Sonic Editions

Boasting an impressive three decades of experience in the photography industry, Derrick Santini's craft is a blend of portrait, fashion, advertising, as well as reportage and art photography. We were so excited to sit down with Santini to find out more about his craft. Read the full interview below...

SE: When did you know you wanted to be a photographer?

DS: I started taking pictures with my mums old Agfa bellows camera when I was about 13 and I knew I was going to be a photographer when I was 17.

SE: Do you have a favourite camera to shoot with?

DS: I love my Canon F1 and Rolliflex wide angle, and for sure my digital workhorse Canon 5D mk3.

SE: You’ve shot some major names in music, cinema and fashion, what/who has been your favourite shoot so far and why?

DS: it’s a very hard question to single out just 1, but as far as bands go I could say a really wicked one was shooting the Queens of the Stoneage for their Lost Art of Keeping a Secret album cover. They were all super cool and we had such a laugh, they were game for everything and we had loads of locations and set ups and the shoot just went on and on late into the night…

SE: Out of all of your images which is your favourite and why?

DS: I love the image of Alexander McQueen in his London studio, shot for ES magazine. Lee was a real genius and to see him work in his studio or backstage at his shows was a true inspiration, such a beautiful person, his creativity knew no bounds, his passion and vigour unrivalled. I was fortunate enough to know him as friend as we became linked through our related Bull Terriers Lily and Juice, I photographed him many times, and this particular portrait in his studio he chose to be his publicity photo.

SE: What inspires you? DS: People and the life we live in inspire me. The characters and unique individuals I meet along the way, on the street or in a penthouse, these diamonds that shine bright light unto the world are the ones you remember and the moments I want to capture. The physical experience through the taking of their picture, become the shared memories, created together that last forever.

SE: How do you build trust with your subject?

DS: Be Real. It’s the only way to get trust in any scenario, not least when you are in the intimate setting of photographing them.

SE: Who are some of your favourite photographers at the moment? DS: Phil Knott, James Mountford and Katinka Herbert.

SE: What advice would you give someone wanting to get into photography?

DS: As Nike so aptly coined , “Just Do It” and Everyone is now, which is so exhilarating and life affirming to me, we are all engaged in the medium I love, to the point of abstraction, indeed the vanguard of the new consciousness.

SE: Which photograph do you wish you had taken?

DS: There is a famous photograph taken by Andre Kertesz of Mondrian’s studio, it was the first photograph I fell in love with, but I couldn’t quite understand why I was so enamoured by it, its composition and framing constantly draws your eye around its beguiling and almost Escher like three dimensional surface.

Have a look and more of Derrick Santini's stunning portraits in his gallery!