As a huge fan of black and white street photography, it’s no wonder that the gallery of @bws_sheppss on Instagram captured my attention. Everything that I love about black and white photography can be found in Sheppss work – the stark contrast, the frozen moments, eye contact made and captured forever. But his work speaks much more eloquently than my words!
Daydreaming! (above)
Random Civilian (above)
Geri: What is your name and where do you live?
Sheppss: Name is Sheppss and I live in the UK West Midlands!
Geri: How did you get started with mobile photography?
Sheppss: I started off originally playing about with a 3GS and Instagram about 3 years ago but didn't take it seriously at the time. It wasn't until I purchased an Xperia S that I started really using the device for proppa photography purposes, that was just over a year ago.
Contra-flow (above)
To celebrate one’s life is no bad thing (above)
Geri: What device do you use?
Sheppss: I now use an iPhone 5/4S as I soon realized that its not all about the megapixel count on these phone cameras. The apps are key!
Geri: Do you have a traditional photography or art background?
Sheppss: I learned how to use a DSLR for a hobby around 5 years ago and developed my own style from there really. Since then I have opened up my own studio doing portraits both indoor and on location. I am aiming to incorporate iPhoneography within the business at this moment.
Window Watcher (above)
Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (above)
Geri: Who or what inspires your work?
Sheppss: Bresson from back in the day obviously and again it's guys like Koci and Konstruktivist who inspired me to shoot using as the quote goes "the best camera is the one that is with you" now I feel liberated to shoot everything and anything, whether I'm mountain biking, driving or on the train. It's great!
Geri: I love your street style. What I find unique is that you always seem to zero in on just one person. How did your style evolve?
Sheppss: Now I have the freedom to shoot without barriers I can look more openly at things and capture moments in front of me in a more natural none obtrusive manor which suits me.
Streetwalker – 2:3 (above)
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man” ~ Proverbs 14:12 (above)
Supergirl (above)
Geri: Your work is mainly in black and white. Do you shoot in black and white with an app like Hueless or do you make the conversion afterwards?
Sheppss: I have two ways of shooting now, first one is Hipstamatic with a couple of B&W combos at the ready and the latest one is KitCam which I'm just starting to use again since it first came out, in combination with PhotoForge2 has most things I need at the moment so yeah, those 3.
Geri: What are your favorite apps for editing your images?
Sheppss: As the above, the other apps I most frequently run to are lo-mob, CameraBag 2, AfterFocus and Handy Photo.
8 digits (I call you) – (above)
Some of us need new homes! Others may need new bodies, but for the most of us I think it’s a new soul that is our greatest need! (above)
Geri: Do you do all your editing on your phone, or do you prefer a tablet?
Sheppss: Everything is done on phone but I am considering an iPad in the future. That's right! I don't currently own one lol.
Geri: Please share a bit about your editing process.
Sheppss: Well my current workflow consists of capture in KitCam and do as much work as possible within this app to achieve the desired effect, next step is to open from there straight into PhotoForge2 for anything like extra frames or filters that I can't get in KitCam and I'm done OR Hipstamatic straight and finished. I’m a bit tired of all the appstacking and prefer now to get it all processed quickly and as efficiently as possible. Specialist effects like depth of field will require AfterFocus and object removal is taken care of with Handy Photo. That's pretty much it right about now.
Admire! (above)
This old fella was oblivious to the society that rules him! (above)
Geri: Have you ever exhibited your work? If not, any plans to do so?
Sheppss: No intentions to or ever have exhibited my work, it's too laborious trying to get your work seen and exhibited, so I shoot for my own personal pleasure and whoever sees and likes my work then it’s a bonus. I have thought about hosting a gallery for iPhoneography at my studio but it’s a big project and I wouldn't know where to start, or how to fund it so at the moment it's just a nice idea.
As for me I'm not fussed about being seen and followed as you can see from my followers count on Instagram, lol, I enjoy the sharing of images and seeing others work when I can but my responsibilities with family, work and church take up most of my mind’s attention to really get to know people on all the different social sites going about.
The matrix is a system!!! That system is our enemy…(above)
Social Engineering 2 (above)
Geri: Anything else you’d like to add?
Sheppss: Extending from the last question, I have recently been invited to join the BWS (blackandwhite selective) team on Instagram showcasing people's B&W work when they tag us on #bws_artist_eu amongst other tags featuring works by talented artists from within each geographical location and I do my best to find new and upcoming artists as much as possible. It's a great and talented bunch of folks pushing the mobile spectrum of photography (in B&W of course ;) And I thank you for noticing little me on IG and for the invite for this feature so God bless to you and I look forward to your future artist features. Cheers
Streetwalker 2:5 (above)
Find Sheppss: Instagram / EyeEm / Backspaces / AMPT
All images in this feature are copyrighted property of Sheppss published on iART CHRONiCLES with the consent of the artist.
