Kevin Poolman Interview Update

I have just received Kevin's answers to my question. He was really prompt, helpful and friendly with the interview process. I would have loved to have interviewed him in person but unfortunately he was a bit too far away. Anyway here are his answers.


1. How would you say you fit into the market place?

I guess it's evolved from my days as a staff newspaper photographer. Then I was obviously only doing newspaper photography but since going freelance, I still do some newspaper shifts but now newspaper freelance budgets have dried up because of the recession, I'm doing more PR and corporate work.

2. How would you describe your personal journey in photography?

For vague details of my career, see Q4. But otherwise, the type of photography I've always done has thrown up lots of interesting and surprising assignments, and there have been lots of money-can't-buy experiences including spending a day with the SAS on exercise, attending a function in Charles & Diana's living room in Kensington Palace, and spending a week with the under-16 England rugby team in Rome! I've also spent so much time photographing various members of the Royal Family that the Royal protection officers recognise me! That said, there have been countless mundane jobs including school fetes and hundreds of school Nativities. But there have been plenty of shocking jobs such as the Potters Bar rail crash and numerous car smashes. So all in all, my personal journey in photography has been very colourful!!

3. What are some of the concepts behind your work?

To be honest, with my type of photography, concepts are more determined by my clients. Usually a photographer is the last piece of the puzzle, as they've arranged everything else for an event and then you just have to realise their concept, rather then your own. That said, my experience allows me to make suggestions on the day and get shots that they wouldn't necessarily have thought of.

4. How did you get into photography?

It was always a hobby from my dad, a keen amateur. After leaving school at 16, I did a BTEC National Diploma in photography at Brunel Technical College, then the NCTJ's (National Council for the Training of Journalists) press photography course at Sheffield College, the only course of its kind in the country. After spending a year at the Chester Chronicle, I was appointed chief photographer at The Reading Chronicle, where I stayed for nearly 10 years before going freelance three years ago.

5. Has anyone inspired you to produce any certain pieces of work?

No-one has inspired me to do one particular piece of work, but if there's another photographer who inspires me, it would be Joe McNally (www.joemcnally.com), a freelance photographer based in New York, who's done work for National Geographic, Time Magazine, etc. Technically, he's very good and they always say that "photography is painting with light". I feel he's very good at doing just that.

6. Lastly. Do you enjoy what you do?

Yeah. Every day is different, and you do get to meet some very interesting people along the way. Going freelance a few years ago re-kindled my passion for photography as I enjoy working for lots of different people and not the same company every day.