One of my most celebrated names in wedding photography, Bella West is known for her sensitive style which has the power to evoke emotions from her viewers. She is among the privileged few who have been honoured by the Master Photographers Association as well as the British Institute of Professional Photography. A true perfectionist, West is highly critical of her work and is always looking to outdo herself. We at Fotoflock caught up with the zealous photographer to explore her exciting journey from a sports photographer to an icon of wedding photography.

Having started as a sports photographer, what led you to take up wedding photography?
I reluctantly fell into it. I considered myself extremely lucky to be given an apprenticeship with a local sports photographer while I was studying at Bournemouth Art College. But I had aspirations to do journalism or fine art rather than sport and I certainly did not want to shoot weddings. This was in the late 80s when wedding photographers seemed to have a reputation for being bullish and their images were heavily contrived and conformist. So wedding photography was not where I wanted to be. But I now realise that if you can shoot a wedding with all its limitations, you can go anywhere and photograph anything in the most difficult of circumstances.

Having worked in sport for three years, I was asked by friends if I could shoot their weddings. I reluctantly agreed but it had to be on my terms, i.e. very much documentary with minimal control. The reason I stipulated this condition was because I had little knowledge of controlling people, let alone light. My skills were limited to panning a moving subject with little or no communication. So naturally I wanted to adopt this to any other genre that I worked in. I had no knowledge of classical lighting or posing and so I stayed within my comfort zone. I admit to actually enjoying shooting these weddings and my appetite was whetted. The problem however, was that there was no one shooting in this style in Dorset and to knock into that market was not going to be easy. I happened to hear of a photographer/photojournalist called Stephen Swain who was reported to be ahead of the game in this genre. I went to see him speak for Fuji and came away wholly inspired by his attitude that you really can do anything you want as long as you have or can create a market for it.

What will set you apart in this over saturated market place of mediocre photography is having pictures in your portfolio which shout your name.

What inspires the photographer in you?
I have developed such a great appreciation for the power of memories and emotions. A photograph can create euphoria or sadness. It is such a powerful medium. This has grown stronger as I have seen the digital medium strip the mystique from photography. So I am inspired by the knowledge that if given the time to create something that will stir emotions, not just now, but in forty years time, that to me is worthwhile and exciting.

Music and photographs create the same sense of nostalgia. Both take you back to a time in your life which has some meaning or special memory. I also find music hugely inspirational when I am thinking of a type of image that I want to create. When I was working towards my Fellowship in children’s portraiture, I ran a lot with my iPod. The final panel was quite melancholic, quiet and thought provoking. Much of the music I was listening to at that time was equally so. I pluck pictures from lyrics; it helps to create that initial building block of narrative.

How big an influence has Kevin Wilson been in your life?
The collaboration between me and Kevin as my mentor was pivotal. It came at a time when I was reeling from my new found vocation within photography. My way of working, of capturing moments on the hoof, was proving hugely popular. And although I had this complacent air of being successful through working in this manner, I also had a real love for the classics - Cecil Beaton, Irvin Penn. My knowledge base was so limited that I avoided attempting anything contrived for fear of failure. You have to remember, my grounding was shooting fast moving subjects in bright light, with as fast a shutter speed as possible. So now, when I make an image in what I call ‘kissing light’ (when the light just kisses the face}, it is the result of an education and total re-discipline to the way I approached photography which spanned eight years.

He gave me the knowledge to look and then re-look before shooting, to look at an image and say to myself, “Okay, we have the makings of something special here, how can I take this higher, to that next level?” It is one thing to have great light and subject and you may have a pleasing image. To introduce (or indeed remove) a factor within the composition at this stage, can give you that extra special portrait that will set you apart. It’s a building process.
A photographer can come up with creative thoughts and ideas. To have the ability to execute those ideas and to bring the whole thing together with all the factors such as strong composition, narrative, light, camera knowledge is not always easy. There is no doubt in my mind that, without his unrelenting offering to my work, I would not have been given the skills to follow what is in my head through to the final creation.

What about wedding photography appeals to you the most?
That it keeps me thinking. And I like canapés.

Can you name a quality that a wedding photographer can’t do without?
That would be patience and good manners.

Music and photographs create the same sense of nostalgia. Both take you back to a time in your life which has some meaning or special memory.

How important is it for a photographer to develop his/her own signature style?
It is fundamental. You can have the slickest website and great marketing skills but what will set you apart in this over saturated market place of mediocre photography is having pictures in your portfolio which shout your name. They should be recognizable as the work of a particular author. This in turn, will enable you to market yourself more effectively. Not everyone is going to like your style. So you know that when someone contacts you after seeing your work that they get where you are coming from and like what they see. Half the battle is won right there and then you can justify charging the fees that you do.

I also feel it is dangerous ground for photographers to try to emulate or indeed copy a style. It is like going out on a first date and pretending to be someone you aren’t or to put on a persona. If that relationship continues, your true self will soon be exposed. By all means, be inspired. Look, learn and then run with it and shoot from your own heart.

