Jesse-Leigh Elford - Fashion Photographer Spotlight

We had the opportunity of chatting with one of South Africa's great fashion photographers. Cape Town based Jessie-Leigh Elford invited us into his world of photography, sharing his experiences, his process and his love for photography. His photos are currently featured in the June issue of Marie Claire.

Interview:

Can you please give us a brief description of yourself?

I am a control freak, which has its implications for my personal life, but it does wonders for my craft. I’m militant about the details, a perfectionist, passionate and obsessive. The following clichés are applicable: go-out-guns-blazing, jump-in-the-deep-end, grab-the-bull-by-the-horns. But I’m no Nazi – I will bend over backwards for people, always. Actually, this is a good summary: at work I am a machine; at home I am a very domesticated puppy.

What sparked your interest in photography?
Glamour (because I’m a child of the eighties) and a vast range of extraordinary childhood experiences (the good, bad and ugly) of which I’ll share a favourite: seeing my dad sing and dance in lingerie, stockings and stilettos, performing in a local adaptation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I am also a film fanatic and have always been. One day I hope this path will lead to a directing gig… or two… or a gazillion.

How did you develop your skills as a photographer?
I did an extensive amount of location scouting for the film industry as I got out of school, which lasted a few years. It was during this time that I developed a keen appreciation for sunlight, and scouting also allowed me to buy my first camera (a 35mm Nikon F90x). I think being exposed to various locations, and having to capture the potential in them for film directors, taught me a great deal about how spaces translate as two-dimensional characters. It was also during this time that I fell in love with film photography and built my own dark room to experiment.

My very first model test was a raggedy doll shot on the Tamboerskloof farm in natural sunlight, wearing dirt. Since then I’ve been testing, testing, and testing. I shot a variation of product, model tests and locations for a few years, but then took a break from photography because I felt my passion for it being burnt by the industry. I had no idea who I was as an artist, and that frustrated me.

Just over a year ago I picked up the camera again after a three-year stint producing commercials. It was actually out of necessity, as the recession hit the film industry quite hard. The break did me good, because the moment I fired the first shots again I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve this time around. It was one of those milestone moments, on a golden autumn afternoon, shooting a ghostly pale model wearing nothing but her dad’s white shirt and red lipstick in her pool. I was home again.

Since then I’ve been putting every cent I could get my hands on into building what my portfolio is now. I think I only have two of my old stories in my book now, because they were in line with where I want to go from here. But the rest has just been the result of a persistent pursuit to experiment and define my style. My partner, Juanel, who has been a big part of this process, and this new focused direction has consumed our worlds for the past year.

What do you typically shoot?
Fashion, beauty and nudes.

How would you describe your shooting style?
Dramatic simplicity, but with complex emotional undertones.

How do you compare shooting in the studio to on location – any preferences?
In studio I have too much control and on location too little. Yes, I am a control freak. I like outdoor studios, which gives me clean lines under natural sunlight – the best of both worlds!

How do you feel about digitally enhancing photos?

I think this is a question a lot of photographers have to face. Fortunately, after quite a deal of deliberation, I have made up my mind about it. I believe photography has evolved a great deal – like mediums often do – and as an artist you need to adapt but make sure not to just get swept along the current. Juanel does my retouching, and my images go through rather substantial post-production, but that is because we treat each image like a campaign shot. We put everything into every shoot, from pre-production to post. The golden rule is not to change the actual photography. Ever. Photoshop is, in our hands at least, a polishing tool only: improve on what is already in camera. Adding effects digitally is just not my style; I guess it’s because of my immense love for film photography. But I do love grading images, because I used to do it with my film prints.

It is also important to think about the implications your images have for your audience. What notions of beauty are you endorsing, and how will that affect your audience? Photoshop has unfortunately received a bad reputation over the years, because some people have used it irresponsibly – smoothing skin and changing body shapes beyond what is physically possible. This is deeply upsetting mainly because of the ethical implications, but it also affects those (commercially) who use these tools responsibly and who do not promote unattainable notions of beauty.

What drives your choice between black & white, and colour as a medium?
It’s just a feeling I guess. My B&W’s tend to be very classic and dramatic. I prefer to make the decision beforehand, and the concept or mood of the shoot usually dictates this decision.

How would you like viewers to react when they see your images?
I would hope that my images provoke some sort of emotion, positive or negative. Apathy is unnerving. I mainly attempt to share an emotional insight, provided with some structure, but with enough mystery so that the viewer can interpret a narrative that is relevant to them.

What’s the most spectacular place you have shot in?
My mind, hahaha! I have an elaborate imagination, and the physical world has its restrictions and budgets! I am looking forward to traveling and to shooting in spectacular locations. I guess all the location scouting has jaded me a bit towards our locations here, but I am beginning to fall in love with them again.

Tell us about your latest work?
My latest fashion editorial was for the June issue of Marie Claire, and I’m really pleased with how that came out. When we heard that it was a colour-blocking story, we wanted to create a set where the colours were in stark contrast with their environment. We build a set in studio, inspired by the typical gloomy, grey Cape Town winter day, the post-apocalyptic Chanel Fall/Winter 2011/2012 show, as well as scenes from Hurts’ “Stay” music video, shot on black volcanic sand beaches.

I also recently shot a B&W story for friend and muse Jenna Upton (Max Models) to take with her on her trip to New York. The garments are all vintage couture from Reindeer, but I am particularly proud of the nudes we did, as I think they capture Jenna’s personality beautifully, and they also showcase a softer side to my style.

What type of non – fashion photography do you enjoy doing?
I don’t actually shoot anything else at the moment, but I would really like to shoot portraits of my favourite actors some day. I would love to shoot B&W portraits of them, behind the scenes on their film sets.

What advice would you give to people who would like to become successful fashion photographers?
Stop now, there’s too many of us as it is! Hahaha! No seriously, I think I should answer this question when I’m kicking it at 50 and consider myself successful! But if you ask me what I think might get me there, I could add some sentiments. Know what you want and know how badly you want it. Be prepared to get spat out. Work your ass off. Define your style, because you can jump on the latest shooting trends but people will soon figure out that you don’t know yourself as an artist, and the reactions will sting. The industry is really tough, but the results are very satisfying. Push yourself to grow and never get too familiar with comfort zones. And be prepared to eat rice (unless you have a sugar-daddy or can move back in with your parents, hahaha!).

What do you love most about your work?
I live for the challenge; the process of figuring out how to bring an idea into its physical manifestation. I also find the evolution from idea to final print deeply satisfying. But perhaps most importantly is that I get to indulge in my obsessive study of light, and get to work as part of a team and collaborate with other creatives.

 

To view Jesse-Leigh's photo albums click here and here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesse-Leigh Elford's profile page

 

 

Views: 415

Comment by alexandra avgitidis on June 3, 2011 at 12:12
Beautiful photographs!well done
Comment by Nomsa Kagiso on June 3, 2011 at 15:15
these photographs are world class
Comment by Everything She Loves on June 3, 2011 at 18:58
love your shooting style
Comment by Candice James on June 6, 2011 at 17:03
Jesse-Leigh you are very talented!

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