REVEAL: Craig McGuire – Photographer

Written by Jamie Smith on May 4, 2011 in Photography, Reveal Scotland, Showcase

“Because of my disability I tend to work a little differently from other photographers – a calm, creative approach”

Craig McGuire is an amateur photographer from Edinburgh. At REVEAL Scotland, we love discovering new talent that deserves wider promotion: it’s what this project is all about. Here’s what Craig had to say on finding REVEAL online:

“I’ve just stumbled across the REVEAL Scotland website and I wanted to drop you a line to say how great it is to see something like this promoting Scottish Artists. I’m a photographer myself, and due to chronic back problems I need crutches to stand up or walk around. That’s why I find this particular website to be great. Anything that promotes Scottish artists and shows that their work is just as good as anyone else’s is a good thing, and I wanted to wish you the best of luck with it.”

Such enthusiasm could not be ignored, nor could the quality of the photographic portraiture on his website. Craig recently embarked on a project, more of an odyssey really, called ‘Inspiration’ – a plan to photograph one hundred people who, as Craig puts it, “have achieved fantastic things in their life”. Craig felt many of the disabled artists featured by REVEAL would make perfect subjects for Inspiration, and we thought that Craig’s photography would look stunning on our website – a moment of great synergy.

Photography for Craig has clearly been cathartic: he talks about his back pain causing him to recede into himself for a number of years. But the lure of the ever-fascinating human subject has driven Craig of late to find ways around his disability. In fact, he believes it has led him to go about his photography in a unique way:

“Because of my disability I tend to work a little differently from other photographers and bring a calm, creative approach to what I do. Part of that is in the equipment I use for lighting or the positions I take the shots in; part of it is in the approach I take to a shoot. I like to get a really good feel for what it is that we’re trying to achieve.”

Certainly, my REVEAL Scotland artists seem smitten by the warmth and personality radiating from the images taken at our recent round of photo shoots. Craig presented the photographs at our REVEAL steering group meeting, held at Creative Scotland in June, and listening to him talk through his choice of angles, light, colour and effect, it became abundantly clear this is a man deeply connected to his art.

So, what next for Craig McGuire? Well, he’s been photographing some well-kent faces recently including novelist Ian Rankin and musician Dougie MacLean. He plans to hold an exhibition, maybe even publish a book if there’s enough interest. We at REVEAL are confident Craig’s future is a bright one.

You can find out all about Craig’s work and see many more of his photographs by visiting the following links:

Website – Craig McGuire
www.craigmcguire.co.uk

Blog – Craig, Crutches & Camera
craigcrutchesandcamera.blogspot.com

Model Mayhem
www.modelmayhem.com/craigmcguire2009

Deviant Art (18+ – contains some Art-Nude images)
craigmcguire.deviantart.com

Purestorm
www.purestorm.com/profile.aspx?psid=craigmcguire

Facebook
www.facebook.com/craigmcguirephotography

Twitter
http://twitter.com/#!/craig_mcguire73

A selection of Craig McGuire’s photographs

: 'Reflective Thinking' by Craig McGuire
"I shot this image with a friend of mine, Christine Faulds. Chrissie is Scotlands premier art-nude photography model (in my opinion) and she's someone who's been a big influence on my work. On the day this image was taken we weren't meant to be shooting at all. We were hanging out and scouting locations while we chatted when came across this small abandoned boathouse on a reservoir somewhere in Angus. The shot was too good to miss, and I know Chrissie had a lot on her mind that particular day. To me, the photograph captures that."

: 'Untitled' by Craig McGuire
"This particular image was shot two months after I took up photography, before my back went. Erica Von Stein is another model I've worked with quite a few times, and we had a quick discussion about trying to get an unusual shot with nothing other than natural light and a bit of red material. This is the result, and I got my first 'Showcase' with it. It's always been one of my favourite images because I feel the eyes draw you in."

: 'Feeling Blue' by Craig McGuire
"I like thoughtful expressions in images. The blend of expression, outfit and the subsquent edit of the image captured the title perfectly for me. The subject is Scottish model Chrissie Red."

: 'Pixieography' by Craig McGuire
"My first published image. I'd been chatting with Cat Rennie, the subject of the photograph, about doing a series of images making her look like a pixie, and within a week of uploading them I was asked by Digital Photography Magazine if they could publish it. This was taken three months after I took up photography."

: 'Cold Wind' by Craig McGuire
"This shot with Hanne was completely off the cuff. It was very much improvised in the car park fifty yards away on a bitterly cold day. The image was shot on the stone walkway to Cramond Island, Edinburgh. Creativity is one of the most enjoyable aspects of photography for me as it's limited only by your own imagination, and frequently challenges my own perceptions on what is physically achievable to me. There's nearly always a way."

: 'Abbi Being Abbi' by Craig McGuire
"Let kids be kids. Show them as they are, in all their splendour, energy and personality. Abbi Being Abbi is what it says. It's an 8 year old girl getting in the face of the camera and pulling some funny expression, because she finds it funny. One of the reasons why I love portrait photography."

: 'Feminine Strength' by Craig McGuire
"Sarah Anderson, the subject of this photograph is probably the closest thing I have to a 'muse'. We've shot together maybe a dozen times, and tried out many different ideas. This particular image was one we'd spoken about for nearly a year, but only got around to shooting a few months ago. I've long been interested in images that display strong women, and I wanted to shoot something that showed how women can be feminine and yet aggressive at the same time. This was the result."

: 'In The Mix' by Craig McGuire
"I really like images that show there's something happening, that portray some intensity, that draw in the viewer. This shot was taken when I popped in to visit a friend who DJ's for a living. The subject in this image, Kenny Mclean, or 'Honky-Shuffle' as he's better known was busy playing a set while I shot a series of images of him, and you can see the focus and intensity he brings to his craft."

: 'Mini-Muse' by Craig McGuire
"The subject in this photo is Abbi, my 8yr old niece and one of my 'mini-muses'. Trying to get her to sit still for two minutes to take a shot of her can be challenging at the best of times, but I really liked this one. The reactions from others really intrigue me on this particular image too, as its been described as everything from 'breathtaking' to 'put the dog down, damian'. It provokes thought, a reaction, and to me, thats one of the things photography should do."

: 'Naturally Funny' by Craig McGuire
"This is Stevie. He had no idea I was photographing him. The edit on this image is a style I really love. Lots of detail, lots of contrast and no skin work at all. I love capturing real emotion, and I was fortunate enough to be able to grab the shot when the opportunity presented itself. This is also the first image I ever sold. Someone bought it as a postcard!"