Photography by Dean Elliott
1: Tell as a bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Durban. After finishing school I went on to study a B.Tech degree in Fine Arts at the Durban University of Technology, formerly known as Technikon Natal. After finishing my studies in 2002 I moved into the advertising world of photography where I have worked ever since. I have contracted as a lecturer at D.U.T and more recently Vega School of Brand Leadership, teaching the advanced digital photography module to the senior students.
2: When did you discover you have a passion for photography?
This is one of those mandatory questions that every photographer should know, I wish I had a bloated story to tell you about my Grandfather that gave me his old Rolleiflex and I snapped away, but I don’t. I guess I have always had a passion for the visual arts no matter whether drawing, painting, photography or design. Maybe the passion grew with my career.
3: Is advertising photography your favorite form of photography or do you still have your own personal portfolio with landscapes, objects or portraiture etc.?
I must say that advertising photography is my favorite. I am extremely happy to work with my clients on a daily basis. it is very rewarding seeing a satisfied client. My personal work is usually quite quirky, or has a slight narrative, I think. All that matters is that I understand and enjoy it.
4: What camera and accessories do you currently use?
I use a range of equipment due to the type of photography I do. Ranging from fashion to product, which requires different tools. I have always used Broncolor studio lighting, and my favorite pack is the Graphit A4 for consistency. I photograph a lot of Jewelry and product that requires a special camera called a Sinar. It is a large format based camera that shoots very high resolution images and allows for extreme control of focusing. The camera is also used for architecture. Fashion photography requires fast shooting speeds so I use the Canon range of cameras and mostly a 70-200mm f2.8 lens. Generally speaking whatever it takes to get the job done. There is no such thing as one item to do all jobs.
5: What makes your photography different to other photographers’ work?
I would have to say my attention to detail. I am quite particular about how I shoot and I don’t like to finish until I am 100% happy. My clients know this about me, perhaps this contributes to the reasons my clients use me for product photography. Being this way formulates a particular style which is evident in my work. Quality work brings quality clients. My Fashion work is a little less contrived yet I still enjoy the control of lighting and composition. It takes a great team to produce really unique imagery. There needs to be a similar vision that everyone is working towards.
6: Do you have any advice to anyone wanting to become an amateur photographer?
To become an amateur photographer is just to show interest really. It’s not what camera you buy. There are vast amounts of consumerist cameras out there that are very affordable and very good. The problem though, is that most people buy a camera and immediately assume they can take GREAT pictures. If I buy a calculator it doesn’t make me an accountant any more than a camera makes you a photographer. The basic fundamentals of image making are quite simple as long as you understand composition and colour etc. The camera doesn’t do that part for you. You have to acquire that knowledge in the form of experience. All that said, the best advice I can give is to buy a decent camera, no more than you need. Rather invest in your lenses, because that’s where the quality is. The rest should be an ambition to learn about image making.
7: What features do you normally like to shoot in, “most of the time” (manual, RAW, AV, TV etc.) and why do you use this specific setting most of the time?
I shoot in RAW. All professionals should and I am sure they do. It allows for more flexibility in the post production process. The amount of color information stored in a RAW file is far greater than in a jpeg file because it is a compressed format that does not store all the colour information. On my cameras I only use manual settings. The only time I use any form of automated setting is the auto focus on my Canon lenses. I have to focus very quickly when shooting fashion or moving subjects. Generally the manual setting is all you need in studio because flash lighting doesn’t change unless you change it manually and then you adjust the camera settings too. When shooting on location with natural light, I might use the AV or TV settings depending on the situation.
Photos and information provided by Dean Elliott. Photography by Dean Elliott.
Contact number: 0827436579
Email address: dean@deanelliott.co.za
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