Public Republic

Who is Andrew Birch?

Andrew Birch is just an ordinary man, with an extraordinary hobby… born in England in 1971 and raised in a working class family on the outskirts of London.

“I first became seriously interested in digital photography and photo-editing at the start of 2006. Since that time I have followed a steep learning curve as a photographer and image-maker. I now feel confident in consistently producing quality images but always strive to improve.”

What ‘feeds’ the creativity?

Creativity comes from the desire to be successful in producing something that is desirable in itself. I enjoy producing images that I hope are good to look at and it’s great when people acknowledge that… I think most creative types would agree that this is what drives them to create.

Many of your images have ‘heavy’ (BW & grey) colours. Are they more effective?

Yes, I feel that they have more impact and create more feeling in an image. Bright and saturated colours have become a common characteristic of many modern digital cameras. The manufacturers claim that this is what the consumer wants. In my work, I take that thinking a step further and give many of my images a deep, rich and saturated look which often includes the use of absolute black and heavy greys. I think that they have a more pleasing appearance. Pure black and white images can also show greater contrast between different shades of colour.

Do you try to show more imagination or reality through your photos?

I mix the two together and see how it turns out!

I like the idea of being able to create a picture purely from imagination… maybe to produce something in a way that I think it should look rather than how it actually looks in reality. Sometimes I have an idea for an image in my head and fabricate that image from a number of different images using photoshop, other times my imagination is more spontaneous and happens when shooting or editing a picture.

I remember reading something, I’m not sure where, but the words ‘upside down trees’ were used and for some reason that stuck in my mind. I later produced an image from that memory of ‘upside down trees’ so I guess that I’m influenced by in that way. I do reality too!

What should a good photographer always take into consideration?

Composition is one of the most important factors to consider and one of the hardest to get right. Good composition can really make the difference between an average shot and a great one. When composing a shot I think that it’s important to look at a picture as a whole, which includes taking into account how the background looks as well as the main subject.

A good photographer should always pay attention to light and shadow when preparing a shot and always try to avoid over-exposure when it matters.

Also, I think that a good photographer/artist should always aim to make their work original and perhaps recognizable by developing a unique personal style.

If life is an image, what would be on it?

It would be an image of myself struggling to wake to an alarm clock in the morning. It’s questionable, but I think that any kind of movement at that time of day could be classified as life! 🙂

When do you feel strongest as a person?

Success or achievement will always give me the feeling of strength.

What kind of moments leaves you ‘breathless’? What do you find fascinating?

A macro image that shows tiny detail, otherwise too small to see with the human eye, will always amaze and fascinate me. I particularly like macro insect photography for this reason.

I wish to have more time for…

EVERYTHING!!!….. I need more time!!!

(photography and image-making above all else!!).

In a few years I see myself …

If I had been asked this question a few years back I would never have guessed that I would here, taking part in an interview concerning my work as a ‘digital’ photographer. I guess the future is un-predictable and truthfully, I really have no idea although I would like to think that I could be involved in professional photography in one way or another. I know one thing for sure, whatever I do and wherever I am… I will definitely have a camera with me!!

There should never be boundaries for…

Creativity.