On Set with Ryan Muirhead

Posted June 29th, 2009 / By Stacy Christian in Fashion, Inspiration

I have been working in the camera department of motion pictures since I was 18.  I didn’t start shooting stills seriously until about 2006, but I loved it immediately and have been pursuing it ever since.

I always try to create a relaxed environment.  I like to joke around on set a lot. Sometimes I end up ruining my own shots by making the model laugh but it’s important to me that everyone has fun.  I also like to make the most of everyone’s talents.  If I am working with someone whose artistic ability I respect I try to stay open to their interpretation of the concept and take the best parts into the final image.

I currently shoot almost exclusively with a Canon 5d Mark II and L series lenses.  I prefer to shoot with primes whenever possible.  I love choosing a lens and then making the shot, as opposed to fiddling with the zoom while trying to think about the concept.  Zooms are such a double-edged sword to me.  They are obviously inherently convenient but they end up being a distraction.  If I can fiddle with the frame I do, endlessly.  In the past I have shot with various Canon SLRs both film and digital as well as a Hasselblad 501cm.

I work with as many as three assistants and a full team of hair, makeup and wardrobe people. I think the most important thing is to have the appropriate number of people.  Having too many people around is a distraction, and not having enough help can keep you from getting a shot. I generally shoot about 200 images per 4 or 5 I am going to use.  This generally comes from being open to interpretation of the concept and trying a few different things other than the shot I have in my mind.  Some of my favorite shots have come from setting up the shot I wanted and then walking around it to see what else was there.

My inspiration often comes from song lyrics.  I love the somewhat vague yet powerful emotions that incredible lyrics can both contain and produce.   My favorites to draw from are AFI and The Smashing Pumpkins.  Other times I get inspired from finding a particular piece of clothing or a certain prop.  I try to keep my eyes open for additions to shoots anywhere I go. Richard Avedon’s In the American West inspires me constantly.  Not so much in subject matter but in concept.  I feel something from looking at almost all of his images.  The simplicity and effectiveness is just amazing.  I also love the work of Sally Mann and James Nachtwey.

My biggest challenges I face are accepting that I have all the tools I need to do almost anything I need to.  I love reading about new gear and thinking how I could use it instead of buckling down and getting the most out of what I already have.  I think this problem applies to a huge amount of photographers both amateur and professional.

For those of you who are beginners, two really important things are having something to say and then mastering the technical aspects of photography so that they don’t get it the way of the art.  I totally believe in experimentation and chance occurrences but I think it’s ridiculous to use them as a substitution for knowing the fundamentals.

Ryan Muirhead Photography