Interview with Elizabeth Grinter

by cmxphotography

What interested you into perusing photography and how did you get involved with the industry?
I always wanted to have a creative career, and after taking photography classes in high school, I decided to do my BA Photography at uni, and just went from there. I worked for other people, I freelance, I did magazine submissions, and worked with as many talented creative people as I could. (and still do all of these things, other than working for other people)

Is there a specific type of photography you prefer? I
love anything hair and beauty, and high fashion! It just has to be creative, with a creative team!

How do you come up with concepts for your images?
Mostly by drawing inspiration from life, anything, everything, and looking at other photographer’s work, not copying but taking the bits and pieces that inspire me from many different shoots and piecing it together to create something new and unique.

What equipment do you use both indoor and outdoor?
Outdoor – pretty much only my camera (5D MkIII and whatever lens suits what I’m shooting) I don’t use a lot of reflectors etc Studio – Elinchrom lights, soft boxes, octoboxes, beauty dish, + camera. I like to keep things pretty simple, so not all of this at once generally.

Where do you find your clients?
I just put my work out there as much as possible, and they find me. Social Media, my website, my agent, working with lots of different creative people, networking. But I don’t really direct market/direct email, although perhaps I should!

Do you work with a team of people, or an assistant?
I don’t usually work with an assistant, but I do work with a creative team – model, makeup artist, hair stylist, fashion stylist is about usual, although sometimes hair and makeup are done by one person. And if I need a hand with something the team generally lends a hand holding things, carrying things etc.

Do you edit all your images yourself, roughly how long does the process take?
Yes I do all of my own editing, and time depends on how much editing it takes. Beauty always takes a lot longer, and could take me 30mins – 2hrs, depending on how good the model’s skin is, and how good the makeup artist was etc, whereas location fashion might only take 15 mins-45 mins depending on what needs editing/skin etc.

How much time is spent on planning and post production?
A LOT more time than actually shooting, planning can take days/weeks of contacting everyone and getting a team together, and putting mood boards together, post production could also take up to 2 weeks to turn around depending how busy I am and how much editing is required.

Some of your images have colourful lighting, how did you create the background, is it edited?
Some of the coloured backgrounds are painted, sometimes its done with coloured gels onto a white or grey background, but I don’t edit a background to a colour. Occasionally I’ll tweak the colour tone slightly (make it cooler, or warmer etc), but never change a grey/white background to a bright colour. And all coloured lighting you see is done in shot, not in post production.

Are there any challenges you’ve faced when taking the images or working for others?
There are endless challenges, very little is ever straight forward, but that’s why its a creative industry, the creative part is overcoming the challenges.

Do you shoot any commission or stock photos?
No I don’t shoot any stock images. All my work is commissioned directly from my clients. I don’t sell images separately.

Do you prefer to do photo shoots inside a studio or outside?
I do a lot of both, and love both, but I do find myself shooting in studio more just because I don’t always have access to amazing locations, and studio isn’t weather dependent!

Do you have a favourite shoot you have done or a specific image?
Not really, its always changing! Because hopefully I’m always improving, so what I like is always changing!

Do you have any advice for new photographers? Its a very difficult industry to break into, and make a decent living, so if its what your heart is set on just keep going and don’t give up! Be aware it could take a few years before it starts paying off, it does for most people. Being more proactive and more in peoples faces will help, but its not instant. It’s not, you’ve finished your course, so straight into making the big dollars. But if it makes you feel any better its the same for everyone, its not that you’re doing anything wrong.