Top photographer Maria Scard managed to take the time to shoot our fashion story this month, so we had some time with her we asked her to give us the low down on a top photographer’s life.
Q: How did you become a photographer?
A: I’ve always been creative and enjoyed expressing myself artistically. As my children grew up I decided to pursue this talent more seriously, so I enrolled on an art foundation course. Whilst studying Arts and Life Drawing, my tutors noticed a natural flare for photography and encouraged me to develop this discipline. So in the end I gained qualifications in both Media Arts and Photography. It’s hard to believe, but that’s about thirteen years ago now!
Q: What do you love about Photography?
A: I love the opportunities it gives me. My working life is an eclectic mix of situations and people. One week I could be behind the scenes at Dubai Fashion Week and the next week, a prison in Bulgaria doing a photo shoot for an NGO. Perhaps over the weekend in-between I could be based locally, creating memories for a family just before their children leave for university, or shooting anew business advert for Vodafone. Photography tells stories, sells products and helps us remember key moments in our lives. It’s such a versatile thing to be involved in, but having said all that, it’s actually all about the people for me. People are my real passion, and through photography I’ve met people across every social class, walk of life and culture imaginable.
Q: What is your favourite type of photography that you do?
A: It’s so hard to choose a favourite because I am lucky enough to have such variety in my work. I think projects that allow room for a bit of creativityis the most exciting thing for me. For example, at the moment I’m involved with my third school in Sussex, capturing their ethos and vision through images which are then elevated to full-scale wall art. I’m really excited to have recently moved to Brighton because I love the diversity here. I am looking forward to embracing lots of opportunities this fabulous city will offer me.
Q: How did you feel about shooting the fashion story for Absolute? A: Well it’s the perfect introduction to Brighton for me. I’ve always admired the magazine, so it was great to be chosen for the re-launch issue. It was a great opportunity to work with the team, and bounce ideas around. We got to check out the new penthouse suite in the Hotel du Vin, so that was a bonus! Q: What was your favourite shot out of that story?
A: I like the image of the model against the bookcase wallpaper. I was using a simple spotlight but the way the light plays against her jacket gives the image an ethereal quality that I am really pleased with.
Q: What would you consider your best job to date? A: Whilst working for Men style fashion at ‘London Collections: Men’ I had the opportunity to photograph Dermot O Leary, Tinie Tempah and even David Gandy, who has worked with some of the best fashion photographers including Mario Testino. David gave my work huge affirmation by using it in his personal Vogue blog. I was really thrilled, and I like to tell the story at every party I attend!
My top five images from my portfolio:
I love this image because it captures the raw emotion of that precise moment. It’s a real privilege to be able to use photography to tell stories that raise awareness for charities (in this case Link to Hope shoebox appeal) to see more of this documentary photography go to www.linktohope.com
Here’s that shot that he loved so much. I was just there at the right time as he got out of the Morgan at ‘London Collections: Men’. I could see the opportunity as it unfolded, and everything came together beautifully.
This is one of the images chosen to be mounted on the wall of a local school. It captures the sense of nurturing life that is so present in a primary school.
This is behind the scenes shooting for Velsvoir at Dubai Fashion Week. It captured a rare moment of downtime, just two totally different men unposed, both stunning in different ways.
This is a catwalk image that I layered with other similar shots and drawings to create something of a kaleidoscope. I really enjoy this kind of project, pushing myself to see how a photograph can evolve into a different piece of artwork.
Find more about Maria here: www.mariascard.com