[EP26]James Simmons, Break the rules
Today we’ve got James Simmons on the show. James, a Canon ambassador, is known for his photojournalistic style and stunning wedding photography which is far from traditional. We chat about how he’s found his signature style and how he applies learnings from his personal work into his wedding photography.
Get to know James Simmons
An avid surfer and labourer, James’ life changed when he broke his arm. After being forced to reconsider how he was going to make a living, James went to uni to study film, video and photography. He soon realised he had a real affinity with photography and loved how self-sufficient the art form was. Since then, James has forged a name for himself as a highly successful wedding photographer who brings an artist's eye to every shoot.
What we cover
Working in a studio and accountability.
How surfing sparked his creativity.
Making the move into wedding photography.
Deviating from his studio roots into a more photo-journalistic style.
How to find creativity in your own style - surrounding yourself with influences you like.
The importance of challenging yourself by using different equipment to get different results.
Using solo work to practice creativity and bringing it to wedding photography.
Working with Cannon on a new creative series.
The reality of wedding photography and working with what you’ve got.
Needing buy-in from couples and guests at weddings.
How to foster natural connection, expression and interaction between couples.
Making couples feel comfortable by thinking about each other.
How problem-solving really results in creativity - even when it might not seem to be.
Being a ‘winemaker’ when most just see the ‘wine’.
My biggest takeaway
I’ve been an admirer of James’s work for some time now, particularly his strong aesthetic and style. And that’s my key takeaway from our conversation. How important it is to have an end result in mind and how this helps to nurture creativity. When you’ve got an aesthetic you want to hit, you’re forced to think outside of the box to further build on the concept - using different tools, lighting, settings and technical editing skills to achieve it.
Links mentioned in the show
James’s Website: https://jamessimmonsphotography.com.au/
James’s personal work Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmons/
Jame’s wedding Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamessimmonsphotography/
