I started to follow Talia on
instagram and fell in love with her photos, they are ethereal, dreamy and exactly what I love! So I was super stoked when Talia agreed to take part in our inspirationals post! Starting out in the photography world at just sixteen, she had started her own company by just nineteen (and if that isn't inspirational I don't know what is!) AND launched a camera bag range. So we hope you enjoy!
Talia herself, all photos used with permission and from her
website.
What does an average day at work look like for you?
In the industry, there are two kinds of days, the fun filled shoot days and
the.... Then there are the hours upon hours and days upon days of post
production. The majority of days tend to be me at my desk editing from the
moment I wake until the moment I go to bed.
Do you primarily work alone or with other people?
Yes, I often work alone unless obviously I am shooting and in that case I get to
work with a large group of amazing creatives, which is quite the opposite to a
day at my desk.
Is this what you wanted to do as a child? Did you end up in this job by
“accident” or was it a planned career choice?
At 16 I was studying a BTEC in Art at Solihull College. If I am totally honest,
I had never considered being a photographer before this and it wasn’t until
a tutor took me through a photography project during my Art course that I
decided to take it further. One of my main memories as a child was that my
dad and granddad always loved photography as a hobby and they were always
taking pictures, so maybe somewhere along the lines I had picked it up from
them. At 18 I converted my sisters garage into a studio, where I would practice
photographing friends and family.
It was then I started to hone my skills and
find my style as a photographer. I explored many styles but when I completed
a fashion photography project at college, that’s when I really thought ‘Wow,
this is it, this is what I want to do.’ Everyone around me loved what I had
produced. After that I never looked back.
Gorgeous vintage tones.
How long ago did you start on this
path?
It was in 2007 that I started my
photography studies, In which I studied for 4
years.
How long were you doing it before
you made it into your career or
primary form of income?
Two years into my studies I got my
first photography Job, I knew it was what I
wanted to do and refused to do anything
else. At one point I was jobless for 8
months but refused to work In anything
but Photography. I hadn’t studied for 4
years to not have a Job in what I was
trained in.
Did anything significant happen to
get you to that point, or was it a
series of small steps?
I wouldn’t say
anything significant happened, all I know is I loved what I done
and nothing made
me happier. Why should I work in a job that makes me
unhappy when I can
do something that I love and am passionate about.
Dreamy.
What kind of education do you have?
I have a National Diploma In
Photography & Higher National Diploma In
Photography & Digital Imaging.
Do you think official qualifications
are important for someone entering
your industry?
In my time since leaving college I
think I have been asked what qualifications I
have twice. Although I am glad I have
them and my course didn’t just give me
a qualification it gave me confidence.
Some of the best photographers in the
world are self taught.
If you went to school, did you enjoy
studying? Could you see where it
might lead you at the time? What
advice would you give to someone
else who might be studying to get
into your industry?
I loved studying photography in my
final years. I enjoyed the research and
would out my all into every project I
would be given. My tutor always told me
I would work outside the box. While in
my 2 final years at college I knew there
was nothing else I would do other than
be a fashion photographer.
If I could give anyone advice I would
say, work hard and give it your all, put
your heart into every project you are
given meet those deadlines as you need
to be able to work 100x harder when you
are actually in the industry, so be
prepared. Last of all, never give up,
impossible is nothing.
What do you think is the best thing
about what you do?
For me there isn’t really a best
thing... I love the whole process, I love shoot
days the travelling to different places
and the editing process.
What’s the worst thing?
The worst thing is probably people
hassling me for photos an hour after we
have left a shoot haha.
Would you call yourself a
workaholic, & if so, are you alright with that?
Do you think that’s normal for
your industry?
Yes, I would say I am, I work from the
moment I wake until the moment I go
to bed, I don’t really go out as I
get on edge thinking ‘I could have done this or
that is I wasn’t out’. I dedicate
every minute of the day to getting what I want.
I truly believe that talent will get
you far but ambition will get you further and
this is the reason I work so hard. Yes
for sure I do think it is normal for the
photography industry.
Amazing light.
What would your number one
suggestion be for someone who wants
to do what you do?
I would suggest assisting Photographers
to gain professional experience.
...How about number two?
Practice, practice, practice. Practice
makes improvement.
What do you wish you had known when
you first started out?
I can’t really think of anything.
Honestly I am happy with how everything has
fallen into place and I think if there
were things I may have known things
wouldn’t be as they are today for
me.
How cute?
Are there any major misconceptions
about your job or industry?
People tend to think Fashion
Photography is a glamorous job and easy.
Another thing is, photographers
starting out tend to think the better their
camera the better the photos, which is
not the case. People tend to be
surprised when they see my kit.
What is the best thing that’s
happened to you as a consequence of the
work you do?
Being shortlisted for Clothes Shows
Young Fashion photographer of the year
is definitely up there with one of the
best things to have happened to me.
I often teach workshops and this coming
summer I will be working for NCS
The Challenge teaching photography.
This is something I never imagined I’d
achieve and for me is something to be
proud of.
What motivates you to keep doing
what you’re doing?
I truly believe each person is born
with a gift, this is my gift and I want to be
remembered for my work. That is what
motivates me, and the idea I could
potentially inspire others that
anything is possible.
Who do you look up to within your
industry & why?
I admire photographer Lara Jade, I have
watched her grow since her days on
Deviantart. Her work is stunning and
she as a person is so inspiring.
Rate how happy you are with what you
do out of 100 (100 being the
best, 0 being devastatingly awful)
on an average day.
100 - I think I am so blessed to do
what I love everyday and to be paid for
what I do is a dream come true.
Is there much
career progression available to you? What would you
like to do next?
My dreams and goals are ridiculously
high, I believe people don’t aim high
enough, people aim and hit and thats
enough for them. For me thats not the
case I would probably never ever feel
like I’ve achieved enough. After I've
achieved one goal i’ll set another,
then another then another.
This year my aim is to really get
noticed as a photographer, and be published
in as many international magazines as
possible.
Another goal is to make my Camera Bag
range
Te-Bags take off.
Do you think you’ll continue doing
this for the rest of your life?
Of course, there is nothing else I’d
rather do. The fact that I could still be
doing what I love at the age of 60 just
like Mario Testino is mind blowing.
Thank you so much to Talia for answering out questions! You should defiantly check her out in the following places!
_-_2014-11-14_10.57.41.png){kind=tracking}
