TOM ANDREW

A portrait that defines your personality.

What’s your relationship with photography?

I’d say it’s a relationship that’s ever evolving, as I make images using a lot of different cameras and a growing amount of imaging technology.

Your photos raise abstractionism, struggle and mystery unified to a sense of harmony. How do you create that?
I get great inspiration from sound design, paintings and found light situations. I use techniques that I feel represent them in photographic form, while enhancing elements of a scene that I find appealing. I spend a lot of time planning lighting design and have a versatile setup that’s quick to adapt to situations that present themselves, while taking a photograph. I’m really drawn to movement and quite often aim to capture the blur of motion in camera. I always think it’s the closest you can get to brushstrokes in photography and enjoy the lack of solid form and the progressive atmosphere it brings. I also capture an awareness of motion in still situations, with the use of flared light. This comes from a fascination I’ve always had with squinting at lights, to see the different flare your eyelashes can cause. With the use of these processes I aim to deliver an understanding of my personal vision.

Is fashion relevant for your job?
I look for a harmony with fashion to enhance a concept, rather than being driven by it.

If you were not a photographer, what would you like to be?
A theatre lighting designer… I take a lot of inspiration from lighting on stage, seeing lighting designed around music and performance.

Have you ever got a dark side mind?
No, although a lot of my work I push as dark as it can be, until the darker detail is just holding on, to create images that you have to spend time with to understand.

Your natural element.
Water .

Your strongest point.
Swimming.

What project are you working on?
I’ve got a few at the moment, a mixture of stills and moving image. Music videos and fashion editorials, along side a couple of personal projects. I’m testing out different technology to produce images as well, which I’m really enjoying.

What do you usually do in the evening?
Squint at street lights.

Instagram @tom_andrew_
Photos courtesy of the artist

Interview Federica Pesce