TOMMY’S TOP TIPS
Think like an amateur
Don’t be afraid of making a mistake or
looking silly. ‘In a weird way, people want
to know about the things that go wrong,
because it shows vulnerability,’ says Tommy. If
you’re a professional, think back to the early
days when you only had yourself to please.
Start from home
‘If you’re afraid to reach out to someone, the
best advice is to start from home,’ suggests
Tommy. Ask a family member (or a friend,
in this case) to take part in your personal
project – you might nd out something
about them that you never knew before!Establish a rapport
If someone Tommy has never met before
comes to the studio for a portrait, he
allocates 20 minutes or so for a coffee and
a chat. ‘It might not be on the day, it might be
a week or so beforehand, but I think it’s really
important to build a rapport,’ he advises.Get behind the scenes
If you’ve ever watched one of
Tommy’s YouTube tutorials, you’ll have
seen just how animated he can get. His
enthusiasm is infectious, and his
willingness to share the technical and
creative ideas behind his photographs is
beyond generous. ‘I feel like some people
are more interested in how I shoot
something rather than what I shoot,’ he
laughs. ‘With behind-the-scenes video, you
can see how I interact with the team, how
I put the model at ease, what the location
is like, how the lighting is used – you gain
all this extra context, and I’m so passionate
about that.’ Tommy came up with the idea
of placing an unusual amount of emphasis
on behind-the-scenes content after
watching so many YouTube videos himself.
‘Going back about five years, people would
show behind-the-scenes clips, but not the
final images,’ he recalls. ‘That’s such an
anti-climax, because you’ve seen the set-up
and you want to see the actual reward.’ To
alleviate his disappointment, he set out to
create the kind of behind-the-scenes videos
he would like to watch.Add extra value
To realise his ambition, Tommy enlisted
the help of Mike, who he met on Facebook.
When the pair decided to team up, Mike
was still grappling with the technical side
of photography, but his drive and
enthusiasm meant he was a fastIf you’re nervous about
approaching a stranger, start
at home. This image shows
Tommy’s brother sporting SFX
make-up applied by his sister
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 100mm,
1/160sec at f/8, ISO 200