JAMIE McCARTHY
Image: Rosario Dawson & Jamie McCarth, MTV.com
1. Who or what influenced you to become a photographer?
My uncle Patrick McMullan was a big influence on my career. He had established himself in the days of Studio 54 when Andy Warhol had given him his first camera. In 1995 I started to intern for Patrick - and thus my career began.
2. What types of photography do you specialize in? (IE fashion, portrait, celebrity)
I specialize in celebrity, fashion, concert and portrait, whatever the needs of my clients are.
3. Where did you study photography and when did your career start?
Actually, I have never studies photography, but I was always the guy who was taking pictures when I was together with my friends. When I started working for Patrick, he basically handed me a camera and I went out and started taking pictures. Everything I know I learned on the job.
4. Do you prefer using digital or film?
I started off using film, but then the demands of the fast turnover for the internet and magazines forced many of us to switch to digital. The problem with digital is that anyone with a digital camera thinks they are a photographer now.
5. Does the price of a camera matter in ways that it affects the quality of the picture?
Well, obviously if you have the best state of the art equipment, you can get a great photo but a great photographer can take a great photo with any camera.
6. Do you have a special style in your photographs that can single you out like for example strokes in a painting?
I think that my style comes from my personality. I try to use my good personality traits to make people feel comfortable, so that I can get the most sincere, happy, smiling photo of a celebrity.
Image:Gwenyth Paltrow, People.com
7. Do you think that society would be different if photography had not been invented?
I think society enjoys seeing pictures of their favorite celebrities. What we do is in a way a photo documentary of the entertainment industry of our generation.
8. What did you do to gain so much knowledge in this area and do you have any tips for an aspiring photographer?
I learned everything I know by just going out and trying my best. The things I know cannot be taught, but only learned on the job.
9. Do you have a favorite photograph or photographer?
Two photographers besides my uncle Patrick are David LaChapel and Mick Rock. I always liked David LaChapel because of his crazy artistic style and I always liked Mick Rock because growing up I had posters in my room of all his rock band photos like the ones he did of Motley Crue.
10. What makes a good photographer in your opinion?
What makes a good photographer is having an eye to capture a moment and making the person feel comfortable in being the subject of that photo.
11. What do you enjoy most about photography and what motivates you?
What I enjoy the most about my job is traveling to new destinations and meeting new and interesting people. What motivates me is doing the best job that I possibly can for my clients and also to satisfy my own high standards.
12. What is your next big project that you look forward to working on?
I never know what the next big project I'm going to work on is, but I'm ready to tackle anything that comes my way.
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