November 24, 2015
PHOTOGRAPHER BRETT STEVENS
Brett Stevens is currently travelling around Australia photographing a range of locations for travel and food magazines, including Conde Nast Traveller. This follows 10 months of shooting a book, Organum, with renowned chef Peter Gilmore in a variety of studios, locations and restaurants. It’s a mix that has sustained him for a career that has spanned 25 years. During this time he has contributed to more than 45 food and lifestyle books and worked for a range of magazines and advertising clients. He got his start after studying fine arts and photography at UTS, and assisting big studio photographers in Toronto, New York and Chicago. While Brett is based in Sydney, next up is a trip to Dubai for a couple of clients based in the UAE.
Which five words best describe you? Driven, perfectionist, creative, innovative, persistent.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I commenced as a newspaper photographer where I learnt to work quickly and efficiently. This methodology has subsequently transpired into advertising and editorial photography domains.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Always be humble as there is always someone else you can learn from.
What’s your proudest career achievement? I was very surprised a little while back when I had seven magazine and book book covers on the news stand at one time - that was a pretty cool achievement.
What’s been your best decision? To stay true to my beliefs regarding career paths and client selection.
Who inspires you? Anyone who is willing to push the creative process beyond what is considered the norm, and, whose thought ideals are one of achieving the best end result.
What are you passionate about? Walking the path less travelled and always aspiring to be in the moment. Currently living by the life motto: this is it.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I’ve always thought that Bono would be a great conversationalist, but I am heading towards a little more visual stimulus at the moment and would say Gregory Crewdson.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Building a lifetime of work is great but I do wish I could find more time to work on personal projects that would be exhibited - watch this space.
What are you reading? Not so much reading but always referring to Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky’s series of books - his latest on Water and Dennis Hopper's Photographs 1961-1967.
images courtesy of brett stevens; styling matt page and glen proebstel (image 2)
