Friday 27 May 2011

How I Got Here (creatively speaking)

So there was this epiphany moment, 10 years old stood in the Tate Gallery, as it was then, being introduced to Picasso’s Weeping Woman and suddenly I just got it, I understood art! 
I was beyond the finger painting years but I suppose at 10 you’re still just drawing and painting things because you like them or because teacher wants you to engage with the Tudors, but at that very moment looking at that painting, I became incredibly aware of what you can do when you’re creating. You can tell any story, convey any emotion and heck did I feel the pain on that canvas. If you’ve never seen it, I urge you to head to Pimlico immediately. Even without knowledge of the bombing of Guernica you won’t leave unaffected.


It’s remembering moments like this and realising as I get older not many of the other kids I went to school with in Portsmouth got these sorts of day trips, that I feel lucky to have been brought up in a family of writers, dancers, musicians & artists. All be it a slightly muddled 
one (two sets of parents etc.) It seemed a natural thing for me to keep up the family tradition and go into the creative industry myself; I’d probably been disowned if I hadn’t.
It was Contemporary Dance that initially had my heart but alas after 8 years in youth dance companies and too many performances across the country my knees gave out and a new path had to be hobbled down. Hello Photography!


At this stage I should tell you I am part of the notorious ‘Blackpool Mafia’. To be honest I think every fourth creative in London is as well! 
Although an incredibly random place to live for 3 years, Blackpool set me up with a great understanding of the ‘industry’; what to expect, the graft needed and the keep going attitude that often marks B’pool graduates out against others. We appreciate that no job is too small, no client too big and frankly you only get as much out of something as you put into it.This is probably why Cathy looked to B’pool when she had a job opening at Vue and I got the chance to interview as a recent graduate. 

From the start Vue seemed like a good fit, a small boutique photographer’s agents full of talented and award winning photographers. I mean what an inspiring place to start you career.
My 7yrs at Vue taught me so much. I loved helping shape and expand the business with Cathy and it was great to organise such diverse, interesting global photoshoots, with fantastic ad agencies, design groups and publishing companies.


I'm a chatty soul so I enjoyed going out on appointments to show-off the folio work. This part of the job was a constant rollercoaster of interesting chat and lovely people to catch up with. And I suppose has a lot to do with me turning into the marketing & social media monster I am today.


A V young covered in paint me  
But we all know where this is leading . . .
2mths ago I decided it was time to spread my wings, become my own boss, take on the freelance world and handed in my notice. Eekkk!
So far it's been truly wonderful. I've been running 1hr consulting sessions for un-repped photographers helping put them on the right track with their work. And have had some very exciting client meetings (more on those later).
I'm feeling very lucky and busy!


I guess it's like Graham Fink says "Leap and the net will appear".