Australian Andrew Stubbersfield Portrait Photographer Interview
Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?
A: I studied a short course, then a part-time course and then full-time at SQIT in Toowoomba, Queensland. I never finished because I broke my neck. Though I learned everything I wanted to.
Q: How technical is your photography?
A: Sometimes I follow the rules, most of the time I break them.
Q: How would you describe your attention span?
A: I can spend hours working the subject always trying to improve on the last image I captured
Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?
A: When I got thrown in at the deep end at a Summer Camp I attended in 02′ So much fun.
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: The ability to transform something into a work of art. The happiness it gives people.
Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?
A: The mountains of New Zealand, back in high school.
Q: How do you feel about cropping?
A: When in doubt crop and find another image in that photo.
Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?
A: It would have to be anywhere out of Australia, travel photography is what gets me high.
Q: Define the word “beauty”!
A: Perfect colour, perfect lines, perfect composition.
Q: What is your most favorite and least favorite word in photography or life? How do they make you feel?
A: IMPROVISE- always be ready to try something completely random, makes me feel creative.
Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?
A: Makes me feel in control.
Q: How do you feel about missed shots which cannot be recreated?
A: I get angry and then just realize something better always comes up
Q: Ever concerned about failure?
A: All the time
Q: Who are your influences?
A: I would say a little bit of TESTINO, LACHAPELLE, BOUSKA and a lot of Deviant Art, lol.
Q: Describe a day in your personal or professional life.
A: Check my equipment hundreds of time, get in a panic, go to the job, have a blast, check my equipment, download, edit, edit some more, sleep, wake up and edit.
Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?
A: Getting my work out there, and getting recognized
Q: What has been the single biggest obstacle against growing as a photographer in whole?
A: Keeping the creative juices flowing, keeping my work fresh.
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: People, emotion and beauty. Landscapes, barren buildings lines and form.
Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photoshoot!
A: My first nude had her skin turned pink from the colours of the petals in the bath tub, I had to spend some time scrubbing her clean.
Q: Have you ever thought about or actually stopped doing photography? What were the circumstances?
A: Haha, never really, I always have the urge to create, even when your in a hospital bed for weeks.
Q: Do you ever have photographer’s block and if yes how do you deal with it?
A: I read more photography books and get inspired.
Q: What types of assignments are you attracted most?
A: Any modelling or events.
Q: Describe what black and white photography means to you?
A: The power to strip and image down to it’s most powerful form.
Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?
A: Always been an artist, always wanting to express myself through images or brush strokes.
Q: How do you describe your photographic style?
A: Random, recognizable and sometimes strange
Q: What has been the most surprising or most predictable reaction to your photographs?
A: Winning awards, is my art really that deserving.
Q: Tell a little secret about yourself that no-one knows …
A: I have a Canon fetish
Q: Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already?
A: Haha, give me a nice studio and the Spice Girls.
Q: What would you have done differently during your photography career so far and could this be an advice to others?
A: I would of found more mentors to learn with.
Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?
A: Be careful, you never know what damage you really are doing.
Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?
A: It lets me express myself to a whole new level. It adds dimension to my work.
Q: What other thoughts would you like to share?
A: Thanks for listening, now go and take some photos.