Sheffield-Based Photographers
Chris Saunders
"My basic history is I became interested in photography twenty or so years ago after borrowing a friend's SLR to photograph this really cool cat I had at the time. Got the bug straight away, packed in playing in bands, went to college & learnt the basics. Straight afterwards I went to University in Manchester to continue studying photography. The first well known person I shot while a student was the comedian Bill Hicks - I loved his stuff so I went down on the day of the show he was playing in town, hung around for him to turn up & asked him if he'd be up for having his photograph taking. He was. "If you don't ask you don't get" became my motto.
After that shoot I got to know the manager of the big bookstore in Manchester where they'd have lots of well known people doing readings to plug their books & he let me photograph them in his office beforehand (wherever you are - thank you Matthew). I built up my portfolio that way & a couple of shots from this period are on this site. I left university, pretty much gave up photography for a few years (long story), then got back into it properly about 10-11 years ago.
Since then I've photographed Oscar winning actors, guitar legends, & many of my favourite film directors, authors, comedians, & musicians. It's occasionally said by other portrait photographers that they regard their portraits as a document of themselves meeting their subject first & foremost. I feel exactly the same way. Really I'm a glorified autograph hunter and I get the same buzz creating a good photograph of someone whose work I admire as I did when I was a kid & I got Phil Lynott's autograph after waiting for ages outside Sheffield City Hall in the pouring rain." - Chris Saunders www.chrismsauders.com
For over thirteen years, Chris has been a freelance photographer and during this time has snapped many famous comedians, musicians, film directors, actors and authors for a variety of publications worldwide. Also, reluctantly, the odd friend's wedding.
Over the years, larger clients have included Harper Collins Publishing, Random House Publishing, Universal Records, EMI, Sony, The Observer and The Guardian.
Chris specialises in photographing people - portrait and music specifically.
Chris kicked off his presentation by explaining his favourite photographs.
"This Bill Hicks photograph is really special to me - it was my first proper photograph. He was a great comedian and when I heard he was gigging locally I took the opportunity and went to take his picture. Ended up in his dressing room and we talked for about an hour. It's not particularly amazing, technically, but it helped set up my pathway into photography. A few years later after he'd died, that's when he got more recognition and people started using my photograph."
David Lynch by Chris Saunders
One of Chris's personal favourites is a photograph of David Lynch smoking a cigarette in black and white. He knew that he's love to photograph the American director as soon he'd become a portrait photographer. Chris recalls the story behind the photographs.
"I wrote to his film company asking when he'd be in the country. They said he wouldn't be over in the next couple of years but they'd keep me in mind. Anyway, I kept writing to him and eventually he came over for a film he was making. His assistant said I could have half an hour with him - I was going to make the most of it! I prepared a plan with military precision to photograph him; five minutes here, five minutes there and so on. Turns out he was running late and his assistant could only give me five minutes! I ended up on the hotel balcony - I was under a lot of pressure to get a good shot and got a bit starstruck when I first looked at him through my camera." Chris used a light to highlight Lynch's "Amazing hair" and kept the whole image in focus.
Despite this spontaneous change of plan, Chris is pretty pleased with the results. "It's my personal favourite and because it's totally in focus it looks great."
Chris's collection of Lynch photographs have been used all over Europe.
Personally, I also like this photograph because I think the black and white filter and focus makes the image appear gritty and real. The pose is great because Lynch's expression and the cigarette smoke bring atmosphere and mood to the photograph. Chris clearly enjoys taking pictures of people he admires.
"A lot about photography is getting the person you're going to photograph in the right mood to be photographed." This comment from Chris leads nicely us nicely into his next experience with another high-profile client.
Harold Pinter by Chris Saunders
"I got commissioned to take some photos of the famous English playwrite Harold Pinter by The Guardian Newspaper," Chris explains. "I was quite apprehensive because I know he's got a reputation for not suffering fools - it was a bit nerve racking!" "I took about forty photographs and all but three were smiling!"
More information about Chris and his work is available from his website:
www.chrismsaunders.com
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Mark Harvey ID8 Photography
Mark Harvey is a Sheffield-based photographer and own's and manages ID8. ID8 Photography is Mark's company specialising in 'creating great images for our business clients. Mark has over twenty years of experience in documentary, portrait, PR, editorial and corporate photography. He's had wide range of assignments over the years and this has helped him to gain both the experience and the skills to tackle any photo!
"Mark's photos have always proven to be very press-friendly, even knocking other stories off our front cover - they bring the story to life which is what an editor wants from a photo."
- Fiona Firth, editor at the Sheffield Star Business Magazine
"Mark Harvey is the ideal professional photographer: prompt, creative, quick-witted and with the ability to put clients immediately at ease. The results are always exactly what we require." - Andy Evans Pure PR
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Duncan Philpott
Duncan is a young, independent photographer hailing from Southern England who currently resides in Sheffield. Over the last couple of years, inspired by Sheffield's concrete jungle and the contrasting, surrounding Peak District, whilst juggling a university degree, his images have already began their inevitable rise into mainstream media. He focusses on action photography, primarily of mountain biking and mountain biking championships, however he also snaps people and world images.
"Who am I? Well... Duncan Philpott is one half of the Sheffield based duo called Steel City Media. While photography's been a passion since a young age it sprang into a career when he moved to Sheffield to study a Mathematics degree.
What began with minor pieces of work for local companies while studying evolved into a full time career working for a range of editorial and commercial clients as well as following the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series across the globe." - Duncan Philpott www.duncanphilpott.com
5 Questions
- How did you get into photography?
- What is you're favourite photograph that you've taken and why?
- What is your first memory of photography?
- Do you prefer to use a handheld camera or a tripod?
- In showbiz they always say 'never work with children or animals'. What about in photography?
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