Interview with Steve Oatway Photography

Will you start by telling us where you work and live and the type of photography you do?

I am the owner of Steve Oatway Photography Ltd, based in Epworth, North Lincolnshire. I am primarily a location based Lifestyle and Wedding photographer, although we do a little advertising and commercial photography too. We are lucky to have some amazing locations close to hand so can often be found out and about working with clients across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. We are located in a pretty rural part of the Country so we are blessed with having fabulous locations to shoot in right on the doorstep, from local farms through to stately homes and even Sherwood Forest, just a short drive away.

What inspires you as a photographer?

My inspiration is the people I am photographing, I've never been a landscape or architectural photographer – I love to photograph people and create images that make the audience really 'get' the sitter. All my favourite work has people in it. I recently visited Berlin and saw the Helmut Newton institute, his work will undoubtably have an influence on some of my personal studio work coming up. As a portrait photographer then Rankin and Richard Avedon have produced work I love.

How long have been a photographer?

I started as an assistant to a local professional photographer back in the 1970's. However I have had a number of 'proper' jobs but came back to photography full time about 5 years ago

When you’re not photographing, where can we find you?

At home with the family – although they will tell you I'm rarely not photographing !! - If I'm not actually working on images then I'm working on ideas for shoots or scouting locations or networking with local businesses to see how we can work together – I'm quite a driven person.

Any books that inspired you {or helped you} in your business?

I have to thank Annabel Williams for opening my eyes to Lifestyle Photography, before I picked up one of her books I was a typical studio bound photographer but seeing her work really changed my whole approach and has resulted in the successes I've had recently.

Best marketing idea?

Opening my own gallery, people take you more seriously if they see you have a physical presence – and it allows me to showcase my work in a setting I can control

Worst marketing idea?

Doing work for free so that I would get 'credit' for it

Do you have a studio and if not do you feel having a studio would help your business grow?

I do have a studio, it is only normally used for personal projects or very specific subjects (passport photographs for example). We are starting to develop the studio a little more now in response to demand from clients for fashion portfolio's etc. and it gives us more latitude to shoot when the weather is bad, but we prefer to work out on location

What do you think makes a photographer successful?

It depends on what you mean by successful – if you mean creating beautiful images and winning awards then that requires good technical ability, an eye for detail and the ability to see beyond the obvious – if you mean successful in business then that requires hard work, determination and the ability to produce the work that your particular client pool wants to buy – someone once told me that to succeed it's better to be a businessman that knows a bit about photography rather than a photographer that knows a bit about business.

What’s your weakness in this business?

Setting realistic prices and sticking to them

Are you a Nikon or Canon?

Canon

and Lens?

All Canon, mostly 'L' and mostly Primes

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?

I don't have any ambition to be anything else, I guess I'd be miserable !!

Can you give the readers your best piece of advice for starting or running a photography business.

Don't expect clients to beat a path to your door, and whatever price you charge there will be somebody locally doing it for less, so be prepared to work really hard to attract potential customers and make sure you can articulate the value of your work

Tell us your proudest moment of your career?

Every piece of work that leaves the gallery makes me proud – but a client recently told me that they would be customers for life, that absolutely made my day !!

Here is where you can find Steve Oatway Photography
twitter.com/seoatway
Facebook www.facebook.com/steveoatwayphotography
Website www.steveoatwayphotography.co.uk
Blog www.steveoatwayphotography.co.uk/blog