joe short.qxp_Layout 1 26/03/2021 14:38 Page 1
INTERVIEW
Five minutes with...
Joe Short is a wedding photographer who helped provide private coverage for the wedding day of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Windsor Castle in 2018. His most recent wedding commission was for a Sylvanian Families couple (see also page 8) Tell us about your work as a photographer.
I actually studied Fine Art at Wimbledon School of Art but was always using photography in my paintings. I first got excited about photography at school and loved the whole process of shooting and developing film using my father’s old camera. I never particularly planned to pursue photography as a career, it’s just something that I’ve always done, even whilst working in other careers like music. I’ve been very lucky though. I’ve photographed private events for the Queen, celebrities, and been commissioned to shoot in some spectacular locations from The Forbidden City in Beijing, on safari in the Maasai Mara, to the epic mountains of South New Zealand. What qualities are most useful as a photographer? A positive outlook and the ability to build an honest connection with your subject is key for me. Be prepared for the unexpected and run with it when plans change. How would you advise young photographers? Constantly be working on your craft, making pictures. It will really help you hone in on what it is that’s ‘you’. Take the opportunities that come – which are normally when you least expect. Then enjoy the ride and smile! How long have you lived in Bath? I’ve lived in Bath since 2010, having also lived here in the ’90s. It’s a fabulous city. When I’m working and am asked where I’m based, the response is always “Oh Bath, I love Bath!” I feel we have the best of both worlds with the proximity of city and countryside – but also the community. Lockdown has highlighted the connections and warmth within our community and I’ve been hugely grateful for them. What has been your personal experience of lockdown? It’s obviously been extremely frustrating for my working life – an entire year postponed and other jobs lost. But on a personal level, I have really enjoyed the slower pace and the time to be with my wife and daughter at home. The dog has been walked to near extinction. There’s been a peace that we would never have been able to experience otherwise. I think many people have made the most of the time to reflect too. In amongst it all there’s the opportunity to make decisions on all our futures and the direction we want our lives to go in. I don’t think I’ve ever had the time to do that before. You photographed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their wedding day. What was this experience like? It was a huge privilege to be invited to join Chris Allerton providing private coverage for Harry and Meghan. To be able to intimately capture the day as it unfolded was very special. Once shooting though, I treated it the same way as I would any wedding… looking for the best light and those key moments that happen between the couple, their family and guests. Tell us about the recent Sylvanian Families wedding. Ha! I can tell you that it was high end! They had me working just as hard. It came about after my daughter announced that there was to be a Sylvanian Wedding. I was genuinely excited to be shooting again, so we decided to create a story of the day exactly as it would unfold in the real world, and with plenty of love. Lying down at a wedding isn’t a common approach for me, but I may have spent
most of the day writhing on my stomach for this one. I would often be helping guests to their feet, which I have been known to do at human weddings too. I understand you have toured the world playing bass guitar. Yes, along with playing in the Bath band The Girls for many years, I played bass for Siouxsie & The Banshees. I’ve been involved in writing and performing music for a large part of my life and touring with Siouxsie was a real blast. That was a classic example of grabbing an opportunity when I least expected it. Singing a Lennon-written song (Dear Prudence) to Yoko Ono at The Royal Festival Hall is another life highlight for me. Do you have a guilty pleasure? I have far too much brain space assigned to eighties pop. I’m also quite partial to vintage Fender guitars. Snack etiquette would be a crisps/nuts combo rather than exclusive. Sorry that’s three. What is your favourite memory if you had to pick one? Intriguing. I’m wondering whether it might be Lockdown one day? Where do you like to eat in and around Bath in normal times? Wow. We’re so spoilt in Bath. It would depend on the occasion and mood, but we had an incredible meal at Eight in North Parade Passage before the world of restrictions came in. As a family we love Yak Yeti Yak. My wife lived in Nepal when she was younger and it has to be the best Nepali food outside of Kathmandu. What is your ideal holiday? Anything right now… But I have a real urge to wander through French countryside stopping at cafés en route. Because I’m often so busy from March to September, we don’t really get away over the summer. We took a fabulous trip through Western Cuba, which had the perfect balance of beach relaxation and epic adventure all in one. Havana is also a dream for any photographer. What do you look forward to doing when restrictions are lifted? Other than being able to hug each other, I’m really excited to get back to work shooting weddings and events. It’s probably more thrilling having been denied the opportunity for so long. I’m also keen to continue the new art and portrait projects that I began in lockdown. I’ve promised myself not to go back to the default rush that seemed to exist in everything pre Covid. The most useful thing anyone ever said to you? Assume support. What would you recommend as three rules to live by? Be kind, smile, keep your promise. Your favourite place to visit in Bath? I love walking the Bath skyline but Smallcombe Woods is also a wonderful spot on our doorstep. Indoors, it’s always great to visit the Holburne Museum and Victoria Art Gallery. Their excellent mix of exhibitions gives me inspiration for my own work. n • joeshortweddingphotography.com THEBATHMAG.CO.UK
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