placement of focal planes. No worrying about whether the bellows has a leak in it or whether the lab would stuff up the processing. And so on. Digital allows you to see what you're getting straight away and if anything is wrong with the image you'll know about it there and then rather than tomorrow when the film comes back. And therein lies the problem with digital. It has become so easy to take a well focused, well exposed shot and to see the result instantly that anyone (even the client) can do it. The technical craftsmanship involved in producing an image has been removed and so anyone can pick up a camera and become a photographer overnight. However, as we all know, "oils ain't oils" and images ain't images so our job as professional photographers is to sell based on our "eye", creativity and vision and not on our technical skill. In regard to future developments it will be interesting to see how the manufacturers of medium format gear meet the challenge of ever-improving 35mm cameras. Companies like Canon have such massive R&D advantages over the likes of Hasselblad that I think a shakeup is due in the not-too-distant future. And if Canon brings out a medium format camera as has been speculated I think it would be game over for the current crop of medium format. Then you've got RED cameras coming on stream. The gear they will be releasing next year looks mighty interesting. They will do for movie and TVC film use what digital has done for still film. Its already blurring the line between motion and stills and I think in the future more people will be doing both.
You've shot quite a lot of car photography. What are your thoughts on car photography today and it's future?
Without being too glib, CGI.
Is that one word or three?
You have some wonderful personal projects in your book; America - motels, guns, alligators, etc. Can you talk a bit about these and what inspires you for personal projects?
I've always been interested in America and the way it seems like Australia but with a twist. Its sort of like in those old Star Trek episodes where a transporter malfunction occurs. The person who steps off the transporter pad looks the same as the one who went in but there's a subtle difference. That's the way America appears to me. Its like a bigger version of Australia but one from a parallel universe. Things are almost the same but there are some strange anomalies. With my latest photo essays I tried to focus on some of the things that struck me as odd or different from what we are used to here. The inspiration for personal projects seems to come out of nowhere. A chance encounter or random thought might strike a chord and result in a personal project.
Are you working on a project at the moment?
I have a project that I've been trying on and off for a few years to get off the ground. It would be amazing but barring the development of a close personal friendship with the Turkish President I don't see it happening.
Who would you say are your greatest influences?
I guess the usual suspects spring to mind. Erwin Olaf, Nadav Kender, Gregory Crewdson, David La Chappelle. It changes from time to time and depends on the mood I'm in.
What are your thoughts on social media sites, like flickr, facebook, twitter, etc.?
I'm on Facebook as I regard that as the default standard. Even then I go through hot and cold patches where I'll be active for a week and then not check it for ages. I think I should be more active but the novelty wears off pretty fast.
How about your thoughts on stock libraries and image usage?
Puts on Frankenstein monster voice: "Stock libraries bad. Image usage good."
Allow me to expand on that. Stock libraries are a part of life and although I don't think they do the photographic community any favours they are here to stay. I think the predatory policies of some of the major players are known to most people but business is business and there's not much anyone can do about it. Once it really hits its stride it will be interesting to see how sites such as Flikr impact their business model. The major achievement ten years ago of the ACMP was the securing of copyright for photographers, thereby facilitating our charging for usage on our images. For that I will be eternally grateful. I believe that it should be integral to the business model of any photographer.
Your view on agents / producers?
I can see the value of having an agent/rep and when I first moved to Sydney I had one. It depends on the individual and where they are in the marketplace but I believe that the most important asset you can have in this business is a good producer. Without one it would be extremely difficult to work on high end advertising assignments. The work load of shooting and producing would be too much for one person to handle.I've been extremely fortunate to have worked full time with my producer and business partner Jules Zuppicich for the last six years. In the last two years James Wallis has come on board as well. They are both amazing and I can't speak highly enough of them.
How did you first start out in Photography?
I originally trained to be an ecologist but its interesting the way life tends to put "Detour" signs in your best laid plans. Ever since I was a kid I've been fascinated by things optical. Things like telescopes and microscopes allow you to extend your vision. I remember getting a microscope kit in grade four and being so excited about seeing things in a new way that I was obsessed with it. Telescopes came later and were another variation on a theme. But somehow I never made the leap to cameras and photography. A chance encounter and an interesting conversation changed that. That was a "Detour" moment. Realising that cameras not only allow you to extend (and even create) your vision but to capture it and allow others to share it was a pivotal moment. The rest, as they say, is history.
