Interview: Veteran portrait photographer Del Francis

This week, we speak to veteran portrait photographer Del. His recent project, featuring brain surgeons at a London hospital, caught our eye and we were eager to find out more about his past, his influences and his work. Read on to find out more.

MPB: Thanks for speaking to us, Del. Please tell us about your most recent project.

DF: I have always been fascinated by surgeons. They spend such a lot of their time in the strange world of the operating theatre; holding the life of patients literally in their hands from one minute to the next. We have all seen the classic generic images of the surgeon with the operating mask on, sweating under the lights as they perform complex surgery. They are, in effect, anonymous in these types of images. A symbol, rather than a person who has worries, anxieties, family responsibilities, aspirations and feelings like everyone else. I wanted to take a completely different angle to capture and illuminate the human behind the mask, the actual character and individual who has dedicated their life to this career. In order to do this, I had to get to know surgeons and gain their trust through my contacts at one of London's oldest and largest hospitals. The title of the project, Portraits to a Life of Dedication, reflects the extreme commitment the clinicians have and the sacrifices they make in order to be top of their field. I got to know the neurosurgeons within the hospital and was lucky enough to have the support of a number of senior surgeons. This opened doors to other clinicians once the project gained momentum.

Before starting the project, I carried out some research to find out if there were any similar sets of very 'personal' images taken of surgeons in the past. To my surprise, I could not find any. The other question I asked myself was in what style I should photograph the surgeons. Would this be a very modern and bright genre, or something more unusual? Something different that would reflect the pressure they face and possibly focus on their strength of character?

As I was walking through the National Portrait Gallery in central London, I stood in front of a set of Caravaggio portraits. I realized that recreating a similar atmosphere around the subject would lend itself perfectly to this project. I wanted to capture a stillness and intensity within each surgeon and organize the lighting and set accordingly. Logistically, planning this was quite a challenge. After discussing the idea with a small set of surgeons, I was kindly allowed to use one of their rooms opposite the 24-hour operating theatre. Within this room, I organized a collapsable studio, which could be erected within 15 minutes.

The key was to be able to capture the surgeons just before or just after an operation as this would be the only time they would be available to sit for a few minutes. And when I say a few minutes, I really mean a few minutes only! When you were in the process of shooting, you had to be very confident and clear in your directions to the 'sitter'. I quickly learned that surgeons don't tolerate any time-wasting. However, I always found that each clinician, even though under a huge amount of pressure, kindly gave me a few minutes of their valuable time to capture their portraits.

Due to the intensity of the situation, you can see the level of concentration on their faces as they are thinking of the operation ahead or one which has just been completed. I hope that the images do justice to visually uncover their internal world to some extent. In all, the project has been extremely exhausting but amazingly rewarding. You have the feeling that you are creating and being a part of something special. Approximately 70 finalized images will be completed for a major touring exhibition next spring of 2020.

Most images were shot on a Canon EOS 5DS, with some shot on a Mamiya 67 on analog film. The backgrounds were sometimes hand-painted canvas or neutral grey. Lighting was studio flash (Bowens) with a mixture of softboxes, reflected and flagged light. The project has already obtained widespread recognition and I was kindly interviewed on BBC Radio London a few weeks ago, covering the project. I’m very grateful for the fantastic support and understanding from St George’s Hospital London and all other agencies concerned.

MPB: What initially drew you to photography?

DF: I originally come from a very rural part of the west coast of Scotland. I always remember my older brother buying a beautiful Minolta 35mm SLR when I was just 15 years old, in 1980. He had just returned from Wales with this amazing camera. He showed it to me and when I picked it up, looked through it and entered that surreal world of living through the viewfinder. I was completely smitten! Since then, I have never looked back. I later studied Photography and Film in Glasgow before pursuing further studies in London towards the end of the 1980s. I was lucky enough to win a European photography award when I was still studying at Glasgow which helped open doors for me in London.

I keep taking pictures, developing my knowledge and style, I’ve never stopped. Artists, dancers, musicians, people in the community, the young, the old and anyone in between - whoever would make an interesting subject. Now, I continuously do photographic art projects concentrating on specific themes that relate to social/cultural issues or the human condition. The first of these projects, a number of years ago, was to capture night-time shoppers in Covent Garden as it was known at the time as a place where people went to meet each other – a sort of early shopping dating scene! We captured people from all over the world and eventually had an exhibition of around 60 large images. 

In essence, I live and sleep photography for the pure love of it. I cannot imagine existing without it. I do it because I have to. It’s like breathing.

MPB: Why do you shoot portraits in particular?

DF: I originally trained as a studio and set building photographer. I found that some of my early images, which I enjoyed the most, always incorporated people. This eventually led to most of my images being portrait-based but within a set built or scenario environment. I have always been fascinated by the human condition. We are all so different. Like vessels filled with a unique flavor and complex storm of emotions and aspirations. So close to each other in many ways, but also so apart - and at times isolated and lonely. Fishing for and at times preserving the 'essence' of a subject always gives me a real 'high'. You can instantly tell when this happens if you are viewing a set of images after a shoot. It literally jumps out of the screen and bites you!

