Q&A with Russell Pritchard

My name is Russell Pritchard, a Full-Time Photographer from Ireland.

I shoot Feature pics, Composites and a lot of sports, where you transmit picture live. I use an Apple Mac Air “11 inch running Photoshop CC, Photo Mechanic and Transmit (FTP Program).

Recently using Ipad Air and sending via an App my son has developed.

I have a serious Starbucks addiction and my waist proves that.

What genre of photography is your favorite?

I love getting my camera and lights into a different position, something that makes me think. Small amounts of light, so that it doesn’t look like you’ve used flash, love making sharp definitive light. Nothing better than watching the subjects reaction when they see the images. The thought process behind moving and adjusting the flashes, that’s what gives me the greatest satisfaction of all.

What professional software do you use? Could you make photos without software processing?

When i’m shooting sports “Live” it’s Photo Mechanic to transmit, so it has to be right in camera, cropped, captioned and sent, so yes i have to make images with minimal software all the time.

Next day could be a photoshoot where Photoshop is needed for the image, although i try to get as much inside the camera as is possible.

I have shot composites where there are multiple images used to create the effect the client is after, and i’ve shot all natural light with a cheap 500mm lens and got natural vignette that people seem to really like at the minute.

What camera and lenses do you use?

I’m a Nikon man, Nikon D4 and D800, the higher resolution is fantastic. 24-70, 70-200, 14-24, 500mm F4 and then my favourite lens 50mm f1.4.

I have recently shot some stuff with a ?200 lens, and the stuff looks great, i see all the guys running out to buy the best lens, they’d be better learning to “see” the picture and use the camera properly.

Do you remember your first camera?

My mother got me into photography, it was a Cosina C1 film camera and i loved it, we used to shoot Ilford HP5 film together, we even went to college together, she was in her 60’s when she took and passed a City&Guilds in photography, great memories of that.

I have an Olympus OM-1 and a lubitel film camera at the minute, i’m shooting film with my 11 year old son and we are developing it and printing ourselves. I think it’s so important that kids get a chance to see what film, negatives and chemicals smell and feel like. He’s loving it.

Where does your work inspiration come from?

I get inspiration from a lot of places,

• Don McCullen, war images are unbelievable
• Joe McNally Photojournalism, Commercial
• Eric Kim, street photography
• Ryan Brenizer, Wedding Lifestyle
• Glyn Dewis, Photoshop
• Chase Jarvis, Commercial.

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