Do you have a most memorable shoot?
I could nominate something exotic but I think I'll have to go back to the very first shoot that I undertook as a "professional" photographer. I'd just made the transition from assistant to photographer and one of the established photographers in the studio referred a shoot that he couldn't be bothered doing on to me. It seems silly now but it loomed in my mind as a "make it or break it" event Would I rise to the challenge and would the client be happy with the results? To say that I was nervous waiting for the trannies to come back from the lab would be an understatement. It still brings a smile to think of how inexperienced I was back then.
How about a favourite image?
Hopefully my next one.
Do you shoot editorial as well as advertising?
No, I only shoot advertising. I can understand the argument that by shooting editorial it allows you to hone your skills and show people what you are capable of but I guess I use my personal work for that. I did do an editorial shoot once as a favour for a friend. It was a great success and got in that magazine's 10 best photos of the year but I find editorial to uncontrolled. With editorial you may go out and get a fantastic shot, or maybe not. There are so many things beyond your control. With advertising you know in advance you're going to get a great shot. You've had time to think of the best approach, you've done your treatment and everything that can be locked down has been. Then, after you've got the shot and the result is in the bag its time to improvise and play around in the hope that you'll get a serendipity moment and something magical will happen. I guess that's kind of like adding an little editorial shoot on at the end. The other reason I don't shoot editorial is the pay rates. I can't understand how anyone makes a living doing it.
Do you find a mix of images in your books is necessary in our local market? What sections of images do you have in your books at the moment?
I believe that having a mix is important in that you never know what brief is coming in next. Is it portraiture or cars or still life etc? We've all heard about the red shoe syndrome and its very much alive and kicking. I think the Australian market in particular is way too small to overly specialise and still expect to remain busy. Overseas you've got a better chance to do that. I once heard a story (possibly apocryphal) of a photographer in New York who was so specialised he only shot broccoli. And only frozen broccoli at that. Now that's specialised. Try making a living in Sydney doing that. The sections of images in my book change quite often but they are divided into commissioned and personal.
How has the GFC affected advertising and photography in general?
A lot of people are vying for their piece of a smaller pie.
What about new techniques in photography. Are new types of cameras impacting on the craft?
Well obviously the rise of digital was the biggie over the last decade. I regard it as both a blessing and a curse. Don't get me wrong, I love the way digital has taken a lot of the technical work out of photography and allows you to concentrate on the creative aspects when on a shoot. No more worrying about whether Mr Schiempflug would agree with your placement of focal planes. No worrying about whether the bellows has a leak in it or whether the lab would stuff up the processing. And so on. Digital allows you to see what you're getting straight away and if anything is wrong with the image you'll know about it there and then rather than tomorrow when the film comes back. And therein lies the problem with digital. It has become so easy to take a well focused, well exposed shot and to see the result instantly that anyone (even the client) can do it. The technical craftsmanship involved in producing an image has been removed and so anyone can pick up a camera and become a photographer overnight. However, as we all know, "oils ain't oils" and images ain't images so our job as professional photographers is to sell based on our "eye", creativity and vision and not on our technical skill. In regard to future developments it will be interesting to see how the manufacturers of medium format gear meet the challenge of ever-improving 35mm cameras. Companies like Canon have such massive R&D advantages over the likes of Hasselblad that I think a shakeup is due in the not-too-distant future. And if Canon brings out a medium format camera as has been speculated I think it would be game over for the current crop of medium format. Then you've got RED cameras coming on stream. The gear they will be releasing next year looks mighty interesting. They will do for movie and TVC film use what digital has done for still film. Its already blurring the line between motion and stills and I think in the future more people will be doing both.
You've shot quite a lot of car photography. What are your thoughts on car photography today and it's future?
Without being too glib, CGI.
Is that one word or three?
You have some wonderful personal projects in your book; America - motels, guns, alligators, etc. Can you talk a bit about these and what inspires you for personal projects?
