Australian Andrew Stubbersfield Portrait Photographer Interview

Watch out for those Aussies! I expected Andrew Stubbersfield, member of my Photography Directory to be a lot more cheeky but he answered my Photographer Questionnaire like a normal well adjusted human being!
Just to show you not all photographers are weird, obsessed, high maintenance primadonnas! Not ALL I said.

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: 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 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.