BEHIND THE LENS

GABRIEL WINTER SITS DOWN WITH MORGAN ROBERTS TO TALK EVERYTHING PHOTOGRAPHY AND HIS OUTSTANDING CAREER SO FAR.

Morgan Robert's is the newest, upcoming fashion photographer, who has already shot for Vogue Arabia, L'Officiel and Elle magazines after graduating from Leeds Art School, where he studied fashion photography primarily. Starting his career so young has allowed him access to some of the biggest names in the industry at such an early stage in his lifetime.

During the high school years, "I started getting commissions from when I was like 15 - 16", says Roberts nonchalantly, as he described his first steps into the fashion industry. Gaining interest in his work from such an early age, this has helped him to develop into the fashion photographer he is today. During these early days, he started "by taking pictures of watches and jewellery" and posting them onto Instagram where the work gained "a lot of attraction", whilst starting to build up the following already. "Some brands saw it and started sending me products to photograph", once again gaining the crucial clientele he rightfully deserves through the artistry he offers. In turn, Roberts now has an extensive watch collection sitting in his Brixton home that he does not complain about.

After this stage of Robert's career, it started drifting on to "taking pictures of his friends", leading on to the next stage of "portrait art", this is where the creative really homed in on during his A-Levels to focus primarily on the love he has for fashion photography as a whole. "I ignored absolutely everything else and had no interest in any other thing", Robert's tells of his dedication to fashion photography as an unmatched passion he was undoubtfully going to pursue as a career. This adherence to such photography has now allows Robert's to work alongside some of the biggest names in the fashion industry today; Vogue Arabia, Elle, L'Officiel, Harper's Bazaar and more.

When posed with the question, why fashion photography? The response alluded directly to the creative aspect of the job. "I like the drama of it", how the photographer is able to have the creative freedom to go and do whatever pleases you to create something new and different to what has been seen before. In the fashion industry it is crucial to be on top of the game at all times, beating others to it in order to be the first in whatever the brand is doing at the time, beating the trends is at the top of priorities for many creatives. "You can make a fantasy within an image, can you see what I mean?", devising a vision through still image is something Robert's is proud to do as a fashion photographer, and is one of the predominant reasons as to why he took up the position in the beginning.

If he's not at the bar, you'll find him at the shoot, "because it feels right" is the only piece of advice which for anyone makes any sense when taking about why they do what they do and for Roberts, the art of fashion photography specifically fits directly into his life seamlessly. It makes sense to him.

Though Roberts is so new into the industry and hasn't had a lot of experience in various situations as of yet, questioned on the direction of the fashion photography commerce he believes that it is definitely "adapting and changing to what is needed". Moving with the times and not being left behind. As previously mentioned, it is essential within the fashion market to be ahead of the game, something that Morgan Roberts is keen on being. Without a doubt, this photography prodigy is on track to set his ambitions way-beyond the means of what fashion photography is today, to re-invent the skill into something newer, fresher, and forward. Everything is seen to be narrowed down to "representation" and how minorities or ethnic groups are included in modern-day society with fashion "starting to slowly understand representation not in a way that's just for ticking boxes, and more in a way that is necessary and real".

On the topic of inclusivity, with a publication like Vogue Arabia, "they were very keen on having representation of middle-eastern models and especially girls that wear hijabs", alluding to their primary demographic of course, yet also it is new, in fact for these types of models to be featured like this in such a white and catholic orientated industry. Though Morgan Roberts doesn't technically work with the directing of the spreads themselves, nonetheless he definitely needs to be clued up on what to and what not to do in order "to know what someone from a certain culture would be comfortable with on a certain shoot; being an Arabian magazine, there is the whole thing of dressing modestly, so understanding that, respecting that and understanding people's boundaries is a very important part" of curating a photoshoot for anyone and any publication in general.

"It's fun" to work for brands such as Vogue and L'Officiel... a good answer! But on a more serious note, Roberts "adores creative editorial", allowing him more creative liberty to create, curate and produce his images, ready for these Class-A publications. With good times come bad and this comes in the form of lack of money in editorial or publishing magazines. Especially companies like L'Officiel are "very open" when allowing Roberts to be original, "they don't have as much of a strict say" in the matters that go on behind the lens.

The pinnacle of anyone's career can vary drastically, and everyone almost always delves into the past but not Roberts, he always sees into the future. For him, the highlight of his newly started career will be "the shoot that I haven't done yet, that I will be doing in a couple of weeks". Though it was 'TOP SECRET', Roberts did let us in on the fact that it would be "editorial" and will be for one of his "favourite publications in the UK". Something that "has been on my wish-list for quite some time now".

"I am a resourceful photographer, with the mindset that I don't need a huge team and a shit ton of equipment" in order to produce a strong image whilst incorporating a make-do and mend mindset, the good old-fashioned way, mirroring the ways of photographers of the past.

Artistry that never ends. Morgan Roberts, a master in his art, a prodigy of an era of ever-changing generation of trends, technology, and style. Roberts has the ability to keep up and stand strong amidst these times, proving again and again to various publications that he has was it takes to justify his place within the fashion industry. It can be seen that no matter what Roberts will go on to do, he will achieve and score high, from looking back onto what he has already accomplished at the prime age of 22 years old. There are big things in the making and his journey has only just begun.

credits to @shotbymr - Instagram

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