PORTRAITS WITH PURPOSE

Editor Peter Fenech joins photographer Phil Barker to explore what it takes to capture editorial portraits for a magazine brief

- Peter Fenech

One of the biggest differentiating factors between amateur photography and professional imaging is the concept of shooting for someone else. As enthusiasts, the images we take are purely for ourselves and perhaps our friends and family. When shooting at the pro level, regardless of type and function, we are capturing images with a purpose. In no other area of photography is this more of a consideration than editorial imagery. By definition, the purpose of editorial content is to further a story, complement a theme or to help convey an idea. There are several types of content which are often seen together in the editorial arena: text, graphic design elements and, arguably most critical in the visual world in which we live, photography.

The genre is rather broad, since photographers working in this area may find themselves shooting for newspapers, magazines, blogs brochures and websites, each with their own unique set of challenges. However there are characteristics which all of these publications have in common when it comes to expectations of the photography: a clear message.

Few photographers are more experienced in creating images for editorial use than Phil Barker. Having worked with many of the biggest brands in magazine publishing, Phil knows exactly how to craft a story from a brief to complement a wider piece of editorial content.

Today I’m joining Phil on a type of shoot which is very familiar to him. It is to be a portrait shoot for a music magazine, destined for an interview piece with Stan Bull of the band Village Fate (soundcloud.com/ village-fate).