Russell Perkins (photographer)
San Francisco, California (Bay Area)
Links: Original Feature (more pix) | RussellPerkins.com | rjpphotography@hotmail.com
Model Credits: April Gutierrez (1,6), Breena (2), Angela Breit (3), AJ Archer (4) 
A little Q & A with Russ
Is this your primary job?
This actually is not my primary job, though it sometimes can get busy to the point that it feels like my 2nd primary job! I work as a Cinematic Director / UI Designer in the video games industry, specializing in motion graphics, 3D Animation, Creative Writing, User Interface creation, and more. Being in my position means having to wear different “hats” depending on which tasks are needed for any given day to get tackled, but it keeps things fresh! We’re actually releasing a 3D First Person Shooter game called “Brave Arms” for Facebook July 15th, which is quite exciting…no more simple Flash games or text-based games!
How did you get your start?
I took a Photography class as an elective working with 35mm film in college and at that time, I worked for Outback Steakhouse as a Waiter, which was a terrific place to snag people for my homework assignments. I’ve always been fascinated with people in general, both visually as well as psychologically, so most of my work centered around all kinds of folks who were kind enough to be my “model” for a day and get free pics out of it. Looking at my work from that time period, it was a miracle that ANYONE wanted me to take their picture - it must’ve been out of pity! Word of mouth then began to spread and it wasn’t long before I was taking photos for friends of friends and so forth.
Most people don’t dream of growing up to be photographers, what was your original dream as a kid?
As a kid, I loved to draw. The walls in my room were literally covered from the top corner where the wall met the ceiling, to the floor with drawings I made (I went through a lot of scotch tape!). I’d have a scenario playing through my head as I drew images and I’d make sound effects to help bring whatever was in my head to life on paper. Needless to say, I’ve always had an active imagination! My original dream was to work for Disney as an Animator, but I soon realized just how many frames are needed and I just didn’t have the endurance for something like that. Fast forward to 1993 when Jurassic Park came out and I was blown away with Computer Graphics, thus re-igniting my passion for getting a job in the CG industry.
Any odd jobs before becoming a photographer?
Not sure if what I’ve done would qualify as “odd jobs”, but I have done a few different types of jobs: Bank Teller, Computer Assembler, Game Tester, and Waiter.
What do you enjoy doing outside of photographing beautiful women?
I’m an avid gamer, so video games are a healthy staple of my diet. I also enjoy scouting out new locations for photo shoots, watching movies, hiking, and spending quality time with my friends and family. I also love shooting many different things other than beautiful women. Automobiles, aircraft, HDR, animals, abstract compositions…there’s a lot of differen genres of photography that I enjoy, but not many folks know about…
Are you the designated historian or photographer for family and friends’ events and gatherings?
YES! My parents and relatives tap me on the shoulder from time to time, asking if I can restore some old photos or to take group photos and family events. I’m also the “go to guy” when anyone has a question regarding cameras.
What is your most prized piece of equipment for photography?
I would have to say that my 1979 Canon AE-1 35mm camera is my most prized piece of equipment as it was the first camera I ever used. Also, there is a little story related to it. My parents were coming home from the hospital after I was born, when my dad decided to stop off at a camera store and buy the Canon AE-1 since they didn’t own a camera. My dad gave me the camera when I took the Photography class in college and it has been responsible for my foundation as a Photographer.
What is most painstaking about your job?
I would say the challenge of transferring what I want to do in my head into the final image is what’s most painstaking for me. I’ve always been ambitious and driven in my work and that comes with being super critical of myself. I think of it as “chapters” in regards to my Photography career. Occassionally, I’ll find myself hitting a creative glass ceiling with my work and won’t know how to break past it, so I’ll begin to experiment with different ways to push my work in a new direction. This could be in the way I set up my shots, the equipment I use, or even the editing techniques I play with. I think a lot of artists in various fields deal with this, which I think is great because what we do stems from passion and the desire to improve. No one will ever be the master of their craft. Rather, we are perpetual students, who are constantly learning to take something subjective and present it in a way that is objectively acceptable. You as the viewer notice this I’m sure in all kinds of media whether it be music videos, commercials, photography, movies, etc. - a good example is the 3D movie phenomenon; James Cameron had in his mind, the idea of bringing “Avatar” to the masses in 3D. No one was sure how it would turn out, but he was able to take his method of visual storytelling to a new level, which the masses objectively agreed was, for lack of a better word, “cool” - so now you have many other artists capitalizing / learning from James Cameron’s technique.
