ABOUT

 

Its fair to say that I have been obsessed with photography and image making since an early age. At around 13 or 14 I had two Saturday jobs on the go in order to keep myself supplied with film, cameras, paint, pencils, lenses etc. My photography training started with darkrooms and odorous chemicals. I'm now 37, the job situation has thankfully improved but the fixation is as strong as ever.

I love photographing weddings. For a long time now I've realised that I'm good at telling visual stories, essentially I'm a people watcher. Weddings are crammed full of narratives, jokes, emotion, beauty, drama and laughter. Each wedding is totally different, despite all the planning and organising, the event itself is quite unpredictable. My job is to capture this story from start to finish, the ceremony, the characters, the details, the tears, the quirkiness, the humour and the love. I don't run about with lots of big flash stands, reflectors or complicated photo props. I don't push people about or shout. I'm six foot five but I manage to blend in. I never look upon weddings as all being the same - I treat them as the unique, individual occasions that they are. Each wedding demands specific requirements and deserves to be documented as the one-off event it really is. There is always a story to be told, I will watch it unfold and endeavour to document every moment. It is all about the feelings...which are far more precious in a decade or two.

I grew up in a small village in Lancashire, studied Fine Art and Photography at University in the early/mid-nineties, gained a First Class hons Degree and I've never looked back since. I love my work. I feel quite privileged to do what I do. I now live in the North East of England with my beautiful wife and two utterly fantastic kids.

When not taking photographs, drawing, painting or editing images I like to go running (first marathon coming up in 2012!), visiting the coast, eating fish and chips whilst staring out to sea and playing with gadgets (not at the same time).

Useless trivia: I have a 'thing' for pens and pencils. I have size 13 feet. I've never read any Shakespeare. I can devour several apples in a day. Over the past 25 years or so I have amassed a pretty large music collection - vinyl, CD, MP3 - Abba to Zappa, Folk to Punk, Electro to Classical. I have a resting heart rate of 37 bpm. I've been called a 'font freak', I think I may have been a typographer in a former life. Anything below 70% content is not chocolate in my opinion. I can stare at maps for hours, they fascinate me. I will NEVER buy a SatNav. Chicken Jahlfrezi is the best dish in the world. I collect cameras, I've got dozens of them, like I say, I'm obsessed.

 

Personal work- If you're interested in seeing some of my own personal work then please check here rhysbaker.com/browse - a mix of digital, analogue and alternative photographic processes.

 

Naturally, no 'About' page would be complete without some mug shots:

^^ Hamsterley Forest - Polaroid film (taken by my wife)

^^ Taken by my 7 year old son with a plastic film camera - a Holga 135bc and black and white film

^^ Man at work! Photo courtesy of my good friend Kris White