Interview with Top Beauty Photographer Gavin O’neill
I would like to introduce you to an amazing Beauty photographer named Gavin O’neill. He works mainly out of London, but travels constantly around Europe and also to the USA, Africa and Asia. Just say “Gavin” and everyone knows who you are talking about. If they don’t know him, they need to step up to the plate. He is well known for his beauty, swimwear and nude work, having appeared in Vogue, Marie Claire, Vanity Fair, and Cosmo regularly, which is the reason we are talking to him today…
Well let’s get started…
B+V: Some of us would love to know, how you got started working in photography? When you first started, was it for the love of it, or because you figured you could make some money from doing it?
GO: Firstly, thanks for inviting me to say a few words. I got started in my early 20s, and just started shooting as a hobby, but within a few years I had a pretty strong desire to make it my life and my livelihood. All I did after that was turn my attention to shooting models, and the rest just happened. It’s never been about the money, (especially in the first few years, you are lucky to make much money at all), it’s just about doing what I love…and doing it to the highest possible quality level – which will (coincidentally), make me money anyway.
B+V: You have some amazing Beauty Work! What things do you consider first and foremost when you are picking your team?
GO: There are 2 important things for me; first and foremost, does their work inspire me? In the same way a make-up artist would want to work with a great photographer whose work inspires them, I’m looking for the same thing from the artists I work with. It’s in the quality of their work, the attention to detail, and in the way they use colours/textures etc. The other major thing is that they need to be able to work intuitively, as I don’t give direction – well hardly ever. I need people who do their best work when they are left to base all their ideas on their own interpretation. As easy as that might sound, from experience, I know that very few people are able do that at the highest level. The reason I don’t give much direction, is because I want to be inspired by what they produce, not just get what I ask for…that’s too limiting I think…
B+V: In working with models, makeup artist, hair stylist, wardrobe and the rest of the team, what qualities do you look for besides everyone coming on set and working?
GO: Good energy, and positive attitude – which basically means no prima-donnas! I get no joy from working with people, no matter how talented they are, who think they are bigger that the picture, or the process. So I want to work with cool people that I would actually want to be around too. And with regards to work ethic, I want people who are attentive to detail (which is really important for me). Like I don’t want a make-up artist who does the make-up, then sits in the corner reading or chatting on the phone while I’m shooting…they have to be there, on set, watching, making sure the little things are maintained, and watching the flow of the shoot to interpret if changes need to be made.
B+V: Do you think working with an expensive camera is really worth it, or are the qualities of an expensive camera the same as a cheaper camera?
GO: Yes, it’s definitely worth it, to me anyway. Detail and quality is everything. I’m not saying that can’t be achieved with cheaper cameras, but in the digital age, the best digital cameras are without doubt, the most expensive ones…that’s just the way it is.
B+V: Lets take this back when you first started shooting. Who was your mentor? And why did you choose that mentor?
GO: Herb Ritts…no doubt, because he shot beautiful pictures, of beautiful people, which is how I see my style also. I don’t like my images to be so complicated or directional that the beauty or essence of the model is lost. That’s really important for me; that the X factor of the model is there in the picture. Apart from that, he shot nudes too, which is something I do a lot also, so I saw similarities in taste and style.
B+V: I recently went to tag you on Model Mayhem and I read your profile, where you stated “P.S. please don’t use the word ‘fierce’ anywhere on my page”…Why is that? Is that a word that should be used in the industry? (hahaha)
GO: mmmm, well that’s a little tongue-in-cheek, but at the same time, I just think it has no connection to fashion. When I look at a picture, I either think it’s beautiful, inspiring, creative or stylish, but ‘fierce’? Unless an image might attack me at any minute, then I don’t see how that word is relevant?
B+V: What is the funniest thing that has happened to you when shooting?
GO: I was in Ibiza, Spain a few year ago, and we were driving between locations in the middle of nowhere. The model needed to pee, so we stopped at a hardware store, and she was told by the manager that the toilets were around the front…but when she went around there, all she saw was porta-loos. So she went in and started to pee anyway, mid-pee, one of the staff came round and realized she was peeing in the loos that were actually for sale, and started shouting and screaming (in Spanish), banging on the toilet, and trying to force open the door, and started rocking the toilet to try to tip her out. She burst out with her pants half down and scrambled into the car as we drove off like we’d just robbed the place, with the guy chasing the car, cursing, and kicking our doors. Of course we all thought it was hilarious….except her 
B+V: Can you tell us which locations are your favorite to shoot?
GO: I love beaches and open spaces. You won’t see a building, a house, a tree or anything in 99% of my pictures. So I love places like South Africa, Australia, and a lot of the European islands for shooting, because there is lots of space and i like to keep and open expanses.
B+V: Think for a second, when you are all done with work what is it that you like to do?
GO: I don’t think I’ll ever be done. I wake up every day feeling like I’m still at the bottom, and I doubt that will ever change.
B+V: So we have talked about us working together someday in the near FUTURE. Do you see that happening within the next 6 months ??? Wait that isn’t the future… I just had to say that. hahaha! But can you just say Yes to make me Happy… We can do a beauty shoot for the Beauty +Verve Editorial Section how does that sound?
GO: (lauging) I can’t say I don’t know what my future holds even next month, life’s just that way. It’s one of the things I love about my life; that I might be in china next month, or NY, or I might be shooting a magazine, or a advertising job, or seeing a client. I really don’t know, and that’s’ exciting for me. So let’s just say if it’s meant to happen, I will see you on set
Well Thank you for letting me interview you. Thank you for inspiring so many artists. Have a good day and KEEP up the AMAZING WORK!!!
Photos: Copyright by Gavin O”neill
Interview by Teena Hoffstetter
LINK LOVE: http://www.sayntly.com/xn/detail/2176648:BlogPost:11901
