Artist Interview: Toronto Photographer Mr. Brian James
Interview by Mike Simpson
I have never met Mr. Brian James but I will tell you that in choosing these images I decided that I like him. I like the variety of images in his portfolio – and I LOVE the editing. Blue never looked so good to me. Same for the dark moody stuff! I am appreciative that Brian took the time to do this interview and let us post some of his images on the blog. Cheers Brian!
Hope you enjoy this first interview with an artist/photographer on our new blog! It’s the first in a series we started with Tdot Shots!
All photos by Mr. Brian James aka @mr.brianjames
1. Who are you?
I go by my first and middle names, Brian James. I was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and have lived in a few locations during my adult life. I relocated to the Greater Toronto Area about two years ago and I’ve been loving the vibe of this city. Not only is it beautiful but the food is great and the people are friendly!
2. How did you get started in photography?
I was actually seeing a therapist for some personal issues that I had been dealing with. She suggested that I find a hobby to take my mind off of things. I chose photography as it’s something I’ve always had an interest in but I didn’t consider myself to be very good at it. She basically mandated me to spend one hour per week shooting photos for myself. I’m so happy that I did because now it’s turned into one of my biggest passions in life.
3. What do you like to shoot and where?
There are so many things I enjoy shooting on a personal level. Often it’s dictated by time and opportunity. However, I tend to like urban photography the most. More specifically I like street photography. Although I dont post too much of it on my Instagram, this is probably my favorite style.
4. What gear do you use?
I currently shoot with the Sony a7ii and the Sony a6000 with a variety of inexpensive lenses. The a6000 is small, lite and shoots very fast making it perfect for street photography. My a7ii is typically my main portrait camera. I just love Sony mirrorless cameras.
5. Could you tell us about some photographers you like?
Gosh this is a hard question because I have so many. I’ll try and narrow it down to just a few. I like Deny Aly @deanbeanfotos for her incredible street photography. Her ability to tell a story is unmatched. Jordi Koalitic @jordi.koalitic is totally insane and on another level. A Toronto photographer that’s really caught my eye recently is Eric @lost.lens simply because his creativity just kills me. Lastly I’d have to mention @steve_zeinner as he is overall one of my favorite photographers who shoots a variety of stuff.
Thank you Brian! We love your work and appreciate the time you took to contribute to this series!
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