Editorial fashion photographer Jermaine Francis wants to tell a story. Hailing from Birmingham. Francis definitely knows what he wants from his fashion photography and with an undeniable style, his shoots certainly stand out.
Jermaine Francis wants to tell a story. He knows what he wants, and with an undeniable style his shoots always stand out.
Now residing in London and working for such as British Vogue and Loreal, Frances has a very structured and logical approach to his photography.
Hailing from Birmingham, but now residing in London working for titles such as British Vogue and companies such as L’Oreal, Francis has a very structured and logical approach to his photography.
It is vital to Jermaine that he is telling story with his imagery His photos speak and engage with you. He is selective with his models, making sure they fit with the story, “is was not till I saw the images of David Sims Corinne Day and Glen Luchford, that i saw something different in fashion photography, and the models looked like people who could be my friends or someone i was standing next to me in a club, a real sense of music and rebellion,anti fashion almost, kind of captured the mood of the time. I guess house music, grunge, alternative underground was what we were into. It was about being inclusive it appeared to me rather than exclusive. Also there was a sense of a constructed reportage narrative in the stories, whether on location or in the studio”.
It is vital to him that he is telling a story with his imagery; that his photographs speak and engage with you. He is selective with his models, making sure that they fit with the story: “It was not ‘til I saw the images of David Sims, Corinne Day and Glen Luchford that I saw something different in fashion photography, and the models looked like people who could be my friends or someone I was standing next to in a club. A real sense of music and rebellion, anti-fashion almost, kind of captured the mood of the time. I guess House music, Grunge, Alternative Underground, was what we were into. It was about being inclusive, it appeared to me, rather than exclusive. Also, there was a sense of a constructed reportage narrative in the stories, whether on location or in the studio.”
Getting to this successful and well respected status was not an easy task. Jermaine took on many junior roles and after “endless emails banging on doors” he got to wrok with ‘Dazed and confused’ and undertook work experience with Rankin. He took a lot from his experience of working with Corinne Day (one of Britains most controversial photographers) She was not a technical photographer hence why i was hired but learnt a lot about character, nuance narrative an about fashion being beyond artifice and still have some kind of reality and sensitivity,even if it is in the realsm of fantasy”.
Earning this success
Becoming this successful
Gaining this reputation
… was not an easy task. Francis took on many junior roles and after sending endless amounts of emails and banging on many doors to got to work with Dazed and Confused and undertook a period of work experience with Rankin. He also gained a lot from working with one of Britain’s most controversial photographers, Corinne Day: “She was not a technical photographer, hence why I was hired, but I learnt a lot about character, nuance, narrative and about fashion being beyond artifice and still having some kind of reality and sensitivity- even if it is still in the realms of fantasy.”
Listening to Francis talk about his photography ethics and processes at a FEED seminar, it is clear that the story is t he most important aspect of his imagery. Without the story, the imagery has no meaning, no purpose, the stories influence the photography “ (I’m influenced by) People, characters, film, visual culture, i draw off things that i grew up around, old friends, characters i use to know, ex girlfriends, scenarios i have been in and music.Stuff i understand stuff i care about, like the story of a girl i use to know who was obsessed with looking japanese even though she was caucasion and welsh.We made story around this for Rodeo Italy.”
Listening to Francis talk about his photography, ethics and processes at a FEED Seminar, it is clear that the story is the most important aspect of his imagery. Without the story, the imagery has no meaning, no purpose. He talks about being influenced by people, characters, film and visual culture and explains that he draws on the things he grew up around: old friends, characters he used to know, ex-girlfriends, various scenarios he has found himself in, and music. Francis continues: “Stuff I understand, stuff I care about, like the story of a girl I used to know who was obsessed with looking Japanese even though she was Caucasian and Welsh. We made a story about this for Rodeo Italy.”
Coming from Birmingham he is an inspiration to all at the FEED studio, proving that you can live your dreams and he fully believes in the City and all our creative outlets.
A home grown talent that will continue to be an inspiration and we hope to see him at the FEED studio again in the future, we leave you with a few words of wisdom from the man himself : “The most important thing i shave a point of view, why you are making those images, have a real passion, and you may just make it through.There are no guarantees in life and sometimes the most talented do not make it , perseverance and hard work and good connaections help a lot”
Coming from Birmingham, he is an inspiration to all at the FEED Studio, proving that you can live your dreams, and Francis fully believes in the city and all of its creative outlets. He is a home-grown that will continue to be an inspiration and we hope to see him at the FEED Studio again in the future. Here are a few more words of wisdom from the man himself: “Have a real passion and you may just make it through. There are no guarantees in life and sometimes the most talented do not make it, perseverance, hard work and good connections help a lot.”
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