Photigy Success Story:

How long have you been a photographer (hobbyist or professional)?

I have been a professional portrait photographer for 30 years, 25 of those working for myself. I have always been learning, but only in the last five years have I take it seriously.

Is it your profession (part-time or full-time), or are you still learning?

If it is your profession: Tell us a little about your business. How long have you been a working photographer? What types of photography services do you offer? What helps set you apart from your competition?

I have a portrait photography business that relies on listening first to discover why we love the people in our lives. I then use that to inform the images that I capture and design the artwork specifically for what the client has discovered. It is almost always a very emotional and transformational experience for my clients. Imagine seeing every day exactly why you love your partner or child as a piece of artwork on your wall stops us from taking that fact for granted.

Human expression can’t be faked, because professional models learn to fake emotion by repeating a feeling constantly until it becomes subconscious, people believe they should be able to. I create an environment where real expression happens spontaneously and I capture it, primarily because the thing we discovered is more important than the camera. I have spent most of my photography career learning psychology and neuroscience to understand how expression works and not enough on the technical aspects.

If you are still learning: What are your goals (or plans) as a photographer? What would you like to do after reaching a level that would enable you to do commercial quality work?

I am only beginning my journey into commercial photography and have an incredible leg up with Photigy. I intend to keep doing the courses until I reach a standard that will allow me to work from a beautiful quiet location. Then I can move out of London and mix my Portraits and commercial work in a balanced way.

What made you decide to pursue product photography?

Lockdown due to Covid was the trigger, I couldn’t photograph people, so I felt I had the opportunity to learn something I had wanted to do for many years and never been able to. I have never seen a photography course on advertising photography and never expected it to be so good.

How did you first learn about Photigy?

I first saw Alex on YouTube and was very impressed by his calm positive nature, this made him easy to listen to and therefore to learn from, he is a natural educator, very rare in this industry.

When did you take your first course (what year)? 

I joined Photigy in late autumn last year and quickly realized I didn’t know enough to follow the individual courses so I signed up with the complete guide to product photography in late December 2020.

How many product photography courses or workshops have you taken through Photigy? Do you have a favorite course or workshop? If so, what made it your favorite? 

The Complete Guide to Product Photography. It is an amazing course that has taught me so much in such a short period, everything is explained in such a meticulous and careful way that anyone could follow it.

What is your favorite product image you created since taking courses/workshops through Photigy?

I have not reached a standard to be able to pick one out they are all lacking something.

What specialty in product photography interests you the most (beverage, food, jewelry, cosmetics, etc.)? 

Too early to tell as I have not tried them all yet.

How has your learning experience with Photigy affected your success as a photographer or pursuit of photography?

For example: Are you able to create images you couldn’t previously? Did it enable you to earn money photographing products? Did you start a product photography business? Did it increase your overall photography skills, etc.?

I have learned so much quickly, but as it’s only been a few months, it’s too early to tell really as I can’t take portraits yet. Still, I am sure it will massively affect my portrait photography, the selfie I took above for this purpose is much better than my last one, which I put down to understanding light in a more subtle nuanced way.

What advice do you have for people interested in pursuing product photography?

I 100% recommend Photigy to anyone with even a passing interest in product photography, and I recommend Alex regularly. There is no other way to learn as effectively and affordably as Photigy, its unique as far as I am aware.

What other areas of photography interest you?

Portrait, landscape, macro are the fields I have explored to some degree, obviously, portrait photography is the one I have and continue to explore.