I am someone who loves being around people and learning about people. I listen carefully to everyone I meet and always think about the possibility of creating a situation or scene in which I can photograph them. I suppose that I am not an instant photographer, but someone who gets to know an individual and then plans an image to release their personality. This may involve a special location, designed set or interconnection with other people in the image - a sort of scene from a film at times.

MPB: Who would you say are your biggest influences?

DF: Many photographers and artists have influenced and continue to influence me. On a current basis, I am intrigued by Banksy. His clever, political and satirical view on everyday life is unique. Picasso is always an inspiration, due to the never-ending energy he had. The pre-Raphaelites give me an amazing look into the ethereal world, with their timeless and amazing images of people in states of daydreams and anxiety.

In relation to photographers, I have always been influenced by the masters - Ansel Adams, for his incredible technical and superb understanding of the medium, and Alfred Stieglitz, for his capturing of atmosphere and delicate scenes which are lost in time. Additionally, I respect modern photographers - such as Rankin - for his bold and gutsy images. However, I admit that possibly my all-time favorite photographer is David Bailey. I grew up seeing him as a sort of photographic hero, and I was lucky to meet him on a few occasions over the years. His images are like a bullet straight between the eyes. They are iconic. Not just because of the famous people he captured, but because of his unique capability to pull something special out of his subject. Something that doesn't need any writing to explain. Simply understanding through the photograph itself. A rare talent indeed.

MPB: How did you move from shooting film to digital?

DF: Up until just a few years ago, I mostly shot all of my images on film. Large- or medium-format, usually on slow-speed color neg film, which is more suitable for scanning. I always used Canon for 35mm shots. So, when the eventual transition over to digital came, it was Canon that was the natural choice. I went for the Canon EOS 5DS due to its very high resolution and the superb quality of Canon DSLR lenses. I tend to output many of my images to large prints for exhibitions or shows, so resolution is key. It’s amazing what you see in a large print that just isn't visible on screen. Additionally, you need much larger files to compensate for the high PPI rate.

The exposure technique is interesting in relation to digital. For decades, I used transparency film and had to be very careful not to overexpose. In fact, at times I would pre-expose the transparency film to just lift its values slightly. Especially if I was shooting an image which was contrasty and high key, so that the highlights would hold, along with the long-tail shadow values. This understanding of exposing narrow-latitude transparency film really does help in understanding the technique to obtain the most out of digital. I always err on the side of slight underexposure and try to balance the scene contrast values by adjusting the lighting.

Strangely, I rarely look at the image preview of the shots I take during a shoot and I hardly ever let the subject see them. I believe that this totally disrupts the flow of the photography session. I also tend not to take too many images of a subject, I wait or direct someone until the right image starts to materialize. From time to time, I still use large-format photography to give a style and feel to images you cannot obtain from smaller formats or even through careful digital post-production. I also enjoy the process and technical precision that creates a totally different atmosphere between the photographer and their subject. An intimate stillness.

MPB: What gear do you shoot with?

DF: I use lots of backgrounds, flags and stands to control lighting. Whether daylight or artificial lighting. It’s amazing how much you can control daylight if you perform the old-fashioned techniques of taking away the light. Using black to cut back on reflections, flags to stop light from reaching part of the subject matter, and white cards to push light into areas which were in shadow. I also have various Bowens studio flash units, power packs and softboxes.

I use a Canon EOS 5DS, with just one lens - the 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM. However, I may invest in a 50mm f/1.2 L USM at some point. For film, I shoot with a Mamiya 6x7 with 90mm and 5X4 monorail with 150 and 210 lenses. Tripods - the bigger and heavier the better. I have a few, but the best is a very old Gitzo that must weigh more than 35 pounds! It is a tank, but absolutely nothing moves when clamped to it.

MPB: Could you tell us about any future projects you have in store?

DF: After completing my project with the clinicians, I’m working on We are 1. This project is a celebration of diversity within our culture, and I’m working with London artists and political groups, plus various representatives of the LGBT community to facilitate the project. Starting this month, I’m starting a project with MacMillan Cancer Research, featuring cancer survivors and their life-saving clinicians. In February, I’ll be shooting an exceptionally old bowling club within a small farming village in Scotland that may soon disappear. An intimate reflection of the local characters and residents.

MPB: Do you have any advice for photographers who are just starting out?

DF: It’s a strange old world we now inhabit, with all its amazing technology and opportunities. Mobile phones have now become an extension of ourselves, and people are taking literally billions of images around the world. As technology advances, however, there is the danger that images become homogenized and start to look very similar to each other. Striving for the 'perfect' image, perfect skin, perfect look... I often think about the wonderful artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh's words: "There is hope in honest error, none in the icy perfection of the mere stylist". In essence, push the boundaries and try to achieve something worthwhile by making mistakes and experimenting along the way. Remember that technology is simply a tool you can use to take something out of your mind and transpose it into another medium. Whether it’s a pen, a paintbrush or a digital camera. Do it because you love doing it.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes and learn from them. Be humble in your approach and look at what is on your doorstep. Study art and images from history and also look at those who influence you today. Don't simply copy but use your knowledge and insight to stamp something new on the scene. You will usually find the whole world in your backyard.