An Interview with Photographic retoucher Ed Kulakowski
25 year old Ed Kulakowski
finished his Extended Diploma from Hereford College of Arts in 2005 and graduated
from Swansea Metropolitan in 2008 after a 3 year course in Photojournalism.
Having always wanted to live
and work in London, he first found a job for a still life company on the west
end of London, 19 months assisting Ed realised his passion lay outside of
photography and in retouch.
Starting out initially as a
freelance photographer Ed now works for London based company Packshot Factory as
a retoucher. He still has a love of photography and tries to take out a role of
35 mm whenever he can.
Check out Ed's website here edkulakowski.com
Q: Hi Ed! Thanks for letting us interview you today. So
originally you studied at Hereford College of Arts and then went on to complete
a degree in BA (Hons) Photojournalism. After graduating talk us through how you
got to where you are now working as a Photographic Retoucher?
A: Hello, well hard work and
dedication really. You don't get anywhere sitting around waiting for someone to
offer you a job, you have to push ahead of the queue and be noticed. You need an
ace portfolio and good attitude.
Q: What is it like working as a part of a creative team,
within a Photographic Agency?
A; I work for a company
called Packshot Factory, their a photographers agency, who specialise in packshots.
Now packshots do not sound great but this can be something from the dullest of
items like a milk carton or it can be a £10,000 pound gold watch which needs a
heavy retouch workout.
The team is always thinking
of ways to improve, somebody always has a creative input, sometimes this works
in your favour, sometimes this causes you problems, but good problems. You
learn so much from people who have been in the industry for 20 - 40 years. These
are the best ways to develop.
Q; What skills have you
found are essential whilst working within the Creative Industries?
A: You need to talk about
what you do, (something I don't always do if I’m being honest) and experiment,
don't be afraid to gamble or take risks on your work.
Q: Who is your favourite
photographer?
A:Don McCullin was one of the
first photographers I looked at, Tom Wood, Martin Parr, David Bailey, slowly
looking more at fashion photographers now like Nick Knight, Mario Testino and Terry
Richardson
Q: What made you choose photography
as a career option?
A: My sister, she started
the course at the Hereford College of Arts a couple of years before me and when
she used to bring projects home , I would pay attention to what she was doing
and would often try and help her, spurring on my own ideas of doing
photography. I’ve always been creative, and pursuing a creative career has allowed
me to do what I love on a daily basis.
Q: Do you still take
photographs and pursue your own projects?
A: I don't really do
photography projects, I've recently started working on my own retouch concepts,
which allows me to be beside the camera and a photographer and direct what I
want, then I use my skills on Photoshop to finalise the project.
Q: Ed thanks for answering
all our questions, it’s great to get an insight into a route that young people
interested in photography could possibly go down. Is there any advice you would
give to other young photographers, just graduating who are wishing to pursue a
Career within the Creative Industries?
A: It's a tough industry to get into, but like all things,
you work hard and push yourself, you'll get somewhere. There will always be
somebody better than you, so you just have to try and find a way to outsmart
them!
