Q&A with Jordan Banks from Source Images

Yesterday I featured a gorgeous and very sunny wedding from the amazing Source Images. Love on a Cliff Top was a great example of the work you can expect from Source, and today I have an interview with Jodan one half of the husband and wife Duo.

Jodan calls me his biggest fan, just becasue when I find a photogarpher I like I do my best to promote them (not that he exactly needs promoting!!) And after meeting both Jodan and his beautiful wife Ines at the Rock n Roll Bride Party I feel that I know them a whole lot better and hope that we will be able to meet up again soon.

Name and company name:
Jordan Banks of Source Images

How long have you been taking photos for?
Personally 15 years, professionally 11. That even amazes me. I still think I’m 20.

How would you describe your style?
I’m a photojournalist so photojournalistic (is that a word?) I guess

What made you get into wedding photography?
My wife was sick of travelling the world living out of backpacks whilst I was always chasing the next image. Sounds very spoilt when you think about how many people would love to be visiting and working in some of the places we have but it is a lot harder and more stressful than you would imagine. The grass is always greener and all that. Anyway, I needed something to do and fell into weddings when a local planner in Dubrovnik, Croatia (we were living there at the time) asked me to shoot his weddings for that summer. I agreed to undertake the shoots and got such lovely reviews about my relaxed and natural style that we decided to move back to the UK and set up Source Images. The rest is the future!

Where are you based?
Cookham in Berkshire. 20 odd miles west of London

How far will you travel for a wedding?
No limit really. I think the furthest we have gone is Guatemala or Mexico.

How long do you normally spend at a wedding?
We don’t really limit it but I would guess on average it would be 12 hours

What is your favorite bit of technical kit?
My eyes closely followed by my Leica. It cost me more than my car I adore it.

What is it about wedding photography that you love?
I can capture real and genuine emotion. That is what has always fascinated me about photography I think.

What sort of couple would be your ideal couple to photograph?
I don’t really have an ideal couple. As long as they are friendly and trust me that will do me fine.

What celeb would you like to photograph?
I’m not huge on that sort of thing but I guess Keith Richards or Bob Dylan would be pretty cool.

Who is your favorite photographer and why?
James Natchway. He is quite simply the best photographer that has ever lived in my opinion. I can’t really explain his work but google him and then try and tell me you were not moved by his work. I guarantee you won’t be able too.
If you were to get married who would take your pictures / Who did take the pictures at your wedding?
Henri Cartier Brenson would take them if he was alive and one of my associates Sue Castle shot my wedding

What are you plans for the next 2 years?
To take over the world

What in your opinion makes the perfect photo?
Emotion & Honesty (subject & photographer)

What is your biggest achievement so far within your photography?
Besides being featured here, I was highly commended in the travel photography of the year competition in 2007 from 80,000 other photographers which was nice. I guess being published in National Geo should probably be up there too.

What sort of other photography do you do apart from weddings?
Travel and documentary photojournalism. Shameless plug of my work coming up… www.jordanbanksphoto.com

What advice would you give couples when choosing their wedding photographer?
Make sure you love their portfolio and love, well like the photographer and you should do alright.

What is your favorite photo that you have taken?
I have so many favorites but I have chosen this one as it has a bit of a story to it. I waited for days to capture this image in Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. There was an old man who sold homemade ice cream on the opposite side of the street and I would sit and chat to him for hours whilst I waited for all the elements to fall into place. I had seen the wall and sign (Translated; God Loves You) and new the scene needed that something extra to really bring it to life but wasn’t sure what it was or if it would ever happen. Then one afternoon this man stopped, sat down and put his head in his hands and I knew that was what I had been waiting for. I managed to get off a couple of frames and this is the resulting image.

Tell us something about yourself that we may not know, non work related.
I speak Spanish, grew up in Saudi Arabia and have worked as a diving guide in the underwater caves (cenotes) in Mexico.

what do you really love? And what do you really hate?
Love; My wife, tattoos, Johnny cash and Latin America. Hate; Dishonesty, rush hour tubes, hangovers and reality TV.

Thanks so much to Jordan for taking the time to answer my questions, I hope to see more if source images on the blog in the future!

For more information go to:
www.source-images.co.uk
www.sourceimagesblog.co.uk
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