DWF – Let’s start off with a little bio, tell us a little bit about yourself.

GILL -It doesn’t come across on the forum as I am listed as living in England, but I was actually born in Belfast in Northern Ireland.  I moved here to be with my husband almost 14 years ago and for the last 5 years this is where my business has gradually become established.  Obviously I haven’t always been a photographer, but a background in IT, which I have, is quite a handy thing to have in this industry.

My husband is John and we have a well-photographed (and blogged) dog called Tess, 2 big tom cats, 2 motorbikes and a natty wee sports car (I’m a bit of a petrol-head !).

Photography?  I studied photography in high school and, at 15, I had quite an extensive kit bag.  In my early twenty’s I followed the Irish bike racing, shooting for fun, then hung up my cameras when I got divorced.  It was 10 years later that John dragged me into a camera shop and made me buy a digital SLR.  I went back to college for laughs and a brush-up on skills, only to find they were still living in the darkroom (don’t get me wrong, it was great to get back in there again !).  My first digital SLR was a silver Canon 300D (don’t laugh).  I still have my original Canon A-1 which I don’t think I will ever part with.

Passions?  Music (very eclectic tastes), sci fi movies, chick flicks, red wine and holidays in the South of France.

DWF – How did you become a photographer?

GILL - It’s funny, I never honestly thought I would.  When I was studying at college, wedding photography was sniffed at by both students and professors alike.  I was almost embarassed to admit I quite fancied it.  I went on a Bron lighting seminar a few years back and bumped into a photographer who needed some web work doing.  In return, he allowed me to tag along on a couple of weddings.  That led to a firm friendship and a 2 year second-shooting relationship, which was totally invaluable.  I like to think of my journey into wedding photography as a very happy accident and something I adore.

DWF- Who or what inspires you as an artist?

GILL - People:  I love watching people, how they move, how they interact, how they react to situations.  I often sit and wonder where they are going, who they are going home to, what makes them happy … I love interacting with people, which makes my job very pleasant (let’s face it, we meet all walks of life !).

Movies and TV:  My husband gets rather annoyed when I’ll announce in the middle of a really great movie “I wonder how they lit that” or “man, look at the lighting and composition of that” LOL.  I particularly enjoy old Hitchcock movies, old cinematography, and I try to incorporate that into some of my moodier black and white imagery.

Photographers:  There are many, but those who stand out are: Jerry Ghionis, Mario Testino, Paul Strand and Helmut Newton.

DWF- If we needed a photographer today why would we book you? What makes you unique?

GILL - I remember my Mother commenting at my sister’s wedding how I managed to hold conversations on either side of me without batting an eye … on one side I had my 80-year-old grandmother, on the other, an 8-year-old flower girl. People are comfortable with me, I befriend easily and I remain loyal.

That comes across when my clients contact me and book me for their wedding … they feel like they have a friend there with them on the day.  We build a relationship leading up to the wedding day and always keep in touch once everything has been finalised.  I treat them like gold and they know it, feel it, every step of the way.  I like to think that, not only will they have beautiful photographs to remind them of their day, they will also have great memories of a time spent with me.

DWF- If you had to pick a favorite “Tool of the Trade” what would it be? and why?

GILL -A camera

OK, seriously, my 50 mm 1.2 L lens.  It rarely leaves one of the camera bodies and, in fact, has shot more full portrait sessions than any other lens in my kit.  It is also my favoured boudoir lens.  Oh, and it’s a great walkabout lens.

I love the combination of full frame camera with this lens as not only does it bring me back to my film days (I still have my original 50mm on the A-1, the only lens I kept) but it is the closest focal length to what the human eye sees, so it feels natural.  I went with the L version about 2 years ago and would literally be lost without it.

DWF – Care to share your favorite photographs?

GILL - This is the last image I shot, at Saturday’s wedding.  This couple were so into each other, it was incredible to watch and record.  The dance was a carefully choreographed, very sexy, very intimate.  I wanted to capture their guests watching, while giving it a cine feel with additional grain and moody lighting.  Shot with a 5D and 85 1.2 II.

I’m a detail freak … I love finding new ways to shoot shoes and other little bits and pieces my brides have been carefully choosing for their special day … I constantly look for reflective surfaces, as these offer such cool possibilities.

I love church ceremonies … we are very blessed in the UK to have some fantastic / ornate / old churches … this is probably my favourite church, that mural, the colours, the really old priest !

Veils are back !  I love them … whilst this isn’t the most creative of shots, it is intimate, they are one beneath that veil, they tend to forget about everything, including me, in the middle of the melee around them.

Even the shyest of brides feels comfortable having a beautiful portrait taken through a veil .

I really enjoy working with everyday people and making them look fantastic on their day … my brides trust me to make them feel and, ultimately, look fantastic, no matter how silly they may feel at the time with all that posing.

(see the gallery below for larger version)

DWF – How about some final words to live by?

GILL - When we had a traumatic experience at the end of last year, John and I changed our way of thinking and our way of life … we now embrace every moment and try to enjoy everything around us to the fullest.

I’m not the most philosophical of people, so I’ll borrow 2 quotes that seems to fit well with how I now think …

“Dance like nobody’s watching; love like you’ve never been hurt; sing like nobody’s listening; live like it’s heaven on earth” – Mark Twain

“You don’t have to be the best, you just have to be better than last week” – Jerry Ghionis

Location – Stafford, UK

Business Name – Gill Taylor | Photographer

Websites - http://www.gilltaylor.co.uk/

Blog - http://gilltaylor.blogspot.com/

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