What inspired you to pursue a career in cinematography?
"It's a marriage of two things I enjoy: photography and motion. As a child, a summer holiday treat for me and my brother was a bus ride to the local cinema in the next village. I took myself there to see Grease five times! At that time I also discovered movies by Billy Wilder – Sunset Boulevard is still in my top ten – and Citizen Kane fascinated me. I'd often stay up late watching them and others on TV when I should've been in bed."
What has been your proudest moment so far?
"Shooting Little Darlings, a TV drama which aired in February 2022, is my proudest moment because it's the culmination of my work on indie films and the beginning of another journey, one that will take me to where I want to be."
Your website bio says, "I aim to work as I like to live; with compassion, passion, humour and style." Could you tell us more about how this translates on and off-set?
"It means that I have an open mind, which allows me to take on new ideas. I'm not holding onto one way of doing things – if there's a new bit of kit or somebody in the team comes along with a fresh idea, I'm open to taking those things on board. Away from set, it means I'm loyal, faithful and a good friend."
What are the unique challenges of filming drama, as opposed to other types of filmmaking?
"It's a fast-paced, intense and demanding environment. As well as liaising with the director, which can result in making on the spot creative decisions, I have a large camera and lighting crew to manage. All of which means one needs to be highly adaptable, responsive, understanding and good at listening."
You're a skilled photographer as well as a cinematographer. How do these two visual forms complement each other creatively? For example, do you carry learnings from a photo project to a film?
"Photography keeps my eye in, and allows me to explore different kinds of framing. I've moved away from street photography, which I used to do obsessively when travelling, and now I'm becoming a bit more project-based. Taking time over my images is changing how I look at light, and that's transmitting through to how I shoot films. I've recently shot a series of flower images, which has taught me that less is ultimately more within the frame."