You are among the privileged few to have been honoured by the Master Photographers Association as well as the British Institute of Professional Photography. How have these accolades influenced your career?
I am often asked by photographers, why on earth I put myself through the process of qualifications and awards etc. My reason for being involved in these professional organisations is twofold. Firstly, I think it is imperative to have goals in order to improve your skills. These can be financial or creative. But having something to work towards has given me the opportunity to push myself harder than I could imagine, to be the best that I can be. As I said earlier, you need everything to be successful in the photography business today but above all, good image making skills are paramount. The kudos did not and should never be a factor in gaining higher qualifications; it is about striving to be the best you can, not necessarily different.

My second reason is to be involved in change and improvement within the industry and to be able to share my story, which I hope will be inspirational to those photographers who struggle with confidence (with the exception of men.....! can I get away with that?!). To help photographers with the basic skills- the roots, which in turn, will give them the confidence to spread their wings.

If not a photographer, what would you be?
A pathologist. How the human body works or doesn’t is fascinating.

What kind of locations do you normally choose for your photography shoots?
Very much determined by the light. It is all very well to have a stunning backdrop but if the light is flat then that doesn’t interest me. Of course, at a wedding, within reason we have to work with what we have. There is no option but to ‘use’ the elements to our advantage. I think I learnt a lot from doing very cheap weddings when I was starting out because many of the venues were dire! So, I had to pull something out of nothing at the local village hall.
Possibly one of the best educations a photographer can have.

With my portraits, I have some locations which I use regularly because I know what fits and how the light is going to be at a certain time of day. If I am looking for a new project, I will research in detail, visiting locations at different times of day, even different times of the year to ascertain the perfect light for what I want. For example, I often use flare in my images so early Autumn 3 or 4 pm in the afternoon suits this well. Midsummer I often take my clients out early morning 6-7am.

Women take centre stage in most of your work. Is this intentional or a coincidence?
I think it is coincidence! They don’t answer back.

How do you deal with criticism?
Photography is hugely subjective and if you go into it wanting everyone to love what you do, well, that is not going to happen. The most important thing is that you believe in what you are doing, and then you can target those that love your style. When I was working towards my Fellowship, Kevin (Wilson) was hugely critical. I would come back from a day’s shoot with what I thought were images that hit the mark, only to have them ripped up in front of me. Photographers are a passionate and sensitive breed and you can either hang up your camera or get out and do better. I chose the latter and I believe that because of the heavy criticism I got, it has made me far more critical of my work now. So I am very rarely satisfied with anything I do. I see flaws and that’s a great thing. Tell me I’m good all the time and I won’t go anywhere. Tell me my work stinks and I’ll rise to the challenge.

What does quality in a print mean to you?
A photograph, for me, is not complete until it is finished. A major part of a Fellowship submission is the printing and the final presentation. This ethos is often lost in the saturation of the digital medium (I spent a lot of time sourcing the most suitable paper to universally compliment my collection) and many photographers fall down in this area. I would prefer to see one, beautifully lit, sensitively handled portrait, finished on a good quality paper than ten mediocre shots on a screen. I only sell framed finished portraits from my gallery. How would you feel if you put all that work into a shot only to sell the file to your client who will take it to Snappy Snaps and put it in an Ikea frame? That image still has your name on it and that is not a good advert for you.

	Quick 8: Your Favourite Camera: Hassleblad H2 P25+ digital back. Your Favourite Printer: Paul Williams based in Poole, Dorset http://www.paulwilliamsdigital.co.uk/ I have used Paul for over ten years. When I was printing my fellowship panel, he was instrumental in helping me source the right papers for the job. He is utterly reliable and knowledgeable and has often gone beyond the call of duty for me. He has made the transition from traditional film lab to digital using Epson 4900, 7900 and 9900. The main reason for using Epson is there UltraChrome inks. They offer such excellent archival properties with a wide colour space, reliability and repeatably. There machine reliability has also been proven to us over many years and many machines. You have to have the best there is, to offer the best there is. Your Favourite Shoot: Without doubt, the ten days I spent in Rwanda April 2010, photographing children and survivors of the genocide. Being able to bring together my skills of shooting on location under some really difficult emotional circumstances was hugely humbling and it kindled a passion for this kind of realistic imagery. One thing that struck me was how I did not need to create a narrative other than within my own composition - all the portraits naturally told their own story without any interference on my part. I am currently putting a book of the images together. Your Preferred Location: There is no one location. It depends on the image I am looking for. Favourite Photographer: I don’t have one particular - I love Sally Mann for her balls, I love Irvin Penn for his simplicity and elegance. There are many brilliant photographers whose work moves me, that include some of the people I am mentoring in the UK. Most memorable story: Rwanda. I hope my images within the book will explain some of the story. Current photographers you like: Steve McCurry - I feel some photojournalists use the freedom within their genre as an excuse for sloppy quality. I see purism in his work which I love. Toughest day at work: Nuerebuye Church, Rwanda. Thousands of Tutsi men, women and children were slaughtered in the church. I remember the long drive through rural Eastern Rwanda when my guide explained to me what had happened; the enormity of the genocide in Rwanda is unprecedented. When we arrived, there were three widows for me to photograph. They led me into the church and the reality of it all is still very much present in that building, it was cold and eerie. The sadness in those women’s eyes will stay with me. I shamefully cried behind my camera and then went back to my wonderful world.

Photos by Bella West | Fotosocial

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