Photographer Interview:
Felicity Ingram
BIO
British photographer, Felicity began her career as an assistant and digital operator to many internationally acclaimed photographers. Over the past few years she has become an established name in the beauty sector, known for her authentic, striking imagery. Felicity's technical perfection paired with her love for casting interesting and unique faces can be seen in her commercial, editorial and personal work. Felicity has always communicated a strong sense of empowerment in her images, relatable and inclusive of all.
In a digital age, individuality has become more essential than ever before and Felicity champions this message with her natural portrayal of skin and unique eye for capturing emotion.
Other recent clients include; British Vogue, Hermés, i-D Magazine, Valentino, Olay, L’Oreal, Clarins, MAC Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown & Sephora.
Where are you from? Where do you currently reside?
Originally from Bath in the South West of England, but moved to London as a teenager. I currently reside in Hoxton, East London.
Tell us a weird fact about yourself?
I’m a bit of a crazy cat lady.
How long have you been shooting for?
Since I was 16.
Did you buy your first camera or was it a gift? What type of camera was it?
I remember being given some of my Grandfather's cameras. They were very old and dusty, but I managed to clean them up. One was a Kodak Brownie 127 which was made between 1952 and 1967.
Does photography run in your family?
Yes, my grandfather was a keen hobbyist. He even had a darkroom enlarger.
How has your photography evolved over the years?
It’s definitely become more about crafting my imagery. I started my career shooting digitally, and transitioned into shooting analogue later on. I then went even deeper into the craft by starting to hand print all of my own images. It’s definitely a labour of love, but I find the process more organic, more tangible, not as “throw away” as digital. Time and love goes into each image and the texture, deeper tonality and saturated colour that I get with film is always worth the extra effort. I also love the community that comes with hand printing and working in darkrooms in London and around the world.
Any specific moment stand out where you knew you wanted to pursue photography?
I had a great photography teacher in school. He really inspired me to go to London and start assisting Photographers. I would have been around 16-17 when I knew I was going to be a photographer. My mum was also very artistic and a brilliant musician, she was always very supportive of my creativity.
Does your environment influence you as a creative?
Yes it does. I can’t stay in one place too long. I travel between London, Paris and New York. It keeps my ideas fresh, seeing new things and working with different artists and faces internationally helps a lot.
Did your photography always focus on beauty shots or is this something new?
I’ve always shot people and have always been interested in faces, so naturally beauty was something that really drew me in. It will always be a key part of what I shoot but I’ve actually started shooting other things in the past year; landscapes/fashion/portraiture for editorials and personal projects just to explore new ideas. I don’t like the idea of being pigeonholed into one genre.
What does beauty mean to you?
“Being confident in your own skin. Being authentically and unapologetically you.”
Theres tons of artistic - playful make up in your shots, is that something you take part in? Or do you have a team who takes charge in that?
I always work with a makeup artist and hair stylist. We do collaborate on ideas but I’m not one to dictate or stifle someone else's creativity. We start with a general theme and they can go crazy from there. I’m a bit of a skincare and makeup junkie myself, which helps a lot with shooting for cosmetics clients.
Using only the face as a canvas in the majority of your shots - do you find it rewarding that the models are comfortable with you capturing them in their purest forms?
I think models find me quite down to earth and chilled, so we just chat….. have a laugh and take some pictures. I think that’s why they look so comfortable.
What does beauty mean to you?
Being confident in your own skin. Being authentically and unapologetically you.
You’ve shot for tons of publications. Can you tell us one of your favorite shoots shot on film?
I shoot all of my editorials on film. I recently shot lots of editorials in Iceland, one of which was for British Vogue. Iceland was on my bucket list and it was so much fun traveling around with my crew (which consists of some of my best friends) and meeting some really interesting people along the way.
Walk us through your creative process as a director.
Directing has a lot more pre and post production involved. There’s a lot more to think about in terms of narrative and how sound, camera movement and cast performance can affect the message you’re trying to portray. When we’re onset though and I’m directing, I find it’s the same as photographing someone but without having to physically hold a camera, focus and frame.
As a photographer, we do our own lighting. The word photography literally means “drawing with light”. When I direct, I work with a Director of Photography who works with me on the lighting, It’s a collaborative process, and the DOP’s I work with really understand how I like to light.
Anything you’d like to do with photography that you haven’t?
I’ve started mentoring new photographers and photographers overseas who don’t have the same access to equipment and/or the industry as I do. In general I would like to do more to give back through photography. Maybe set up some kind of charity or offer my services to charities and sustainable brands I believe in.
Are you a self taught photographer? Any advice you would give to beginners?
No, I’m the opposite to a self taught photographer. I actually assisted many photographers. First as a lighting assistant and then as a digital assistant. I’ve worked for Car, Still Life, Fashion, Kids, Landscape photographers, the list goes on…….and of course other beauty photographers for about 6-8 years before I started shooting. Both film and digital of all formats.
It’s how I know photoshop so well and can handprint my own images myself. I never wanted to be reliant on anyone else whilst shooting. So I wanted as much knowledge as possible. It’s also how I got to meet the teams I work with now. As they were the makeup, styling, or hair assistants on set. I also got to travel the world. It was extremely hard work but I wouldn’t change a thing.
On Set…
What camera would you want to be your last? Hasselblad 503CW
Assistant or solo? Assistant
When shooting analog on set, do you also shoot digital and/or vice versa?
Sometimes for clients I shoot digital to show them what the film will look like. Some advertising clients insist on digital but it never looks as nice in my opinion.
Candid or posed? Why? Always candid. I like the person I’m shooting to feel natural.
Flash or no flash? Why? Depends on the shoot. I use flash, natural and continuous lighting depending on the project and subject.
What vibe or mood do you like to curate on set? How do you go about doing that? Very relaxed, chilled, no egos. No stressing, everyone is equal. I feel like this way of working gets the best out of everyone. We have fun, do a great job, and everyone is free to be creative.
Favorite song to play on set? I actually love rock/metal/alternative music. I get to play a bit of this on set but it’s not everyone's cup of tea, so my assistant takes over the DJ'ing pretty quickly.
When it comes to photography what moves you to shoot?
The excitement of creating something new and different. I’ve never been money driven.
Is there any particular element of shooting you’d like to tackle or explore?
I would love to shoot more documentary style portraits around the world. I’m really interested in anthropology and would love to shoot different cultures.
What would you like people to take away from your work?
To feel something. To be moved and/or inspired.
Any upcoming projects that you're working on?
I’m working on advertising and editorial projects at the moment which can be very time consuming but I hope to do some more personal projects hopefully in japan and Mexico next year when countries open up.
Interview by 35s & 45s
10.18.21