Untamed Magazine
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UNTAMED MAGAZINE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
David Haines
The Gaffer Behind The Lens
David Haines known to many as the Gaffer, Owner of Shuttershots, team leader at the Studio Albert and Victoria in Southport on the North West Coast of England. He is also the driving force behind a vibrant photography community alongside Jabwac (aka Brian) and the IceMan (aka ChrisRon).
I am now a studio-based photographer, organising studio days, club nights, and lighting workshops with Jabwac (aka Brian) and the IceMan (aka ChrisRon). We are always looking for new members, as our motto is, “ There are no strangers, just friends we have yet to meet.”
For me, the starting point of my photography is portraits, particularly the headshot; I am always searching for the connection with the subject.
We as a club are always ready to welcome models to work with and to aid them on their chosen path. I am lucky that I have Jabwac with his own formidable studio at the Tivoli Venue in Buckley (a former cinema), which gives us space to do the big productions like Miss Red Rides into The Tivoli Venue. A studio space complete with a full-size stage where we can accommodate, for example, a 5-member group with their instruments, including a full-size drum kit.
For Miss Red, it was one of The Libertine’s (aka Phil White) Harley-Davidson motorbikes, which was lit with 3 Red Heads, 2 Large Octobox Strobes, and 2 spots. This was a studio day with 8 other photographers taking part and having their time with Miss Red, together with ourselves on hand to help and advise as needed, and, as always, Chris to look after the financial side of the day.
"
There are no strangers,
just friends we have yet to meet.
"
Studio owner, club leader, mentor, and lifelong storyteller - David Haines, known to many as the Gaffer, shares his passion for photography, community, and the moments that shaped a journey now spanning more than five decades.
My adventure of owning my own studio is now 15 years old. It started in Crewe, moved to Wigan, and now finds its home within the Hotel Albert and Victoria.
I love location photography. We often head into the countryside of Wales, onto the streets of Manchester and Liverpool, and along the coastal areas around Southport and Formby. But the studio is where it all begins. Wednesday is club night. We have eight “togs” (photographers) and a model, with each evening covering everything from fashion through to artistic "nude" photography. No two nights are ever the same. One week it might be lighting, another might focus on portraiture or makeup. The aim is always to create a great social evening where everyone has the opportunity to learn, share ideas, and ask, “How do I do that?”
Great models often make the experience so enjoyable that we bring them back for a second night, giving another eight photographers the opportunity to work with them.
But it is about much more than photography. It is also about friendship and being part of a community. Many of our photographers join us because they are on the wrong side of 21, and photography gives them something to look forward to—an opportunity to get out, meet like-minded people, and enjoy an evening together.
For some, it has become particularly meaningful after the passing of a lifelong partner. The studio gives them a place to come, connect with others, keep busy, and perhaps find a little enjoyment and purpose again.
For me, that is what the studio is really about: photography brings us together, but friendship keeps us coming back.
We have 12 Interfit mains-powered strobes, eight Interfit battery strobes, video lights, and a plethora of softboxes and barn doors, together with a wide selection of paper and cloth backdrops. We also have a cellar full of props, so there is always something different to work with. As for camera systems, I’m an Olympus man — Jabwac uses Olympus, Canon and Leica, while The Libertine is a Nikon man. So, if you’re visiting one of our events, we’re more than happy to answer questions and share what we know. After all, the only stupid question is the one you don’t ask! We also welcome studio hire at a very competitive price. We’re happy to help you with lighting, offer advice, and introduce you to one of our house models. The aim is to give you everything you need to develop your photography, build your confidence and, ultimately, work towards having your images featured alongside ours in UnTamed.
I’d like to think that, in 10 years’ time, I’ll still be photographing. I’ll be 82 by then, so perhaps slowing down a little. I’ll have 55 years of being published in magazines behind me, but more importantly, I hope there will still be prints of my work hanging in homes, hotels and offices around the world.
I still remember walking along the beach in Torquay with my first Olympus, photographing my late wife at 22 years old; my first steam train speeding past trackside; my first Boeing 747 taking off while I stood on the airport apron; my first published sunset; and my first front-page image on a magazine, back in the days when that cheque really had a “wow” factor! I still believe it is about composing in the camera. All of these shots have been cropped to size in Photoshop, and for 99% of them, that’s all the editing they have received. I hope you enjoy them. I hope they inspire you a little, and that we get to see your images on these pages too — inspiring us in return.
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