IAN GAVAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Ian Gavan
London · Photographer
Ian Gavan is a London-based photographer mostly commissioned by clients across fashion and dance. His influences span six decades of photography, from Jill Furmanovsky's music work to Garry Winogrand's streets, from Saul Leiter's colour to Gregory Crewdson's tableaux. He has also spent years accumulating professional wisdom that he is ready to pass on. The most important thing in your kit bag is not what you think it is.
As a college student Ian would spend hours in the library working through photography books. He found a book on music photography and was blown away by Jill Furmanovsky's work. Many years later he was introduced to her and they became friends. "Which is awesome," as he puts it. This is how most of the good things in a photographic career happen: something you saw early stays with you, and years later it comes back in a form you couldn't have predicted.
Ian Gavan As a college kid I'd be in the library checking out all the photography books. I remember finding a book on music photography and being blown away by the work of Jill Furmanovsky. Many years later I got to be introduced to her and now we're friends, which is awesome. At university I got into Ralph Gibson and Garry Winogrand in a big way, plus Robert Frank, Bresson, and Saul Leiter for both his colour street and fashion work. I am also fascinated by the work of Andy Summers.
Ian Gavan I like to randomise things and shoot outside my usual comfort zone, or team up with other creative people. It's also great to experiment with blending daring lighting techniques with other risky photographic strategies to find new ways of expressing ideas.
Ian Gavan I've been working on a lot more creative collaborations with people I've worked with before. Some of these works have turned out to be quite important as they have helped me land some of the bigger commissions I did in 2020. I am really enjoying working on more creative projects as I have a little more time in my diary.
Ian Gavan Imagine lockdown without books, films, music, dramas, and all other forms of art. I hope the general public have a new-found appreciation for all the art that has nourished their soul and kept them sane. Art and artists are so important. Without them there wouldn't be much optimism or inspiration in the world. Let's hope that the world emerges from the pandemic desperately hungry for new live music, new shows, unseen dance productions, exciting cinema, new gallery exhibitions, and that all the starving artists can begin to earn a decent standard of living.
"The most important thing in your kit bag is your attitude."
- Research the subjects and find common ground so you can ingratiate yourself with them.
- Shoot it, even if you hate it.
- Shoot weddings. The bride is only getting out of the car once. Good skill to have. Any practice is worth it.
- Quietly underpromise and then overdeliver.
- Work as an assistant to photographers. Be there an hour early. Be gregarious.
- Be nice to security and catering.
- Delete all apps on your phone that you waste time on. Practice all that time on your craft.
- Wear two t-shirts. You'll never be cold and if you spill some food you can change it over.
- Increase the number of good shots. Look behind you.
- Situational awareness. Don't get in other people's way.
- Examine your motives. Don't just do it for the credit of being at the event or for socials.
- If you're a shrinking violet, become confident but not egotistical.
- Backup everything more than once.
- Shoot personal projects. Contact people and do a project with them.
- You cannot wait for the universe to throw you a bone. Go and get it.
- Study the painters of classic paintings: lighting, poses, techniques.
- The most important thing in your kit bag is your attitude.
- Spend time in museums and galleries looking at art works.
- Painters learnt how to capture light. It's a bit slower than photography.
- Shoot on manual and try to guess the exposure before you shoot it. Then see how you got on.
- Watch Soy Cuba (I Am Cuba, 1964) for lighting techniques.
- Study Winogrand, all street photographers, and Yousuf Karsh's Churchill portrait.