What is the most daring or experimental shoot that you’ve ever done that turned out great in your eyes?
Recently, I went back to using natural light for an indoor shoot, which I haven’t done in quite some time. The model was surprised about my approach, but trusted me. I ended up toying with my settings that would offset / interpret the natural light as a color source rather than light/shadow alone. The end result is very cool and is something I plan on using for future shoots!
Does this line of work afford you the glamourous lifestyle you often portray?
This is a good question. To answer it simply: NOPE! There are Photographers out there who do try to live or at least appear as though they live a glamorous lifestyle shooting models, ordering at expensive restaurants, driving fancy cars, spending tons of cash etc. because they are enamored with bringing to reality what their images evoke. I find it quite amusing actually, watching these fellow colleagues (models and photographers) get lost in this fantasy. Reality does set in eventually with some of these people in the form of bankrupty and/or loss of real friends, which is a big wake up call. In my line of work, I attempt to create a final product that represents an idealized vision of what society views as “perfection.” Let me announce this to your readers: NOBODY IS PERFECT. It is because of the imperfections in the world that causes society to be obssessed with creating this insatiable goal of perfection. We all live in a world where nobody is completely happy with the way they look. People who are in the industry are dedicated to working together as a team to deliver the final image that everyone else aspires so hard to become. Make-up Artists, Hairstylists, Wardrobe Stylists, Photographers, Set Designers, a.k.a. specialists all work together to produce this final product. We’ve done our job if you as the viewer have the reaction of “wow I wish I look liked that and had what’s in that shot.” What is nice, is that everyone loves art. Photography is no exception. While I cannot afford the glamourous lifestyle portrayed in several of my shots, I do get to visit exotic locations and meet folks I would never meet if I wasn’t in this profession - all on the client’s dime!
In your experience, what challenges have models presented for you?
Each model presents their own unique challenges. Getting the right angle, having less shoot time than alloted, settling personality disputes between the model and the crew, getting a back up location when the original one fell through, finding another model to replace the one that no-showed, having a model not look the way she does in her portfolio - there’s a lot!
What makes a model most easy to work with?
A model who has the same level of energy, passion, and dedication to the shoot as I do makes a world of difference.
Who is the one model you enjoy working with most, and why?
Oh wow that is a tough one! I’ve worked with so many amazing models over the years, that I honestly can’t name just one.
For most people, being a photographer affords you the opportunity to be very close to models, any encounters/experiences you mind sharing with us that would never have happened if not for this type of networking?
Being in this profession means that trust is paramount. When you earn a model’s trust, your lens automatically becomes a gateway of intimacy and not just because the model may be scantily clad. “The lens” opens up channels of communication that can include things about the model that they’re self-conscious about, relational trials and tribulations, success stories as well as failed stories, etc. I’m a people person - I love all kinds of people. I have made life long friends in this business, helped others get through a hard period in their lives, created memorable moments during a shoot that only the model and I can look back and laugh about, hang out with the models’ boyfriends/fiances/husbands - the list goes on and on. And it’s important to point out that many of them have been there for me as well when I was going through a rough patch in my life. I often get asked “what is it like shooting hot models?” to which I always answer “you really want to know? Ok I’ll tell ya….it’s like having a bunch of REALLY hot sisters, who wish me happy birthday, defend me if I am wronged, cook me delightful meals, ask me for dating advice, and claim they can kick my ass at video games.”
Any closing remarks or comments and future projects you’d like to share? Some things for us to look out for?
Be sure to check out my website RussellPerkins.com for more of my Photography work as well as my Motion Graphics and Graphic Design work!
Thank you so much for giving me some of your time and keep up the great work!
Thank you and happy shooting!
