Interview with Andy Barnham

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March 21, 2013 by Ville Raivio

“33 [this interview took place 2012], freelance photographer based in London, UK. I was sent to boarding school in England and then I read Chinese at Edinburgh University. Despite being half chinese I could neither read nor write nor speak chinese, and as I enjoyed languages at school, decided I should learn. Growing up in Hong Kong and the Far East, it was also my aim at the time to go and work in Asia. I’ve had a mixed reaction from my parents. My grandfather was a painter who was not particularly successful and my father was scared that I would follow in his foot steps and not do well. My mother is from a traditional chinese family and wanted me to have a more respectable job such as doctor, lawyer or banker.

Products from Pukimo Raivio

Kiton, grey sports jacket, size 50EU
Ralph Lauren, Black Label suit, size 52EU

I’ve always had an interest in photography but it was mainly in conflict photography. As fate would have it, I joined the British Army after university and had a small digital camera when I was in Iraq during summer ’03. When I returned I realised my photos were terrible and made an effort to get better. This culminated when I was in Helmand, Afghanistan, in summer ’08 where I found I could anticipate shots and angles while soldiering. In so far as classic clothing is concerned, a friend saw my photos when I left the army and I was introduced to a shoe maker who had a store off Savile Row. Street photos became blog photos which in turn led to magazine work and where I am now

After Iraq, I taught myself composition and reportage. Being in the army meant that I couldn’t justify carrying a dSLR, rather only compact cameras. In addition to this being away from power sources while soldiering meant I had to be very strict with the camera battery life, only turning it on when I knew I had a shot and then not draining any more power than necessary with reviewing the shots. After the army I did a quick full time 3 day course to learn the basics of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. I now trawl the internet and magazines for anything that can help my photography.

I love classic clothing, but I find it just not practical nor robust enough for me. Suits are timeless. Just look at photos of Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Jimmy Stuart… Formal jackets don’t have enough freedom of movement around the shoulders and tend to wear quickly due to the straps of my camera shoulder bags. Also, In order to get the shots I want, I often need to kneel or even lie on the floor. As a result, my own personal style is very informal and is workwear orientated. I love Ralph Lauren and find that my needs are well met between their various ranges. For my workwear needs there’s RRL, and I absolutely love the new Rugby range.

My photography has certainly changed my life. I started as a hobbyist taking photos in conflict zones with a compact camera. I am now using a camera earning a living taking photos of the incredibly rich and creative industry of fashion. I love rugby. I played for 20 years and stopped a because of persistent injury- I sustained the same shoulder injury five times in six games. I would like to play hockey, but due to the nature of my profession and being called at last minute to do work, can never guarantee that I can make training or even a match. As such there’s little point in trying to join a club as I just don’t know if or when I can participate on a regular basis.

1. Don’t be afraid to ask- a lot of people don’t know what they want. Tailors find that the first suit they sell a new client is the suit that they (the tailor) is wearing as the client has trouble imagining a full suit from just a roll of cloth and don’t actually know what they want.

2. Research- look at photos and concentrate on the details to decide what you like- pockets, buttons, lapels, collars. Research also tailors- each tailor is know for different things; Huntsman for their cheque, Anderson & Sheppard on a softer style, Spencer Hart and Thom Sweeney have a younger and edgier touch to them, Tim Everest has impeccable technical skills but also great little touches. Each is different and you need to find one who quite literally suits you. English tailoring has a lot of structure, Italian far less so.

3. You get what you pay for- if you’re happy with a RTW suit, fine, but it will nowhere near as good as bespoke. I suggest saving and having a small number of very good quality pieces that will last and you can treasure rather than a wardrobe of ill fitting clothes. Even if your budget only allows you RTW, see if you can get the piece tailored at the store as it will make a world of difference to how it fits you.

4. Once you’ve chose a tailor, listen to their advice- ask them about what tie, what shirt, what shoes, what colours etc. They are there to help! There is little point having a great suit, but then not making the most of it by wearing a tie/ shirt/ shoes that don’t compliment the look.

5. Looking after the clothes- many people don’t realise that dry cleaning hurts clothes due to the chemicals used. Any good tailor will have their own cleaning service, most of the time for free. It is in the interests of the tailor to keep the item you get from them looking good as you are a walking advertisement of their services. ”

http://www.andybarnham.com/

 

Interview_with_Andy_Barnham_at_Keikari_dot_com

Picture: © Andy Barnham

~ Originally published in Finnish on the 16th of March 2012


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Pukimo Raivio.

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