On being an Advertising, Still Life,Fashion,Architectural,Automotive ,Portrait ,SFX ,Animal and Lifestyle photographer ?

Back in the summer of 2015 which now sounds so far way,I was lucky to be commissioned by TonyG Creative Retail to produce part of a series of images to celebrate the 25th anniversary for LINKS of London. A very good friend had recommended me and I was very grateful for the introduction as it proved to be a very exciting although challenging production.

It certainly was not just a ‘lifestyle’ shoot.

Still Life’s,Animal ,Fashion ,Reportage,Portrait, Architectural Interior and Automotive photography were all part of the brief .

Having had a few years in the business ,I relish any challenge,even if it’s out of my genres,its an advertising photographers job description to be a ’problem solver’ and even with a tight deadline, if you take on the project,you have to deliver on time and on budget .However this mix of genre was even taking me into some unchartered territory,but it was such great fun .

With great production from TonyG and the team ,a week of shooting ,included a few beautiful people,an English Bulldog,an E-Type Jaguar (that I fell in love with),a few still life's in a variety of Locations including,a very prestigious Chelsea Town House and even a trip on a Row Boat. Shot mostly in London, there were just a few images that were just London look, like all advertising shots,the location just has to look like the real thing,but as I know shooting on the streets of London with models & crew,takes ages to arrange, so rather than risk the wrath of the local councils and Bobbies,it was good to know there are some less stressful locations that provide the authentic feel of London and its architecture but do not take days to sort permits. One big problem was getting a rain soaked pavement, OK if shooting almost any day over the last weeks of 2015,a wet pavement would be guaranteed, but in a long dry spell in August?

Bring on the Water,I always wonder what people think, when they see grown men,splashing the pavements with gallons of water,and a black clad photographer kneeling on the soggy floor to photograph the reflections that only last for seconds, but with the help from a very wet assistant and AD ,all was sorted .

No animals were hurt in the process of this production ,although a few too many hours of post production and travel made the few days rest after the shoot ,very sweet.

Please check out more from the shoot - here - Gullachsen.com