tripodski

Get To Know A Photographer Q&A

Thanks to Penny for asking, here's some stuff about me!

1. How long have you been a photographer?

Most of my adult life really, although I didn't start shooting glamour until 2006.

2. Why did you choose to pursue a career as a photographer?

Being a tight arse, I refused to pay £250 to have my children's photos taken by a professional photographer. Instead, I bought a cheap studio lighting kit and taught myself. Soon, other parents were asking me to do it for them. I got so busy, I rented a small studio. Next step was when I was asked to do boudoir, then an online magazine regularly featured me and I started shooting glamour!

3. Besides photography what are your interests/hobbies?

Gadgets of all shapes and sizes. Ice hockey and the band Muse.

4. What are your 5 favorite SG shots?

Impossible to say, but here are SOME of my favourites...

Fuego

Featuring Fairy

Isn't she amazing! This is still in member review BTW!

Play with Lola

Featuring Keshia

This was such a fun shoot and Keshia is BRILLIANT.

Innocence and attitude

Featuring Amortentia

Her first ever shoot. Almost 5000 likes and still in member review!

Delicate

Featuring Soulful

Just so damn pretty. Those eyes!!!

Taking one for the team

Featuring SophieStonem

Shot in my hockey changing room - I love that this is raw and grungey! (Still in member review).

5: Which is your favorite lens? Why?

My current lens of choice is a Sony 50mm 1.4 - I don't think I'm clever enough to explain why, I just like it!

6. Whose work has influenced you most?

Roberto Girardi has always been my favourite, although lately I have a lot of time for Acsebo

7. What one superpower would you want and why?

Time travel. I'd like to go back and watch Breaking Bad from the beginning without knowing what happens!

8. What kind of gear do you use?

I started with Canon, moved to Nikon and now I use Sony.

9. What is the most rewarding part of being a photographer for you?

Travel and friendships... I'm fortunate enough to travel the world with my photography and I've made some incredible new friends doing it!

10. What kind of tools do you use for post processing?

Just the basics really. Photoshop and an image view called Faststone Image Viewer.

11. What does photography mean to you?

I kinda have 2 lives! Graeme is a husband and father with a steady job.. Tripodski travels the world and shoots fascinating and exotic models in fascinating and exotic places!

12. If you could time travel, when/where would you go?

I'd love to go back to when my children were toddlers again and relive some of the Christmases we had. I have them all on video, but to experience them again would be everything!

13. What is the most difficult part of being a photographer for you?

None of it is difficult really, everyone wants the same thing! The photographer, the model and the viewer all want the same thing, good photos! I suppose if I had to look for a downside - it's making sure you surround yourself with good people and avoid the bad apples.

14. What makes the good picture stand out from the average?

Unless you're a magician.. It's just gonna be some eye contact that the model has made that you've caught! It could be a momentary look, a pose that's just perfect - or even a quirky ray of light that's in the right place at the right time.

15. What inspires you?

Travel.. I don't enjoy shooting locally so much - where I live (in the North East of England), we don't get a lot of useful light, so when I get to travel it's a new world with limitless possibilities! I'm envious of the photographers who live in bright/sunny places :-)

16. What is your favorite shot someone else has taken?

Oh wow - there are so many! I'll choose one I love..

Wet lace

Shot by Roberto Girardi

Featuring Tink

17. Is there an image that sums up you best?

Me and my daughters :-)

18. Tell us something about yourself that no one would guess?

I have a radio show and a podcast. My radio show is disco/soul/funk and it's on wolfmanradio on Sunday evenings 8-10pm (UK). My podcast is called Have you heard this? and it's really just two blokes having fun and talking absolute nonsense for an hour or two!

19. What is your favorite shot you have ever taken?

It changes all the time, but I think my current favourite might be this shot of Keshia - it wasn't a SuicideGirls but you can grab the set from tripodski.com

20. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

I was never given it, but it's something I realised and now give it to others... Always work with the best models you can. If you're getting started and you have to pay them, pay them, you won't regret it! Always punch above your weight.