Photographer Interview
Jay Mawson:- Possibly the best photographer on his street! Fantastic artist, creative and unique.

Let's get the obvious question out of the way: what made you decide to pick up a camera and be a photographer?
That's two separate decisions; millions of people pick up a camera every single day, but if they stopped to think about it, only a small handful would ever call themselves a photographer. And of that handful, there's an even smaller number that I'd call photographers. I bought a camera because I love toys and it was just about the only modern toy I didn't own. The decision to be a photographer came very soon after when I realised I could take a photograph that other people wanted to look at.



Who/what is your inspiration?
Order, symmetry, stillness and beauty inspire me. These things inspired me before I started to look at the work of other photographers. Early inspiration came from Andreas Gursky. Then Gregory Crewdson after I saw his tableau on a BBC documentary. Since I moved to portraiture and fashion images I keep returning to Erwin Olaf, Hannah Starkey, Benedict Campbell, Richard Kern and Steven Meisel. I'm a photography book junkie though - I must have thousands of pounds of books and magazines. Visually hungry, to quote Rankin.



What has been your most interesting shoot to date?
Every shoot is interesting and challenging in its own way. A recent week long shoot in France was particularly memorable, purely as I had to devise 12 distinct editorial shoots in 6 days for 19 models of varying ability in an area I had no knowledge of and without a studio in sight...



Where do you see yourself and your photography in 5 years time?
I haven't even owned a camera for 5 years yet, so I'm still very much finding my feet technically and stylistically. In 5 years I'd hope to be commercially successful enough to fund personal projects. An editorial in a national magazine is my current goal.



Have you ever had people being stupidly negative towards you and your work? and how did you deal with it?
Yes - Martin Parr, Brett Rogers (director of the Photographer's Gallery) and Alex Proud (owner of Proud Galleries) were all extremely critical of my first very public stabs at portraiture. Not stupidly so, but their critique stung hard. I hate failure, so I guess they're directly responsible for me moving into shooting people. I'll keep practising until I get the hang of  it.



So let's talk news, how are you coping with the economic climate? Have you had to cut back on equipment/shooting in general?
Photography is not a source of income for me, so the pinch felt in the industry generally (which started well before the wider economic slump) hasn't affected me. I'm lucky enough to be able to fund a studio and equipment regardless of whether it pays for itself or not.



Let's say I'm a model, and I want to work with you really bad! What would you look for in me before considering me as a potential model?
This very much ties into the answer to the last question - I've turned down shoots for a fair number of 'models' down who were willing to pay me a decent price for a portfolio. If there's nothing about a person that catches my attention, or they can't play to the camera then I'm not interested, full stop. What I look for now is simple - generally, I look for a model rather than a person who just stands in front of a camera. The internet modelling sites are 95% wannabees playing at being models. It's an insult to professional models - modelling really is a vocation, which I've only started to realise myself over the last year. Having said that, the same is true of photographers, togs, GWCs whatever. There is a market for everyone - but some people definitely confuse what they're doing with 'photography' and 'modelling'. Which hasn't really answered your question yet. What I look for in a model for my own projects is quite straight forward really - beauty, spirit or simple sex appeal. What I look for in a model for commercial shoots is professionalism, experience and suitability for the brief.



We know that every photographer has good and bad shoots, but when are you most satisfied with a shoot?
The most satisfying shoots are invariably those that are well planned. Nothing beats having a crystal idea and a full creative team to realise that vision.



There is always room for improvement! Where/how would you like to improve with your photography?
I'd like more discipline and more budget - to find killer locations and rely less on the warmth and comfort of the studio; to go back to basics and shoot more natural light in beautiful surroundings. To go out and speak to people to open doors that won't open themselves.



Have you ever had a bad experience with a model?
Too many to mention - it's made me jaded, cynical and very direct. When a 'model' turns to you and admits they have no idea how to pose, or throws a strop because they're not keen on the makeup, or is totally unable to take your direction, or only has one facial expression then I've been known to cut the shoot very short indeed. In balance, I've had far more great experiences than bad ones - which makes the bad ones more tolerable.



What is your pet hate for models?
Chaperones. Poor communication. Too much communication. Text speak. Not showing up. Hair extensions. Bad nails, bad teeth, bad skin, bad hair. Telling me I can 'photoshop something later'. Complaining that they look fat. Turning up with clothes screwed up in a carrier bag. Calling photographers 'togs'. Expecting travel expenses on a test shoot. Um - I'll stop now...



What is your pet hate for photographers?
Too much focus on the technical at the expense of the emotional. Poor quality images. Mistaking making a living from photography for being a photographer.



Are you self taught? Or did you attend photography classes/courses?
Completely self taught



Sometimes you just have to learn lessons in life the hard way, what would you say has been your most valuable lesson along your photographic journey?
To take criticism and advice on board when the person giving it is qualified to do so. Listening to one mentor in particular brought my photography on in leaps and bounds. I wish I'd listened to him sooner.



And finally, what would be your dream collaboration?
Grace Coddington, Harvey Nichols, Hasselblad, Natalia Vodianova and Scarlett Johannson