Beginning a Photography Career!

Beginning a photography career is never easy, or in that case, well, it’s never easy to begin any career. Alan Bell, the owner of Pixel Roses UAE, started his photography career recently after he moved to Dubai and shares some insights on the same.

How long have you been clicking pictures? Did you have professional training?

Over the years I have used the occasional small compact camera whilst on holiday with family. I’d take a few “snaps” that never saw the light of day and would generally just take up disk space on my PC. If anything, my mobile phone would get more use, but even then, it wasn’t in any serious way. I didn’t get my first DSLR camera until July 2018. It was a used Nikon D750, and it’s the camera I’m still using today. I have attended two photoshoot days with a professional photographer in the UK and had a handful of half-day sessions with other photographers in Dubai.

What inspired you to be a photographer?

I’d purchased a compact camera to replace one that wasn’t quite as waterproof as I’d thought during an adventure holiday and wanted to try it out. Mandy was kind enough to model for me. However, when she saw the results, she politely suggested that I needed some lessons! I took it on the chin, and decided (albeit reluctantly) that maybe she was right... After a bit of research, I plucked up the courage to suggest to her that I’d have a lesson with a professional photographer if she was willing to be the model. She reluctantly agreed, and a year later (June 2018) we found ourselves in the UK for the photoshoot. Although it was just one day, and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, the whole experience really inspired me. Mandy looked fantastic, I learnt some basics about photography, studio lighting, posing and so on. The resulting images were amazing, and I was hooked. When we got back to Dubai, I bought the Nikon D750 and did the first photoshoot with a friend in August last year.

Since when have you been in Dubai?

I moved out to Dubai September 2016, so just over three years.

When someone talks about a perfect picture, what comes to your mind?

As someone new to photography I find that a difficult question to answer. My experience so far is that photography is very subjective and personal. For example, an image or subject that I like might not be to someone else’s taste, and vice versa. Assuming a picture is technically correct, then it needs to draw upon one’s emotions or fit a mood.  Does it tell a story? It may well do, but again that might be personal to the model (or subject) in the image and open to interpretation. And then we get to the topic of photo re-touching, which is a whole debate in and of itself. Personally, I love the fact that there are tools that can help you edit and manipulate/correct/improve an image, and I love using them creatively and creating wall art. In an ideal world we’d all be taking perfect pictures that didn’t need any re-touching!

Which celebrity do you dream of capturing with your lens?

There are many that spring to mind. However, to pick just one, I would love to do a portrait of Sir David Attenborough. There aren’t many that have done more to show us the sanctity of all life on this planet that we call home, and he’s been inspirational over many years right, from the first airing of Life on Earth on the BBC. Maybe I should have a go at wildlife photography!

What would you say to the fellow photographer’s trying to begin a career in photography?

First, whatever your opinion as to whether you have the perfect picture or not, ultimately what the client (if you are shooting for a client) thinks is all that matters.

Second, practice, practice, practice. If you haven’t got a paid shoot lined up (and you’re not editing for a client) then you should be practicing (editing and shooting both).

Third, if you’re not shooting, and you’re not practicing, then you should be studying. Your knowledge, skills and experience are what will set you apart from the average Joe with a camera phone.

Thank you, Alan, for the wonderful insights on your business and career as a photographer. For all our reader, Alan can be reached via his website www.pixelroses.com and can be found on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pixelroses.uae