Leona Turford - photography feature

It's been a while since we featured a photographer here at Voltcase, so what better way to round off 2010 than with some of Leona Turford's amazing shots? Click 'read more'....

Hi, welcome to Voltcase! How are things!?

Good, good, I've just launched my photography business after shooting alongside my old day job so picking things up nicely.

So, how would you describe yourself to a stranger in just three words?

Short, quirky, odd.

Now, on to photography – how did it all start for you? Was it something you always wanted to do, or did it just ‘happen’?

I first picked up the camera over ten years ago at a work experience placement, I didn't fancy doing the usual supermarket & office placements so I wrote to a local studio and managed to bag a two week placement working in the darkroom and studio. After that I couldn't put the camera down so I ended up studying photographing at college and doing gig photography alongside.

I wanted to do much more portrait and alternative photography but didn't get the chance to until I was at university (networking back in the days when the 'net was still young was rather hard!), I started to do shoots with models and it's all gone from there. It's always been something I've wanted to do as a career, it's changed somewhat over the years but it's something I'm enjoying more and more with each shoot.

Do you get any problems with the shoots at all - do curious passersby wonder what your up to, or do the models refuse certain things?

You always get the odd random guy hovering around on location, I tend to move to shoot away from them these days. The oddest incident has been a guy actually appearing to 'ahem' enjoy some glove love whilst I was shooting with a model on location; we mainly dealt that by moving away from the location rather quickly and shuddering a lot. That's been the weirdest encounter on a shoot so far.

Some of the locations you use seem spontaneous and almost 'stumbled upon' - do you prepare the set in detail first, or is it more of unprepared thing?
Some of my favourite spots are quite surprising, I've shot in some quite public spots that appear much more secluded and derelict on camera. I tend to look for locations in the nearby area but most of my great finds lately have been by accident, I found a great wooden structure tucked away at a location I was shooting a couple of months back that turned out by far better than the original spot I'd planned to use that day, so it's surprising how many of my shoots have been random finds!

Do you have any favourite people that you like to work with? And any models that you haven't worked with yet that you would like to?

There's been some outstanding model talent I've shot with over the years, I've always gotten great results on my work with Pyretta blaze, Miss Woo, Cybelle, & Chainsaw. But of course everyone I've shot with has been amazing! It's surprising how most of the models get my odd quirks on local & prop wise, so I usually don't have to force them to use my infamous panda brolly, or neon feathered fans. So it's great to be able to work with people who get what your doing, and are just as enthusiastic about the shoot concept too.

There's a fair few folks I'd love to be able to shoot with, not just model-wise but people who've influenced me over the years. I'd love to shoot with Dee Plume & Sue Denim (Robots in disguise), I think I'd collapse with excitement!

Loud rock n roll plays a big part in our lives here at Voltcase towers, does music influence you at all, and do you use it while photographing?

As I work on location there's usually a lack of music, more background noise dependant on where we're shooting. I do get a lot of inspiration, and sparks of creativity when listening to music though.

Why should the the lazy general public make the effort to check you out, and what are your plans for the future?

For starters us female alternative photographers a rare breed ;), if you fancy a slightly different shoot experience I'm the lady to do it. I tend to crawl on cobbled floors, bend over backwards, climb up trees, & buildings to get the right shot; as well as having an abundance of props that always come in use for a good shoot.

I'll be looking to get my work out there much more in the new year, I'm hoping to be able to travel around the UK much more often for shoots outside of my local area; and collaborate with some new designers too.

And finally..... what does the word 'Voltcase' mean to you?
A case of independent musical and artist treats; topped with a little model based cherry on the top.