John Evans
   Studio

Everyday can be different, depending on what job I am working on at the time. If it's a casting job, then I would start envisioning characters I need/want for a project, and begin approaching people/organisations via email/on the street/social media. I would then begin the selection process with my collaborators so we can start confirming people for the photoshoot. I could be out street casting or spending a lot of time on my laptop or phone for this.

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If it is a styling job, I would spend the day working on my laptop to a brief set by the client or director, sourcing clothes online or via stores. for an editorial I would be calling in clothes via email, looking at cookbooks, visiting PR's to select designers ready for the shoot day.

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For youth group I am working closely with my collaborator photographer Clementine and youth group organisers planning new workshops and setting themes together or with the young people. This could be making or styling workshops, for which I would need to source materials, clothes donations etc.

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Is London an essential place to be for your work? 

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There are more paid job opportunities for creatives in London, but it's not an essential place to be for my work. Most of my personal work I have made in Wales. I travel to London when I am working for a client or magazine.

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I moved back to Wales a couple of years ago. I find it easier to be creative in Wales. I am more inspired by the people and backdrop here. Interesting characters are easier to come across, and I like that I can walk into my local social club and cast everyone for a photoshoot. My collaborators Clementine Schneidermann and Sebastian Bruno also live and work in Wales, so we can make work here that we want to make without too much pressure or cost. They have been really integral parts of my journey to making the kind of work I'm making at the moment, they have a really strong connection to the community and are amazingly thoughtful and conscientious throughout each project.

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How does your freelance/project-based work usually come about?

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Photographers and directors recommend me to producers and clients and then I guess word of mouth from other jobs I have worked on. A lot of photographers message me through Instagram, so that has been a good platform to show my work.

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How important is collaboration in your work?

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It's very important, because I am collaborating with a photographer, subjects and now the youth groups I work with including their families, there is a responsibility to represent the communities and young people authentically within the images. Doing this work requires a lot of thought, planning and conversation. You have to be aware of what the people you are working with are going to get from these projects. The people that run the youth groups are so dedicated to the community and really give back to the young people and their families.

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What are the most and least enjoyable aspects of your job?

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The most enjoyable for me is working with young people and seeing their confidence grow, also working with all of the photographers whose work I find inspiring. Developing ideas, casting new models for shoots, building relationships with people and finding new ways to source all the clothes are also fun parts of my job.

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The least enjoyable part is that I'm always broke!

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What is one of your favourite projects that you have done?

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I loved developing the fashion youth project with Clementine. For nearly three years we had been creating interactive workshops with young people from the area. The workshops focused on self-expression, idea generation, styling and photography, to give young people the opportunity to learn new skills and take part in a photoshoot for the end project.  The series was exhibited at The Martin Parr Foundation last year and all of the young people who took part got to see what they had been apart of that whole time in an exhibition space.

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What inspires your photographic practice?

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My youth and trying to shine a light on different communities. My upbringing has had a big influence on my work. Growing up in The Valleys, there wasn't anything in terms of culture and art but always a strong sense of community, so I think that has always stuck with me. My work regularly features family, friends, local people from my area and the working mens clubs I went to as a kid. I enjoy playing with the idea of what can happen in these spaces.

 

What skills are essential to your job?

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Being persistent with your goals. Organisation and communication!

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What did you want to be when you were growing up?

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A ghost hunter!

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What was your first job?

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My first job was when I was 16, working in a chocolate factory and my first creative job was working on a small music video and at that point I had already started working on fashion shoots for Crack Magazine. I once did an internship for a fashion magazine whilst at university and lasted a week and a half. I realised quickly that internships weren't for me plus I couldn't afford to do anything long term.

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Was there a particular project that you worked on that helped you with your own development?

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Merthyr Rising shot in collaboration with photographer, Tom Jonson. It was the first time I had met and worked with a photographer that was able to visualise the kind of image that I wanted to be making. The images focus on casting and challenging stereotypes in minority communities and representing them in a positive light. The fashion elevated the subject's character and the narrative of the series. I give the subjects choice, not using them as a blank canvas. They are part of the image-making, as I am.

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What skills have you learned along the way?

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Lots of skills in photoshoot production. From start to finish you are working collaboratively with photographers, casting, location scouting, sourcing clothes and building up relationships with the subjects.

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What has been your biggest challenge?

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Trying to earn a living wage whilst living in London and making the work I wanted to create while balancing commercial jobs. When I moved back to Wales, I began to create the work I wanted to.

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What are you going to be doing next? Any aspirations?

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I am going to be moving into filmmaking next, much like the work I have already made. 

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I would love to open a youth centre with Clementine.

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Any advice for upcoming creatives?

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Try not to compare yourself to others and keep pushing forward. Giving advice to young people is difficult as you don't always know what limitations they may face. I would definitely advise young people, creative or not, to find local youth groups to attend. There are some really talented and dedicated people working to allow others to gain confidence and realise what they can achieve. Being a part of a group is really important too, it gives you the sense of belonging and improves your ability to work with others which is key in the creative industry. 

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With social media, it's more likely that young people will compare themselves with what they see online, which I would advise not to do as everyone comes from a different place so sometimes people get on the ladder quicker than others.