Pony Ryder is presenting a London based Fashion Photographer James Mountford!
James is a professional who understands “web world” as well as blog wich he sees as a platform to present his work in a more free/personal artistic way.
JAMES MOUNTFORD: I started my blog a couple of months ago and i really love the way I can post whatever i want in any order i want, it can be fashion or landscapes or documentary. It has really helped me to move away from industry boundaries and place a solid style on my work…
PONY RYDER: James, how did u become a photographer?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: Photography and fashion had always been fascinating to me, when i was young i had a scrapbook of photos and pages from magazines. When i was sixteen i got my first camera and realized that taking pictures was all i wanted to do… The rest was just patients, time and hard work…
PONY RYDER: can u name the work you did so far?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: i-D, Tank, Sleek, Art Review, Rodeo, Stimuli, Wound, Korean Harpers, Korean Homme+…..
PONY RYDER: As a fashion photographer, what is your main focus when doing a shoot: the model, the fashion or the technical aspects of photography? Many photographers have a different approach to fashion – what is yours?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: My main focus when i’m shooting is of course the photography, i wouldn’t say i’m a purist fashion photographer, so the fashion isn’t everything to me. I find myself constantly trying to leave the constraints of a fashion “story” i want to photograph the surroundings, the people outside the set, the sky, the trees, not just the model and the clothes.
PONY RYDER: Do you prefer the artistic or the commercial aspect of fashion photography, and how do you try to achieve their unity?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: Artistic, it’s very hard to achieve a unity between the two but with so many interesting art based magazines out there now maybe you don’t need to. Or maybe the artistic side has become more commercially viable?
PONY RYDER: James, you are also active blogger, what made u become one?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: I started blogging because i got bored of presenting my work in a portfolio format, i find it really exciting that you can post your work in such an instantaneous and creative way.
PONY RYDER: Did you get positive blog feedback?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: Yes i’ve had so much great feed back from my blog, i think it allowed me to fine tune my style and i think that has pushed me to a better level…
PONY RYDER: on your blog, u have a different type of photos… who or what is your muse?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: I don’t have or haven’t yet found a muse, the thing i am most passionate about now and have been for a long time, is black and white pictures…
PONY RYDER: what are you looking for in a fashion model? what is an x factor for you?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: For me its there attitude, they have to understand what a model needs to do, she’s the key to everything! Hair, makeup, styling. Just standing there and looking pretty doesn’t cut it. She needs to understand the clothes, the photographer, the idea behind the shoot and she needs to bring something to it, a part of her, thats what i love about a good model… They all look good but if she understands the shoot and works with everybody she’ll look amazing!
PONY RYDER: Who is the most famous model you took pictures off, and who is the most exceptional one?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: I’ve photographed Agyness Deyn and Irina Lazareanu when they were first starting out. I’ve shot many many great girls but one that stood out recently is Adjork at IMG, she’s amazing, she wants to know everything about the shoot before hand, she studies it and builds a character especially for that shoot, that along with her amazing look makes her one of my favorite people to work with…
PONY RYDER: where can we expect to see your future work? Except your blog?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: I’ve just finished an amazing shoot for Stimuli magazine with Hannah Stafford @ Next and one for Sleek a berlin based art/fashion magazine. Things in the pipeline are Dazed and Confused magazine and a collaboration project with Future Classics…
PONY RYDER: Favourite photographers …?
JAMES MOUNTFORD: Favorite photographers are many! The list would start with Peter Lindbergh, Robert Frank, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Cartier-Bresson, Jurgen Teller and so on….
JAMES MOUNTFORD: For me Magazines and Books are the ultimate photographic platform but the web and especially blog format sites are offering amazing new ways to publish and present work…
JAMES MOUNTFORD on I heart Krackney: This is a place for all my orphan photographs. The pictures i don’t know what to do with, the rough ideas and the unfinished shoots… But also the photos i really love and want to show again…
JAMES MOUNTFORD HEARTS KRACKNEY! PONY RYDER HEARTS JAMES!
This interview is a genuine interview done by PONY RYDER with JAMES MOUNTFORD.
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