Henry Michael read business studies at Edinburgh University, but in his holidays he spent much of his time in east Africa. While in Kenya, he took the first steps from being a flourishing amateur to entering the world of being a professional photographer. Over the past decade he’s lived there, worked as guide, managed a game reserve and got to know his way around the bush Nick Brandt’s stuff is really cool too. .
10 Questions
1: when did you realize you were going to become a photographer?
I’ve been taking photos seriously since I was about 16, but the moment I realized I wanted to become a professional was about a month before I left my job. I thought: I’ve got an eye for photography. I love Africa. That’s it I’m going.
2: what was your first camera?
A Nikon f65 film SLR. Quite basic, but I liked the control and the way you could take real photographs with it.
3: what formal training do you have?
I want to the London school of art for four months where I did a crash course on the marketing side of photography. This was hugely helpful, not so much from the creative side of things, but from the business angleOver the past decade he’s lived there, worked as guide, managed a game reserve and got to know his way around the bush.
4: How important is it to specialize?
It’s important to me. I’ve always been interested in Africa. I’ve got a huge competitive advantage out there because I’ve spent so much time in the bush and know my way around.
5: what is the best assignment you’ve been on?
Gorillas in Rwanda. I think I enjoyed it so much because I’ve only done that once, and there was a novelty factors in that it was a very different kind of photography from what I’m used to.
6: what’s the worst thing about being a professional photographer?
I’m away seven months of the year and my friends are in London. So I’m always saying no to weddings and parties. But you tend to worry about where the next pay cheque is coming from.
7: film or digital? Why?
Digital. It’s cheaper. You save all that money on processing. I guess the equipment is more expensive, but you’ve got that ability to edit in the field.
8: which photographers have had the most influence on your work?
Once of the photographers I most admire is sebastiao salgado. His work isn’t wild or wacky or crazy, but it’s beautiful and simple. He’s done quite a lot in Africa and so that links in a bit. Peter beard shot exactly the same areas that I photograph now, and so I’ve always been interested in his work. Nick Brandt’s stuff is really cool too.
9: what does photography mean to you?
In 20 years time Africa will be a very different place-some of the people and wildlife will simply not be there in the same way. It’s important to try to capture this moment in a skilful and beautiful way.
10: what make a great outdoor photograph?
He’s done quite a lot in Africa and so that links in a bit. Peter beard shot exactly the same areas that I photograph now, and so I’ve always been interested in his work. Nick Brandt’s stuff is really cool too. Everyone knows what a wildebeest or a Maasai look like, and so what you’ve got to try to do is make the familiar look beautiful, perhaps with the light, or the dust or the way your subject is standing.
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