We asked him these questions:
1. How long have you been a photographer.
He has been a photographer since he was 18 years & he is 35 now
2. Did you get a photographic qualification.
Did a year at Tafe. However his father was a photographer & he was using a darkroom from an early age.
3. Did you get any other sort of artistic qualification.
No
4. Are there other areas of are in which you work now or in earlier days.
& 5. How did it all start?
& 6. If so was that worthwhile in helping you get to where you are now.
& 7. How DID you get to where you are now?
& 8. Are there any other areas of photography that you have concentrated on – now or in earlier days. –
His father moved from Cairns where he had worked as a photographer for years & so Ben took over the business. At that time it was architecture, fashion & aerial. Well known photographer Peter Lik worked there too & sometimes Ben worked for his company. Lik lent him his Linhof 6x17 panoramic film camera & he realised how much he loved the camera & the photos it produced. He started selling some non-commissioned landscape images & gave up the rest of his commissioned work. Cairns was a good place to start as it is so naturally beautiful.
Later Ben moved to Brisbane & then onto Sandhurst when the rent in Brisbane became too much.
9. What made you concentrate on art photography.
The main reason was that he was hating the other work. They were not creative even though the money was good. The briefs were so specific that he had almost no input to the photo.
10. What is your definition of 'art ' & ‘fine art’ photography. Is there any difference?
Well it is just a matter of what you call yourself. He indicated that many average photographers call their work ‘fine art’ which I think he would question.
11. How is art/fine art photography different from other forms of photography.
With art photos are your time management is basically up to you. You need to be motivated especially as when you photograph these are so often times when people are usually at home or enjoying themselves somewhere – that’s the case with landscape photography anyway because of the good light. Commissioned photographic work is often 9-5. With fine art landscape photography you also need to travel to places which is costly
12. Is it necessary to present your work to critics or get oral & written reviews in order to 'pass the test' in being an art photographer? Didn’t do that.
13. Did you go in competitions or have gallery exhibitions? No
14. Have you won awards? No not interested in that.
15. How do you get inspired? He watches documentaries to decide where to go. He doesn’t look at other photographer’s work as it might damage one’s own creativity. So he gets a good idea about where he will go, marks it on the GPS & goes there. If the light is no good, then tags the spot on the GPS & goes back when light is good.
16. Are there extra bits of equipment that you personally need in order to be a fine art photographer such as what lenses do you use or what way of lighting do you use?
His primary camera is a 6x17 Fugi, but he also has a Canon 5D mark II & a 4x5 camera. He takes transparencies generally which he scans & works on then digitally. He uses Fuji Velvia 50 speed film. He gets his film processed at ProLab. The only artificial lighting he uses sometimes is a 5 million candle torch & also a 1 million of same. (Used the torch for the desert photo that was a 6 hour exposure.
17. How do you promote & market your work? Doesn’t. He works in a tourist area & has no problem selling his work. He has done this successfully for 9 years. He prints & frames in house. He recently bought a framing business. He business took a few years to build up. When he goes away his partner (life partner) runs the shop. Incidently when he worked in Brisbane, there was not such a good tourest market so they did market themselves a bit but in Sandhurst & when he was in Cairns, there was no need.
18. Do you get commissions and if so how do you price your work?
& 19. How do you work out how to price particular photos that you sell?
He has a good idea what the other photographers’ work is selling for & he prices for the particular market.
20. Do you need to do other work as well as your fine are photography? No
From his website his prices are as follows:
75cm x 25 cm - $245
120cm x 40cm $360
150 x 50cm $595
The price includes image printed on canvas & it is stretched around a 3cm thick frame & it also includes freight in Australia.
References for photos
http://www.benmessina.com/
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