I've always been interested in America and the way it seems like Australia but with a twist. Its sort of like in those old Star Trek episodes where a transporter malfunction occurs. The person who steps off the transporter pad looks the same as the one who went in but there's a subtle difference. That's the way America appears to me. Its like a bigger version of Australia but one from a parallel universe. Things are almost the same but there are some strange anomalies. With my latest photo essays I tried to focus on some of the things that struck me as odd or different from what we are used to here. The inspiration for personal projects seems to come out of nowhere. A chance encounter or random thought might strike a chord and result in a personal project.
Are you working on a project at the moment?
I have a project that I've been trying on and off for a few years to get off the ground. It would be amazing but barring the development of a close personal friendship with the Turkish President I don't see it happening.
Who would you say are your greatest influences?
I guess the usual suspects spring to mind. Erwin Olaf, Nadav Kender, Gregory Crewdson, David La Chappelle. It changes from time to time and depends on the mood I'm in.
What are your thoughts on social media sites, like flickr, facebook, twitter, etc.?
I'm on Facebook as I regard that as the default standard. Even then I go through hot and cold patches where I'll be active for a week and then not check it for ages. I think I should be more active but the novelty wears off pretty fast.
How about your thoughts on stock libraries and image usage?
Puts on Frankenstein monster voice: "Stock libraries bad. Image usage good."
Allow me to expand on that. Stock libraries are a part of life and although I don't think they do the photographic community any favours they are here to stay. I think the predatory policies of some of the major players are known to most people but business is business and there's not much anyone can do about it. Once it really hits its stride it will be interesting to see how sites such as Flikr impact their business model. The major achievement ten years ago of the ACMP was the securing of copyright for photographers, thereby facilitating our charging for usage on our images. For that I will be eternally grateful. I believe that it should be integral to the business model of any photographer.
Your view on agents / producers?
I can see the value of having an agent/rep and when I first moved to Sydney I had one. It depends on the individual and where they are in the marketplace but I believe that the most important asset you can have in this business is a good producer. Without one it would be extremely difficult to work on high end advertising assignments. The work load of shooting and producing would be too much for one person to handle.I've been extremely fortunate to have worked full time with my producer and business partner Jules Zuppicich for the last six years. In the last two years James Wallis has come on board as well. They are both amazing and I can't speak highly enough of them.
We've formed a joint company called Diamond Firemonkies (DFM) so we can keep photography and production tightly integrated.
This is one of the major selling points for us as from the first contact with an ad agency they know us and they have certainty in regard to who they will be dealing with.
I think its important for Jules and/or James and I to be involved as a team in every step from the initial presentation of the folio right through to the post-retouch follow up of a job.
We model this more on a TVC director/producer arrangement rather than on the traditional photographer/agent model. (I guess that's influenced by the fact that Jules used to be a TVC producer).
I'd wouldn't feel as comfortable if I knew my folio was being taken around with a stack of others by anyone who happened to be free in a rep's office. Likewise, I would think the client would not have as much confidence in getting first rate service if they knew that I was one of a dozen or so photographers that were being represented by a company and that they were going to be assigned either a producer in a next-off-the-rank or possibly freelance basis.
A producer who may be juggling other jobs for other photographers.
At the top end of advertising clients want and indeed expect you to be focused 100% on their job and their job alone.
One on one and available 24/7.
Having full time producers is such an asset when dealing with clients and complicated shoots. So working as a team the level of service and attention to detail that we can deliver is unsurpassed. With even a modest advertising shoot the amount of to-ing and fro-ing from the agency to the producers can be mind boggling. You need to have someone with their eye on the ball the whole time and who can establish a rapport with the art buyer or agency contact. This level of dedicated service is of enormous value to the client and ad agency and we find it engenders a respect and loyalty that I could not achieve as a single operator.
Any advice you can give assistants or anyone first starting out in photography?
Its a different world from the one I started out in. I was just speaking to someone the other day about this and came to the conclusion that I don't know how you would do it now. Work hard and say no to drugs I guess.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Nope, that's about it.
All Images © Gary Sheppard
All Images © Gary Sheppard
Diamond Firemonkies (DFM) P/L
Jules Zuppicich Producer +61 (0) 409 558 459
Gary Sheppard Photographer +61 (0) 418 786 498
http://www.garysheppard.com/
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