I absolutely LOVE interviewing creative people to find out what inspires them and what's involved in what they do. I took the opportunity to find out more about Dimi and his world of photography...How old are you? I'm 21 years old.
Where do you live?Currently based between Gold Coast / Brisbane.
Did you formally study photography?I briefly studied photography however I dropped out after 2 terms as I started to pick up work!
What have you done (jobs/work experience) so far to this pointing your career?So far I have shot a few fashion stories along with some label lookbooks and a couple of advertising campaigns.
When did you first become interested in photography?I had an interest in photography from a very early age but didn't start to pursue it until late high school.
What was your first camera?My first camera was an old Soviet Union film Rangefinder which was originally my mothers.. still works till this day!
What camera do you use now?I currently use a Nikon D3x as my main body.
How you would describe your style of photography?I would say my style is commercial and very clean.. in a way I try to shoot everything as an advertising campaign.
You work in a number of different fields including fashion, lifestyle, food and beauty, do you have a favourite area?My favourite area would definitely be fashion.. all the prep work that goes behind the scenes to get just one shot which looks right is what really keeps me interested and motivated to pickup the camera more and more.
How hard has it been to build a career as a commercial photographer?It's very difficult, there is a lot of talented people out there with a great eye and competition is always very high. If you're passionate about it then the difficulty is all part of the fun of trying to stay ahead!
Which photographer’s work are you most inspired by?Steven Meisel, Ben Hassett, Nigel Parry, Hugh Stewart, Don Flood, Melissa Rodwell & David Mason are all photographers who heavily inspire me.
If you had to choose one lens which one would it be and why?85mm prime. Hardly ever leaves my camera and is just perfect for my eye.
How important is Photoshop in your final images?Post production is just as important as taking the actual image these days, photoshop plays a very important part in my work flow.
Can you explain the process of a professional shoot from taking the photos to the final product we get to see?It's a long process - Starting with negotiations, creative talks, scouting locations, casting talent, booking make-up artists and stylists to finally shooting the gig. After that is a lot of editing to get it just right and have the final image as perfect as possible for the client. I'm very lucky to have a great team I regularly work with who make it all possible!
What has been your most memorable photo shoot and why?The shoot which is a real highpoint to me is actually one I just shot a day before this interview. I had the pleasure of working with 9x World Champion - Nathan Corbett on a promo shoot for one of his sponsors. I have been a huge fan of his for many years and after watching him on t.v since I was in early high school it was an absolute trip to be working together.
What websites/blogs do you visit for inspiration?Ben Trovato Blog, A Photo Editor, TheOnes2Watch, Verve Photo and Melissa Rodwell's blog are my top recommendations.
Is there anybody or anything you would love to photograph?I would like to photograph Lara Stone, she has such a unique look and would make any story a stand out.
For the Mylookbook beauty shoot, can you tell us about your team and what they contributed to the shoot?For the shoot I really have to thank the team which contributed to have it all come together. Kathryn Edmonds (www.indigojoker.com) did a fantastic job on styling, Sally Rutten (www.sallyr.com.au) for her outstanding make-up and Melissa Davies from Viviens models for being an absolute delight to shoot. Kathryn, Sally and myself regularly work together - I couldn't thank them enough for what they bring to the table.
What would you like to be doing in 5 years from now?5 years from now I would like to be based out of New York city and regularly working with top international magazines.
You can see Dimi's photos in the spring issue of Mylookbook and visit Dimi's website here: http://www.dimi-k.com/