Through the Lens II

Thursday 28 May 2015





Titus Powell

Year of Birth: 1975


Where are you living?

London, England.


What kind of creative work are you most interested in making?

Fashion photography.










What elements of your life inspired you to pursue your creativity?


I took photography up as a hobby in 2002 and never dreamed it could become my job. I just loved doing it. I quickly found I liked working with people the most so I just did photo shoots with anyone who would let me, two or three times a week in my spare time. I got better at it because I did it so much and after just five years I was able to switch to doing freelance photo shoots as my full time job.




Do you have an artistic intention, focus, or message that you try to convey?


Primarily my photos are for the people in them, so my focus is to make them look good. Everyone is much more self critical than they are of others and arrives for a shoot very nervous, so I have to make them quickly feel relaxed and comfortable so their expressions in the photos look good. A comfortable, confident expression is the most important element of a photo, more than pose or lighting or anything else. So, much of my job is trying to bring that out of them. If I’m working with an experienced model who is already good at expressions then I focus more on getting a really good combination of lighting and body shape or an evocative mood.








This photo of Kia was a recent one that is very typical of my style and one of my favourites. I like it mostly because of her expression. You can’t see any clothes in the shot but she’s not trying to look sexy; it’s a really unguarded expression, which is what I’m drawn to in photos. It feels genuine, not like someone posing and trying to look good. That’s not easy to do as a model!




How do you meet and collaborate with like-minded people?


I have two make-up artists I regularly work with, and also a digital retoucher. Other than that the people I work with are my clients. I do a shoot almost every day and love what I do – I get to meet really interesting people from all works of life. The best shots are a collaborative effort.




How do you think the Internet and social media can benefit creatives like you?


The internet is immensely useful. I’d have no work without Google and Facebook for people to find me. But quite aside from that, it’s a platform to show your work and there’s a wealth of other people’s photography to learn from and be inspired by.




Do you think the Internet has improved your ability to connect with other artists?


Absolutely. With the advent of the internet and, simultaneously, digital photography, there’s been an explosion of interest in it. People are trying modelling and doing photo shoots who would never have thought to do so in the past and almost everyone is a photographer to some extent. Phones are more capable now than the expensive 3 megapixel digital camera I started with in 2002! And portfolio sites have sprung up so aspiring models, photographers, make-up artists and other creatives can share their work and collaborate with each other to create more. It’s a wonderful time to be creative!



Thoughts on social media and anonymity?


Social media is all so new, nobody really knows the repercussions of it. I think in general tools like Facebook and Instagram are great and do much more good than harm, but people do need to be a little bit careful. You need to assume that anything you put on social media is public, regardless of your privacy settings. So just bear in mind that potential future employers and not just your friends will see those drunken night out photos, bikini holiday snaps and whatever other personal details you post about.



Website? Social Media?

www.TitusPowell.com/Portfolio is my personal favourites of all my work.
www.TitusPowell.com is the main site for people looking to book a shoot with me.

www.facebook.com/titus.powell is my Facebook page.



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