JP Stones lives in Mexico and specialises in cinematic portraits of the people and traditions that have shaped modern Mexico's fascinating culture. He teaches cultural workshops for the photographer who understands that the essence of a country lies within its people & traditions, not just its photogenic landmarks.

JP Stones

How and when did you get into photography?

 

Photography has been a constant in my life since I was in my early twenties, when I blagged a press photo pass to see the White Stripes in concert. I was working for the University Magazine at the time. That was 20 years ago, but I can still remember how it felt to see my photos in a magazine. I haven’t always been a full-time photographer though. Photography was an escape for me. It was how I left behind the chaos of daily life, and I was worried that if it became my career, I would lose my love for photography. That was until about about 8 years ago, when we moved to Mexico, and I made friends with a group of Mexica/Aztec dancers. I started taking photos with them on a regular basis, and as interest grew in the project, it naturally grew into a full time thing. 

 

 

What does photography mean to you?

 

Photography has been very generous to me. It  taught me patience. I used to want to squeeze as many photos out of a photography trip as possible. But I realised that I enjoy photography, and as a result create my best work, when I take my time. 

 

 

Photography has also taught me that there is a  creative person inside all of us, you just need to look hard enough. It’s only in the last few years I’ve realised that natural talent is not the barrier to creativity I once thought it was. We can all be creatives if we’re willing to put the work in!

Photography has helped me find my voice. I use it as a way to express my interests and my opinions. You can often see how my cultural references change based on the way a photoshoot is lit and composed. One will look like a John Wick scene and the next might feel like a Classic Western.

 

 

Where do you get inspiration?

 

I think my  style is different to other cultural photographers out there. I don’t see myself as documenting culture, of simply taking portraits of people in traditional outfits. I’ve got nothing against that, I just feel that culture thrives through storytelling, and as such I like to create scenes that feel like they are part of a story. I think that makes them more interesting and more forward looking, more positive. 

 

 

That storytelling angle is why my photos often have that cinematic feel to them. We know that movies tell stories, so an image that looks like a still from a movie comes with that association of story baked into it. That’s why I spend a lot of times studying the way movie scenes are designed, framed and lit.

But I also love history, mythology and folklore and try to create concepts that reflect historical events or myths. If I am taking a photo of a Mexica/Aztec dancer, for example,  I’ll work with them to find out what aspects of Meso American mythology we can weave into our photos to give them some narrative interest. 

 

What equipment do you use all the time?

I’m a fan of narrative photography. Making my images look like they are part of a story. To do that, I like to control as many of  the elements in my scene as possible. This means artificial lighting is a must. The 300 and 600 ADPRO series  by Godox are great because they are small, powerful and battery powered. The perfect mix when you shoot out in the jungle.  My camera and lenses are all Canon. I just like the build quality of Canons. My gear takes a lot of knocks out on location and I need equipment that will last.

 

Do you plan what you want from a photo in advance?

I’m a huge planner. I think through every stage of my photoshoots in detail. I’ll start with a moodboard, then create sketches, then me and my friend Dan Spencer will head out to find locations that suit the concept. 

I plan in detail for a few reasons:

  1. My shoots will sometimes involve 5 or 6 people. I don’t want to risk wasting everyone's time by being unprepared. That’s happened before and it was not fun.
  2. And of course, I love telling visual stories. To do that well, I need to be sure all the elements in a photo have been thought out so the image feels cohesive.  The lighting, composition, pose, location should all be designed to help tell the story.

Join JP Stones, Clik-Trip and CameraWorld on Thursday 20th May at noon for a free and live photography talk with Q&A on our Facebook page. Register here for a reminder.