My Inspiration
Get inspired by the fantastic Ellie Smith
Tell us about yourself
I studied photography at the University of West London, and have been working within the field ever since graduating a couple of years ago. I’m interested in people, producing a mixture of portrait and fashion work. My personal projects are also hugely important to my practice. Past work has included looking at Pagans, Performance Artists and an image from my Live Action Role Play series can currently be seen in the printspace Sample 12 show.
3 words to describe you?
Inquisitive, affable, persistent
When did you start taking pictures?
From a young age I was into drawing and painting, and this is what I imagined myself doing. When I turned 18 however it was a combination of InterRailing, my foundation art and design course and Flickr that got me interested in photography.
What inspired you?
What initially drew me in was purely the aesthetic – I loved the realism of the medium. As I then started to find my own way and develop a style I began to realise that I am unashamedly inquisitive, using my camera to peer into the lives of others to whom I would not normally be granted access. I love spending time with the person whose picture I am taking rather than simply snatching an image from them. I allow myself to get caught up in their world for the few hours that we spend taking pictures, and I’m interested in the odd and short-lived relationships that develop as a result of this.
What image have I chosen
The image that I have chosen to share is of Tina who I have started taking pictures of fairly recently. To me, this image perfectly encapsulates the inspirations that I have discussed above.
For two years I worked in a shop in central London, and during this time on an almost weekly basis I would see Tina strutting and posing down the street, aiming to attract the attention of the shop workers. Tina is a transsexual, and I was utterly intrigued by her character, her appearance and her weekly performance. I decided that I would love to take Tina’s picture and this is the resulting image. I am hoping that this will be an ongoing collaboration.
(7 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Beautiful picture of a beautiful person….
Ellie is not only a fantastic photographer but a truly remarkable young lady.