What do you do and how long have you been in your current role?
I am a freelance photographer based in London working for private clients, bespoke event planners, venues (preferred photographer at The Savoy and The Dorchester), charities and corporate organisations. I’ve been photographing events for about four years.
Where was your first job? What was the most important thing you learnt there?
Being a Yorkshire girl, my first job was in the renowned Betty’s Tearoom in Harrogate – a company devoted to doing things beautifully. I learnt the importance of presentation, heritage, attention to detail and making guests feel welcome. After university I moved to London where these skills were to become an invaluable platform when I started working for an events company, The Concerto Group.
During this time, I was given the opportunity to work on a variety of unique projects including the London 2012 Olympic Games, managing two Christmas seasons of events at The Natural History Museum and a host of other exclusive events. As well as working with clients to organise their events, I photographed them. Having meticulously planned the event I had the benefit of pre-empting memorable moments and details, capturing them for my client.
How did you get from there to where you are now?
On occasions I attended events and felt that the photographs did not truly depict the event that I had experienced. It was a natural instinct for me to pick up my camera and do it myself. I wanted to create images that really showed off an event, photographs that captured people’s anticipation, excitement and enjoyment. I started shooting for Concerto’s marketing department, clients began booking me for their events and before too long there wasn’t enough hours in the day. After a couple of years of selling, running and photographing our events I took the decision to bid a fond farewell to my events role and to focus solely on Holly Clark Photography.
Looking back, did you expect your career path to take the course it has?
No, I wanted to be an astronaut when I was younger. Photography was always a passion rather than a career option. I have a degree in psychology, past employment with an events company and now I’m a photographer. The three seem quite random but sometimes I think maybe there is some logic to it all. The common theme being people – interaction and personality.
Would you do anything differently?
It’s very difficult to know where the paths you didn’t take lead to. However, yes there are always things you could do differently, maybe better – hindsight is a great thing. I have a very critical eye of my own work and rarely sit back and take anything for granted. You are only as good as your last job and I believe you can never stop learning.
Who has inspired you along the way?
My dad. He runs his own company and is incredibly dedicated. I call on him for invaluable advice. Although he doesn’t always say what I want to hear, he says what I need to hear.
Sam Gill (original founder of Concerto Group, now CEO of Story Events). He recognised my ‘eye for photography’ as a 20-year-old embarking on my career. Sam’s encouragement and straight-talking approach did not go unnoticed.
Have you ever had a job interview that went particularly well or spectacularly wrong?
Every time I go to meet a new client, they interview me. Hiring the right photographer is such a personal choice. The quality and style of imagery is obviously important, but in an event environment, you also need a photographer who is able to build a rapport with guests - to laugh with them, to blend in. It’s the only way you’ll get the best candid shots – an element of my job that I absolutely love.
Is there a piece of career advice you've ever been told that has stuck with you?
There is a well-known saying - choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. I’ve so far managed to choose a job that I love, but am still working on the latter part!
What career advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
Approach every job with buckets of enthusiasm and knowledge. Make yourself stand out from the crowd.
How do you wind down and relax after a hectic day?
I run. I love to run around London – discovering new places, and little gems that I would otherwise not know about. Failing that, if I’ve been on my feet all day, friends, family, food and wine are often on the agenda.
Want to share your career story with us as part of the ? Email news editor Samantha Edwards to feature in a future How I Got Here.
For more in-depth and print-only features, showcases and interviews with world-leading brands, don't miss the next issue of Event magazine by