Photographer Lilly M Perrott – interview
Sydney-based photographer Lilly M Perrott (pictured, above) shines a light on the importance of photography in her life, on her inspirations and on the images she finds especially powerful:
Why is photography important to you?
I’m a sentimental person and have always been a little obsessed with documenting my life and experiences. So photography is my gateway tool which allows me to capture everything exactly how I want to see and remember it.
From where do you take inspiration?
I’m also an illustrator, so a lot of my inspiration comes from fine arts, history and nature. However in saying that almost anything can inspire me.
Do you have any tips for up-n-coming photographers on how to give their images meaning, how to get their pictures to tell a story?
I don’t necessarily think all photographs have to have meaning, but I do agree a picture can become more powerful once you discover the story behind it. For people who are just starting out… shoot EVERYTHING, you never know what could evolve from a subject once you hold your lens up to it!
In amongst your busy schedule, do you still have time to shoot personal projects as a hobby?
Absolutely! I will always make time for my own personal projects, so much that I’ll decline jobs if they eat away too much at my own private work. I feel it’s important to keep experimenting and it’s mainly through my personal projects that I can achieve new things and evolve as a photographer.
Are there any social messages that you try to get across in your work?
Not always ‘social’. Right now I’m currently working on a series of female semi-nudes which focus on portraying the beauty of the female form across different cultures. I love working and reading up on those sorts of things!
In the same way that musicians, authors etc, write about their own personal issues, do you ever use photography as a way of dealing with/making sense of the world around you?
I personally don’t, but it’s always inspiring when photographers do and manage to communicate their feelings and point of view through images.
If you could photograph anyone in the world, who would you choose and why?
That is so hard to say! If it was anyone, anywhere and for however long, I’d love to follow Jack White around on one of his tours and really immerse myself in his world. I think he’d be a pretty interesting man to capture both on and off stage.
Tell us about an image taken by another photographer that you find especially powerful…
Annie Leibovitz’s photo of Yoko Ono and John Lennon on the floor of their Upper West Side apartment in New York where John is nude and curled up giving Yoko a kiss. The photo is so powerful because that was only a few hours before he was shot outside on the street, so not only was it his last official photo, but its also seen as the lover’s kiss goodbye. I cried when I found that out.
Do you use a Canon camera? Why?
Yes! Canon has been my go to camera since the get go. I used the Canon 5D MK III and It is flawless in quality, super reliable and the lenses never fail to help capture beautiful images.
What else do you always have in your camera bag?
Currently, other than my DSLR, I keep a Canon 85mm lens, a Canon 24-72mm lens, a Lensbaby tilt shift lens, three different reflectors, a Rotolight and a Canon 480 speedlite.
When you look through your portfolio, which shots make you especially proud?
I started taking photos of my best friend when we were only fifteen and we’ve worked as a duo on and off over the last seven years, so when I look at our first photos and compare them to our most recent work I get a happy fuzzy glow!
To keep up to date with the photography of Lilly M Perrott, you can follow her on Facebook and also check out her website.
If you want to shine a light on what matters to you, head over to the Canon Shine page and check out the competition, because no one sees it like you.
