- Photographer Charlie (front left) at the studio
Charlie Ross has been busy being eFlorist’s official photographer for next year’s range of designs for several weeks now. We took the opportunity to interview him about his work:
eF: When you’re not photographing flowers, what are you photographing?
Charlie: It's a pretty broad sweep; recently it's been marinas, skin creams, bread toasters (in the shape of Stonehenge) and fancy architecture. I'm lucky to have such a diverse client base.
eF: How long have you been working for eFlorist on these sort of shoots?
Charlie: I think we just passed our two year anniversary a couple of weeks ago and I forgot the flowers again!
eF: How could you Charlie?
eF: How do you keep motivated taking the ‘same thing’ i.e. flowers for five weeks?
Charlie: I could say something crass like I think of the money I'm earning.... but each arrangement that gets put in front of me needs a lot of concentration and attention. It would be great just to press a button and go onto the next but it's never that straight forward. One of the most important things is having continuity throughout the whole production, so where ever the images lay they must sit right with the set.
eF: Are florists 'Divas' to work with?
Charlie: No, most have their heads screwed on but there are always one or two exceptions ...
eF: Do you find being shut up in the studio for a long period like this daunting or just a matter of course?
Charlie: Half my time is spent in the studio and the rest on location. Right now it’s dark and cold so there’s no better place to be than inside the studio. Most of summer I spent shooting boats and yachts...it's a hard life!!!
eF: What do you expect from your eFlorist ‘assistant’ i.e. Joe? Or is his role completely separate from you?
Charlie: Our tasks are pretty different from each other we only clash with coding. Mind you the coffee has got better during the shoot!
eF: We bet it has! Joe we’re missing you at the office!
eF: Would you describe yourself as organised generally?
Charlie: I can be awfully fussy about certain things and a complete airhead with others. So I meet somewhere in the middle.
eF: What’s the most exciting shoot you’ve ever been involved in?
Charlie: Shooting in the channel tunnel extension. There were often power generator fires 1.5km into the tunnel and the breathing apparatus only last 7 minutes in an emergency!
eF: What are your favourite objects/people to shoot?
Charlie: I love being outdoors and with the sea near-by.
