20 YEARS OF TAYLOR | 5 Mins With Photographer Steve Tilley
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Stephen Tilley is one of Auckland’s leading photographers, well known for his distinctive style and powerful character driven portraits. He has over 20 years experience in professional photography and shot taylor’s first ever fashion campaign all those years ago.
What first sparked your interest in photography and how did you get into fashion photography?
My friend was studying photography, him and I used to spend the weekends shooting images and developing film in a darkroom in Wellington. I fell in love with photography and in particular photographing people. I bought my first professional camera before travelling to London for the big O.E. where I immersed myself in photography travel and capturing people and culture.
I eventually was asked to work as a photographer on an emerging magazine in London which was capturing youth culture and nightlife music scene in London, the office was in a building called the Truman brewery which at the time was the creative hub of east End London. It was there where I met designers and creatives and taught myself the technical process of photography constantly reading books on photography. I was selected as the PR photographer for the Truman Brewery which held many London Fashion Week shows and I had unequalled access to the shows particularly backstage and I captured a whole of of unorthodox portraits of the models and scene at the time 99 to 2000.
taylor 2004 campaign imagery shot by Steve Tilley.
What photo editing software do you use and do you spend a lot of time retouching images?
Capture one is my raw editing software, I spend very little time retouching all the colour grading is done in Capture one I usually take any extreme blemishes on the skin and that's it…I personally don’t like over retouched images I think fashion has moved away from over polished images.
taylor Winter 15 Collection shot by Steve Tilley.
What was your favourite taylor shoot and why?
I remember it as being the first campaign, shooting black and white film in a dance hall and we had the model dancing. It was the days of film so things like that were a lot harder to capture but we managed it.
Also if I am allowed another one was Georgia Fowler when she was just starting out, she of course has gone on to be very famous…She was amazing then and still is.
Georgia Fowler for taylor shot by Steve Tilley.
You shot taylor’s first campaigns on film, do you still work with film?
Yes I still shoot film only on a personal level not commercially. In particular I shoot a lot of polaroid and have exhibited some of these pieces. I still have a medium format Mamiya which I enjoy shooting my family with mostly.
What do you think sets taylor apart from other New Zealand fashion brands?
Taylor has a clear vision her design style is unique I have always been fascinated how one outfit can be worn in so many different ways, she also manufactures in NZ which certainly separates taylor from many of her peers.
taylor Winter 2014 Campaign shot by Steve Tilley.
What changes have you seen in fashion photography over the past 20 years?
Fashion photography has changed deeply with the advent of digital cameras and social media…Its faster and there is less focus on quality and more focus on quantity.
If you could have anyone in the world take your photo, who would it be?
Richard Avedon, he is my absolute favourite photographer and his portraits in America is my favourite book of portraits of all time.
Richard Avedon 'In the American West' Book.
What makes a photograph iconic to you?
An iconic image in my mind defines the cultural zeitgeist of a generation… a fashion image that springs to my mind is Kate Moss on the cover of Face shot by Corinne Day, it began a whole new fashion aesthetic, and defined the 90’s.
Kate Moss on the cover of Face Magazine.
Of all the images you have made so far in your career, which is your favourite and why?
I was sitting in a Parisian cafe watching a young gypsy busker, I had a vision of what i imagined the end photograph to be with the outsides of the frame people walking past - blurry with movement. It was the days of film, I sat patiently the camera was on the table waiting for the exact moment that I imagined in my head. I think I shot about 3 frames. When I developed the film and discovered an image that perfectly reflected the vision I had in my head…it was the exact moment I fell in love with photography and became completely obsessed with the medium.
What advice do you have for aspiring photographers?
Take loads of pictures, be true to your own style while listening to advice from experienced photographers, don’t let ego get in the way when taking advice.
Where can we see your work?
I: @Stephen_Tilley_Photo