Untamed Magazine
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TOM WOLSTENCROFT
PORTRAIT • BEAUTY • FASHION • EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHER
THE INTERVIEW
CAPTURING
REAL EMOTION
Tom Wolstencroft talks about the power of portraiture, the beauty of imperfection and what draws him to the human form.
My name is Tom Wolstencroft and I am a professional portrait, beauty, fashion, and editorial photographer from Manasquan, NJ. I developed my love of photography from my father who worked professionally in the 70’s and 80’s. I would travel with him to his photoshoots from the time I could walk until he sold his business.
It is from him that I learned one of the most important aspects of photography:
“What you are photographing is the relationship between the people on both sides of the lens”
Describe your creative process?
It can vary depending on who I am working with and who the images are for, but it always starts with a basic concept developed by myself and the subject. It may start with a mood board and grow from there. Other times it starts with an idea I have for lighting or a theme and we build from there.
Beaux is one of my favorite people to work with. She is someone I can call with an idea and we just shoot. The photos in this magazine are from a time where we started with a simple lighting idea and it ended up taking a much different direction than either of us anticipated! Sometimes that is where the best images are created, just trying ideas and seeing where it takes you!
I firmly believe that getting to know the people that you are photographing is the key to a partnership in creating captivating images that really show who the person is. As a naturally curious person, creating these relationships is one of my favorite aspects of photography.
Who or what has been the biggest influence on your style?
My first influence was my father, Bill. He always had a strong connection to subjects and it was evident in the photos he took. I have been lucky enough to begin a project scanning and cataloging all of his work and it is clear I lean heavily to his style. He mostly worked in black and white (Tri-X 400) which may be why I lean towards black and white for my work.
Other influences are Richard Avedon, Vincent Peters, Peter Lindbergh, David Bailey, and Peter Coulson; All of whom work with strong lighting and black and white images. Avedon and Bailey may be the most evident as influences in my work.
I have also learned a lot from working directly with Peter Coulson who is one of the best working photographers in my opinion and deserves more attention.
What gear do you swear by?
For gear in a shoot, I tend to lean heavily into medium format cameras. Right now I shoot with a Fuji GFX 100 ii with a few of their lenses, mostly the 110mm or the 32-36mm. For film, I have a Hasselblad 500C/M and a Pentax 6x7.
In my personal work, I do photograph my daughter, Kat, playing college soccer. For this I use my Canon R5 II and standard telephoto sport lenses. Photographing her has led to a number of my images being used for the college and even getting an opportunity to shoot for the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League).
A photo isn’t done, in my opinion, until it is printed. I print most of my work and have portfolios all over my office and studio with my work over the years. So a good photo printer is a must. Right now I have a Canon prograf 1100, but I am looking into larger format printers.
What is the most unexpected thing photography has taught you?
For me, it has taught me how to be a much better listener. When meeting someone, people tend to talk about themselves. Being genuinely curious about them and really listening helps put people at ease when you put up a big camera in between you and them! They can be more themselves and the photos end up looking far more natural. I have seen other photographers work in almost silence and it isn’t a way I can work. I love a natural running dialog and I end up hearing some great stories!
What do you want your photography legacy to be?
I want to create images that matter. This means that they are important and impactful to the people I take them for and they stand the test of time. That is the most important thing.
If the photos can impact others as well, that is even better.
The images I take for myself will be one of my legacies I leave for my daughter. If she can look at the images and they invoke something in her, that means everything to me.
Final Thoughts?
Photography is the act of bottling a moment in time into a two dimensional object. Great photographs are an act of creative collaboration and passion between people and one of the ultimate forms of expression that can have a lasting impact.
For me, it is a part of who I am. Even without a camera I am taking pictures in my mind of who and what I see. Some of my best work only exists in my head!
This is something I will do for the rest of my life and I can’t wait to see where it takes me and who it introduces me to!
"I'm always looking for moments that feel authentic and emotionally charged."
