In our regular series Behind the Lens, we get to know the photographers behind the beautiful images that fill the magazine's pages and illustrate our online storytelling at Harper's Bazaar. From celebrity cover stories to fairy-tale fashion editorials, every image is lovingly captured by one of our talented pool of visionary photographers, without whom the brand wouldn't be what it is today.
This month we're getting to know Josh Shinner, who has shot multiple covers for Harper's Bazaar over the years – including Gemma Chan, Maude Apatow, Olivia Cooke, Elizabeth Olsen and Vanessa Kirby – as well as the 2023 Christmas card for William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Here, we get to know Shinner's story behind the lens; how he started his photography career, his favourite shoot to date and the biggest lesson he's learnt from his career so far.
How did you get into photography?
"My mum has a great eye and she used to take wonderful pictures of us as kids. Some of that obviously rubbed off, as I remember the joy of getting films back from Boots fairly early on in life – no doubt with some very average holiday snaps on. It was at university that I realised I could get in to see my favourite bands for free if I just took photographs, which felt like a pretty good deal, so that’s when I really got into it."
What was your first photography job or commission?
"At 17 years old, I worked for a local paper where I covered a garden party at a nursing home. I think my mum even drove me to the shoot. It was a strong start."
What was the shoot that changed your career?
"Music had been a big part of my life for such a long time. Shooting my first album cover for Laura Mvula’s 'Sing to the Moon' debut, and seeing the vinyl with my photograph in the shops, really made a big difference – both in the level of work I was getting but also how I saw my own work."
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
"Be nice to people and wear comfortable shoes."
Which person or location that you’ve shot stands out the most?
"Shooting on the summit of Mount Snowdon for Bazaar, having trekked up there with backpacks full of fashion, was pretty special. We were up in the clouds, there was next to no visibility and I was starting to wonder what the hell to do. Then suddenly, the clouds parted and we were left looking and feeling like we were on top of the world. Then followed a frantic 15 minutes trying to get as many shots done up there as possible."
What’s been your favourite Bazaar shoot and why?
"I still always think back to the first shoot that Cathy Kasterine and I did together in the Lake District. The story was all about wild swimming and the incredible Amber Witcomb and I both got in the freezing water multiple times to do some underwater shots. I had to wear a 20kg weight belt so I’d be heavy enough to sink a few metres down and I remember holding my breath and sitting on the bottom of the lake taking a photograph of Amber swimming over me on the surface and thinking that this is an interesting career I’ve chosen."
Who or what do you find interesting subjects to photograph?
"I’ve always loved portraiture and the people I most enjoy photographing are those that take some warming up. Maybe they’re nervous or they don’t want to be there, or perhaps they find having their picture taken as pleasant as going to the dentist, but I love trying to make those people feel at ease and chatting to them – normally about anything other than the shot we’re about to take – then making them comfortable enough to take a good picture. The feeling when it all comes together and you make something you’re both happy with is hard to beat."
What makes a good photo?
"Different people will give you different answers, but to me, a good photo is when there’s a fleeting moment of connection between the sitter and the lens in that small second. It’s the magic that happens in those few feet between two people, who might have just met or might have known each other for decades, that I find so special. When you look at a photograph and find yourself wondering what they were thinking about, what they’d just been discussing or you just feel inexplicably drawn to their gaze – these are all things that make for a compelling photo in my opinion. Trying to find that magic will always be what draws me to photographing people."
Shop Josh Shinner's work online here.
