Alex Walton describes his experiences as a newspaper photographer.
The start of my dream career! I’ve been waiting for this day to arrive for the past six years. With the memory of the weekend leaving do still buzzing in my head I make my way to my very first photo shoot as a professional photographer (still can’t get my head around that! You sure that’s me?!).
Ordinarily I would be shadowing another photographer for the first week or two but as one is on holiday I’m on my own, Agghh!
I pull up outside the flats, should be simple enough as it’s just a new born baby shot, how hard can it be?! My heart is in my throat right now as I climb the concrete steps to the first floor. My brain is taunting me with the constant remarks like “You’re going to mess it up! The first and last picture you’ll ever take with the paper!” The couple’s Alsatian barks at me as I approach the front door, and reach for the bell. Then it dawned on me, this is for real! No more dreaming about being a pro or wondering what I’m going to do with my life, I’m there! My future as a photographer lies behind that door. My finger presses the bell of destiny and the lady appears from behind the door calming the dog as she draws near to me. “Baby? Nah, you want next door love!” she informs me. Well, I am still learning you know!
Despite the mental jibes I manage to get a half decent picture and silently snigger at that voice in my head which doubted me (did I just refer to myself in the third person then?!).
My first day goes well and the team are very welcoming and friendly. There is so much to learn and practice, it all seems pretty overwhelming. One day at a time I guess!
My interest in the media world stems from an unforgettable education at the King’s School Sixth Form in Ottery St. Mary. Mr Chacksfield, my then Media Studies A’level teacher, has to be the most influential and captivating character I have ever come across and I owe much thanks to his brilliant teaching and infectious enthusiasm.
I have never forgotten those trips that our class took to the cinema to study the various giants of the movie directing world. What captured my attention was the technical aspects in the filming, i.e. how did they get that angle? What lighting did they use there? Why did they use that composition instead of this? But most of all the hidden meanings the directors inject in to their films before our very eyes without our awareness. I could go on and on about this fascinating subject but I think I should talk about photography as that is where my interest has naturally progressed.
For me photography did not begin until after sixth form in the autumn of 2001. Ironically my passion for such an exciting career has its routes in the most distressing time of my life when my father passed away due to cancer. Dad left me his Pentax SLR camera, along with a plethora of strange looking objects used for imagery which I am now much more familiar with! I had never held a monster of a camera such as this before let alone knew how to work it. But I was determined to have a go so I read up on the subject, starting with the manual, always a good place to begin!
Six years later, after many courses and practical experience, I am now here, working for Archant Publishing as a photographer. I know I would have done my father proud, even though he really wanted me to go to university, I can’t help thinking that he left me that Pentax with a grander scheme in mind. However, I still haven’t got a decent photo from that camera since the shutter never worked properly!