Jamie Beeden now lives in Brighton though he previously lived in London for fifteen years. He spoke of his experience and his work. When he Graduated from College, he Assisted Rankin for three years gaining photographic skills that led to a decision to become a Freelance Photographer.
He showed examples of his work; the first being a relaxed photograph of John Peel using natural light. I have seen this image and felt that it is a very accurate portrayal of the man. I too had listened to John Peel's radio broadcasts and followed his life until he sadly died a few years ago. (The image can be found on Jamie's Website shown above)
Jamie has travelled to many countries photographing Bands and other Famous People. He has quite a contemplative style and effectively captures images of his subjects that are truthful and uncomplicated.
After the first half hour Jamie addressed the issues that are important to succeeding in the industry. He said that being prepared is crucial to getting a good shot. Time restrictions, weather conditions and unwilling subjects can be very limiting and frustrating if you are not flexible. He pointed out that you should always be prepared to change your ideas. What might have seemed a good idea in theory will not always work in practice. He also said that the key to a successful shoot is that you should never panic but stay calm at all times and deal with any problems with professionalism. Keeping the client happy is paramount, using interpersonal skills, being friendly, approachable and collaborative will make the shoot run smoothly. As the Photographic Industry is very competitive, this was sound advice.
Jamie's address was useful and interesting. One of the main points that stood out for me was the importance of "Personal Work." It is very important that a Portfolio should have a variety of themes and styles. If your work is mostly portraiture, including wildlife, landscape, still life, abstract or any 'different' images in your portfolio will keep the Agents or Clients interested in your work. The element of surprise is important as it will make your work stand out from the crowd. Even at College, it is very easy to concentrate completely on our Assignments because sometimes it feels that there is no time for anything else. But I agree with Jamie that a Personal Project will always be beneficial, especially if you challenge yourself. Working on something that is out of your comfort zone is a good way of increasing confidence. I have to remember this!
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