Behind The Lens: I Guess I'll Go First...
Name: Stephen F
Age: 31
Location: South of England
Insta: @stephenfphotography
Camera/s: Sony A6000 and Sony RX10 for travel
Main photography style/s: Street
When did you first get into photography and what was your first camera?
I've always been interested in photography, always owned a basic camera and tried to take the best shots I could with my phone. I understood composition and how to take a good photo long before I actually bought my first camera which was last year.
I bought my Sony A6000 in August 2022, the day before my partner and I left for a trip, and spent the whole trip taking photos and looking at the new lenses I planned to buy when I got home!
What's your dream camera and location to shoot?
At the moment I'm eyeing up the Sony A7RII, its similar size to my A6000 which I love but with a lot of upgrades!
Location wise, honestly, a lot of places in Europe.... I travelled around Europe a lot before I owned a decent camera and have a long list of places that need revisiting!
What are you looking for when you go out to shoot?
Interesting people, strange/beautiful architecture, maybe a busker or event or something unique/iconic. Honestly I'm trying to shoot anything slightly different or interesting but I also love catching someone with a unique style just going about their day!
Favourite shot and why?
This is a tough one, I swear it changes after every shoot ha! I'm still waiting for that lightbulb moment where I think "That's it, that was the best shot I've ever taken", but for now I'd say it's probably a photo I took in London of an old Dodge 392.
I jumped into the road to get the shot, I got lucky with the timing as there was nothing else on either side of the bridge and I managed to change all my settings quick enough to catch it speeding away from the lights. It was one of the first times I kind of proved to myself that I could be ready in an instant, if the opportunity arose!
Photography career goals?
I have quite a few goals at the moment but I'll narrow it down ha! Most importantly, I'd love to do a photoshoot for a brand. Preferably I'd like to shoot in a cool location, rather than a studio, and I'd love the chance to shoot a product I like and believe in!
Best piece of advice for new photographers?
I get asked this A LOT! I always say that the number one thing you should do is take every photo you can, get used to having the camera in your hand and changing the settings, finding how you like to shoot and what's comfortable for you.
You definitely need to learn about composition, aperture, shutter speed etc but those things will come with time and taking photos, even without knowing these things, is fun!
