#MemberSpotlight on product photographer Jasmine Lawrie

How did you get into the industry?

I remember getting a camcorder for Christmas one year when I was 10 and enjoyed taking pictures on it. For my 14th birthday, I received a new point and shoot digital camera, which led me into the world of beauty blogging, where I used to shoot photos of cosmetics I liked and wrote reviews.

Furthermore, I wanted to learn more about photography from this and studied it as a Higher subject in secondary school, before studying photography for 3 years in college. I graduated in 2020 when covid hit, and since then, I have worked super hard on having a strong, reflective portfolio and making contacts.

Where are you based now and who do you work for?

I’m based in Scotland (I live in the west coast of Scotland so not too far from Glasgow, around half an hour away), and work for Quiz Clothing. I have done the occasional freelance job for brands including Mathiesons, Mackays and Just Gluten Free.

If you weren’t in your current industry, what would you be doing?

I was always a creative child; I was always making something or being arty in some way, so I guess it’s no surprise I ended up in the arts! My other career option was journalism; I loved writing!

As previously mentioned, I had a blog which helped fulfil my writing, but I also particularly enjoyed essay-based classes at school too. The creative part of my brain won when making my career decision!

Can you explain your creative process? What makes it unique?

If I see something I like or could use as inspiration, I take a photo of it/screenshot it; I have lots of random images on my phone which make sense to me. I like to keep these for when I want to jot down ideas, and speaking of which, I am notebook loyal.

Even if it’s a few random words or some rough sketches, I always make sure these go into my notebook. It helps me consolidate my final shoot idea. Even things such as lighting, props, colour scheme etc are important to me so sometimes I find myself writing this down to help picture my final idea; it helps for when it comes to setting up.

How would you describe your style?

Fun, colourful and eye-catching! I’d describe myself as being quite a fun and bubbly person, and I try to reflect this into my work as much as possible. I particularly love colour, but also experimentation, and this could be anything such as lighting techniques or composition, even perhaps editing! I want my work to be unique and stand out from others.

Which individuals do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?

I have soo many favourite product photographers, I could never list them all!! One person who definitely springs to mind is Lizzy Rose Clough, a product (mainly cosmetics) photographer from London.

I actually assisted Lizzy on a shoot for ASOS, and still to this day am thankful for the opportunity. I think her work is so beautiful and it was fantastic to see her work come to life during the shoot. Additionally, I adore Gemma Wood, Sigourney Whitesel, Katie Howey and many, many more.

What tips would you give to aspiring creatives looking for work?

It’s a competitive world out there. More and more people are moving into the industry, and yes, it’s becoming a bit over-saturated. Please, do not expect miracles overnight, it’s a process which takes a while and even I’m still learning this! My top tips would be:

• Keep creating - make sure you have a strong portfolio. Showcase your skill set in the best way possible.
• Network - reach out! You need to get your name and work out there.
• Don’t give up - I graduated and felt super lost, but this industry isn’t one whereby you graduate and walk into a job unfortunately. But keep working hard and the universe will deliver.

What tips would you give to other professionals to get more clients?

A bit of a controversial one here, but I’d say specific your niche. Whilst some may disagree with me here, sometimes brands and clients prefer hiring someone they know devotes themselves to the photography of their specific needs.

For example, they mightn’t hire a landscape photographer to shoot events. Also, photography is forever evolving, so make sure to adapt to the new world of change.

What kind of tools/kit/software could you not do without?

First up, my tether cable. When my photographer friend gave me her old, spare tether, I totally underestimated how much of an impact this would make on shooting! I used to only shoot to card, checking the back of my camera for the images, but seeing them on the screen really makes such a difference.

Additionally, I am Photoshop loyal. I don’t mind Lightroom, but there’s a 99% chance I’m going to edit on Photoshop; I just feel I have more control over my editing, especially products. In Quiz, we shoot to CaptureOne which is a pretty cool software, I hadn’t ever used it before working there and I really like it. When shooting myself in my own studio, I used Lightroom to tether, which has it’s advantages too but I prefer the quickest of Capture.

What’s your secret to staying inspired and motivated?

Do not push yourself to create when you don’t feel inspired. Take those well deserved breaks and acknowledge burn out! But also, inspiration can be found anywhere! What one person may class as mundane, the next could admire.

I naturally am quite a motivated person - sometimes too much - but I feel that I like to push myself and leave my comfort zone, to truly discover my highest potential. Try something new, even if you’re afraid of it!

What’s the work achievement you’re most proud of?

A significant one to me has to be the fact that Mathiesons Bakery reached out to me the day I received my final college grade! I hadn’t even found out my final grade, let alone graduated and they reached out, that was a real big one to me. I also shot some interior images which were featured in Tatler Travel Guide (Dec 2020) which was so nice to see!

What is the one thing that you would change about the industry?

The fact it’s sometimes who you know and what you know. I feel a lot of incredibly talented people go unrecognised because they don’t know the right people. I also feel the Instagram algorithm isn’t the best either, so once again, good work goes unrecognised.

Any websites, books or resources you would recommend?

Pinterest!! Love that site, always have and always will. Additionally, I’m becoming more of a Behance fan, it’s very similar to Pinterest. I also would say never underestimate a good magazine or photo book for imagery, but also for learning new photographic tips and tricks.

One last place I recommend for learning new photography knowledge but also inspiration is TikTok; showcasing your behind the scenes videos are proving to be popular, and I know I personally thoroughly enjoy these videos.