Interview with Matt Emmett of Forgotten Heritage Photography

Abandoned prisons, off-limits MOD sites and deep underground: I was fortunate enough to talk to Matt Emmett of Forgotten Heritage Photography about his unique brand of photography. Read the interview here.

My latest interview, published as part of my biweekly series for Autographer sees me interview inspirational street photographer Heather Buckley, who, despite the twist in genre has just been crowned Royal Horticultural Society Photographer of the Year 2014. Read it here – she gives some great street photography tips.

March 11, 2014

Rachael Sharpe

Interview with photojournalist Lee Thompson

Feb 2014 sees me embark on a new bi-weekly photographic series for Autographer. My first instalment is an interview with photojournalist Lee Thompson, who was at the Winter Olympics in Sochi when I spoke to him. In this eye-opening interview Lee tells me about photographing the body of Colonel Gaddafi in a supermarket fridge, having his life threatened and feelings of guilt. He also gives some excellent tips for street photography. Read it here.

"A lady sitting on the foundations of her home destroyed by the tsunami in Japan. This lady was a lovely person. Despite losing her home, she said none of her family had been killed so she was lucky, but she feared so many of her friends were dead under the rubble. I joined the British search and rescue teams in Japan after the tsunami hit. What started out as rescue operation ended in body recovery: we found no survivors. I experienced many aftershocks whilst I was there; they are terrifying." Image credit: Lee Thomson — “A lady sitting on the foundations of her home destroyed by the tsunami in Japan. This lady was a lovely person. Despite losing her home, she said none of her family had been killed so she was lucky, but she feared so many of her friends were dead under the rubble. I joined the British search and rescue teams in Japan after the tsunami hit. What started out as rescue operation ended in body recovery: we found no survivors. I experienced many aftershocks whilst I was there;
they are terrifying.” Image credit: Lee Thomson

February 21, 2014

Rachael Sharpe

How to win a photography competition

In my latest feature for Autographer, I get together with nine other photography experts and get them to share their top tips for doing well in competitions.

Lee Thompson, freelance editorial photographer shared this tip: “Don’t over edit. If you need to edit a picture too much, it’s not a very good picture to start with! There is nothing worse than a heavily photoshopped picture. Competition judges are really clamping down on over edited images after last year’s World Press winning picture came under some controversy by several picture forensic experts, who said the picture had been heavily altered.”

Lee_Thompson-small — This image of Lee’s shows a Libyan freedom fighter surrounding the dead bodyguards of Colonel Gaddafi in Libya is exactly how it was taken from the camera; just a slight bit of sharpening was applied. This picture was picked out of 12,500 images in this year’s Press Photographer’s Year. Image copyright: Lee Thompson

To read the other inspiring tips on the Autographer blog, click here.

February 10, 2014

Rachael Sharpe

How to take amazingly atmospheric photographs

In my latest blog post for Autographer, ten professional photographers, including myself, explain how to create amazingly atmospheric imagery.

Here’s my tip:

Capture the whole picture

Try shooting wide to show the atmosphere of a place and the whole picture instead of isolating details.

Shooting from a distance, and also from a high vantage point, gives the viewer a real taste of the city of Havana.

Read the other nine top tips over at Autographer.

January 20, 2014January 20, 2014

Rachael Sharpe

A seasonal feature: Father Christmas as you’ve never seen him before

In my latest blog post for Autographer I collate my favourite Magnum photos that capture the colour of the festive season in all its glory. From a gaggle of santas against the Berlin wall to an elephant riding santa in Phnom Penh, you’ll see Father Christmas in a whole new light. Take a look here.

December 19, 2013

Rachael Sharpe

Promote your photography with a punchy online portfolio

My article ‘Showcase your photography online’, which highlights the ten best sites to share your photography with the world has gone live on Autographer.com today. Click here to read and discover the site that’s best for you.

November 7, 2013

Rachael Sharpe

10 photos to stop you in your tracks

This week I’ve had the privilege of spending some time looking through the wonderful Magnum Photos archives, looking for those photos that beggar belief and demand another look. See my top ten photos in this blog post ‘10 photos to stop you in your tracks‘, published on Autographer.com this morning. Prepare to be astonished!

October 10, 2013

Rachael Sharpe

Photography competitions roundup on Autographer

Captured some amazing images? Winning a photography competition could be your perfect chance to share your shots with the masses – and take home some great prizes too. In this round-up for Autographer.com I show you the best competitions around, to enter before Christmas. Click here to have a look and good luck!