Digital Photographer - USA (2019-07)

I

fportraitsaretheareaofphotography

youmostenjoy,orfeelmostconfidentin,

you’veprobablyconsideredthepossibility

ofestablishingaportraitstudioofyourown.

However,you’velikelynotimaginedthatyou

mightendupworkingwithfamousfaces.But

thisisaveryviable,potentiallylucrativeand

undeniablyexcitingcareerpath.

LeighKeilywww.leighkeily.comhasbuilt

hiscareerondoingexactlythat.“I’dalways

lovedphotographingpeople,butthought

fashionphotographywasthebestwayto

tellastory.SoIstartedshootingfashion,but

afterafewyearsofthatIfinallyrealisedthat

itwasthepersonalitiesofthepeoplethatI

loved,andthefashionwasjustawaytohelp

tellthestory.Ididafewshootswithvery

minorcelebritiesandenjoyedthemsomuchI

keptgoingdownthatpath.”

Indeed,Leighexplainsthatthisisthebest

routeintodoingthissortofwork.“Start

small.Therearesomanyup-and-coming

actors,musiciansandartists.Startshooting

them,builduprelationshipswitheveryone

intheindustry,andifyoudoagoodjoband

peoplelikeyou,wordwillgetoutthatyou’re

someonetoknow.Thenkeepgoingandnever

lookback...Ithinkitmusthavebeenabout

2012 whenIshotpeoplethatsomeofthe

Britishpublicwouldhaverecognised.But

itwasn’tuntilaround 2015 Iwasshooting

peoplethatmyparentsinAustraliawould

haveknown.”

Manyofthechallengesinvolvedinworking

withfamousfacesarenotdissimilarto

thoseyoumightfacewhenworkingwith

non-celebrities.“Ithinkthemainoneforme

isgettingthepersontolikeandtrustyou

immediately’,saysLeigh.“Ifthereisdoubt

ordislikethere,thenit’shardtorecoverthe

shoot,ormaybeyouneverwill.Theresults

willbeflat.Theotheroneistonottreat

yoursubjectlikeanobject.Iseealotof

photographersdoingthat.Theyover-direct,

don’tlistentoorengagewiththeirsubject,

andthephotoslooklifelessandboring.”

However,capturingportraitsoffamous

faces–“avery,verydelicatebalance”–

comeswithsomeadditionalconsiderations.

“Thereallyfamous[personalities]havebeen

photographedamilliontimes,soit’sabout

confidence,originality,andmakingsurethey

feellistenedto,aswellasstampingyourown

markontheshoot.”

However,workingwithfamousfaces

shouldn’taffectyouroverallaimsasaportrait

photographer.“Iwanttocapturetheessence

Above

AntandDec

ForLeigh’smagazine,JÓN.

Acandidmomentofthe

twopresentersoutside

Abovemiddle

AlanCarr

partofaseries,allcolour

blockedwiththeclothing

andbackground

Aboveright

RobBrydon

ShotforCityAM

magazine,usingacheap

50mmf1.8lens

Right

LiamPayne

ForAttitudemagazine.

Shotwithwindowlightand

alargeprofotooctabox

of the person I’m photographing on that

day”, says Leigh. “If they’re [not in a great]

mood, I want to get that. If they’re crazy and

playful, I want that. If they’re quiet, I want

that. I want to look at it and say, ‘yep, that

represents them.’ And I want it to be beautiful

• not necessarily traditionally beautiful, but
  beautiful to me... don’t be boring.” Leigh says
  to avoid “shooting something because you
  think that’s what other people want you to do


• never do that, the photos will look dreadful.
  Shoot whatever you want and screw the
  others. If you do that, everyone will love them.”
  Leigh’s best advice for others is that “the
  road is long and trying. Things don’t happen
  overnight, but through persistence, hard work
  and being memorable. There are so many
  photographers out there, so how will people
  remember you? Your work can only take
  you so far, you’ve got to have a personality
  to match... always critique your own work
  and ask for critique from others; always be
  confident on a shoot; treat your clients as
  you’d treat your best friends.”
  With thanks to City Academy (city-
  academy.com)

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