Tina currently works or has worked for magazines as variable as Acoustic, Bizarre, Big Cheese, Bass Guitar Magazine, Classic Rock, Decibel, Drummer Magazine, Guitar Buyer, Guitarist, Helsingin Sanomat, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Metro, NME, Practical Photography, Rumba, Terrorizer and What Mobile.
Her work has been published also in various other magazines and newspapers such as French Vogue, Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Observer Music Monthly, the Independent, First Magazine, the Sun and Smash Hits. She has also created book and record covers, sleeves and posters.
Tina has been featured about her photography in British Journal of Photography (Sep 13 2001), Practical Photography (09/2005 and two other times before that), Kameralehti (04/2006), Rumba (July 007) and some regional papers. She is also a critic in Practical Photography (Readers photos).
She has also had six photographic exhibitions.
You’re originally from Finland. What made you decide to move to the UK?
I came here for the first time for a language course when I was only 15 in 1992. I have always been interested in British Popular culture and music - and those were the reasons I originally came here. Punk was my first 'love'.
How long have you been a professional photographer?
I was doing some record company and magazine work back in Finland before I moved here in 2000. In the UK I have been self employed since 2002. However, I started working for NME already in 2001 while working in a picture library part time. To be honest, I got 'sacked' from my picture library job after a while as NME was asking me to do too many gigs and I kept changing the working days in the library. Mind you, I am still friends with my old boss and he said to me that 'he did me a favour' when he let me go.
Where can people see your work?
In www.tina-k.com
I am mainly an editorial photographer working for various magazines and papers so you can also see my work regularily ( in no particular order) in Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Big Cheese, Drummer, Guitar Buyer, Guitarist, Terrorizer, Bass Guitar Magazine, Acoustic, What Mobile, Decibel(US), Metal Maniacs (US), Practical Photography, Rumba (Fin) and Helsingin Sanomat (Fin). I also do shoots for records labels and bands directly + some clothing labels etc. such as Toxico. I was also a year in NME and three years in Kerrang!
Who are your favourite photographers?
Philip Lorca di Corsia, David la Chapelle and Pennie Smith - all for different reasons. There are lots of other amazing photographers, too but I can only name these three right now.
What made you decide to pursue photography as a career?
umm.. I don't know... I have always taken pictures and been surrounded by cameras in that sense that my father used to be keen amateur photographer. I always loved taking pictures and even thought I tried to study something else (Human & cultural geography), I came back to photography. My father used to say that photography is not a proper occupation and that I wouldn't make my living out of it, so I had to prove him wrong.
How important do you think it was to study photography at College?
Well, that is a difficult question as it depends on your own motives, personality and aims. For my confidence it was good to learn more about theories history of photography and most importantly to get more knowledge about studio and darkroom use. In addition, I could use the studios and darkrooms for free (after paying the course fee!). I find it useful too as I am not very keen in self-teaching due to lazyness. However, no one shouldn't have too high expectations that going to study photography in college will make you a professional photographer. You can learn some things in college but others you learn only by doing them in real life. Well, lets put it this way, Rankin studied in the same college as I did, years before me though, London College of Printing (now London College of Communication) but he dropped out after a year or so and look where he is now!
I did only one year course of Professional Photographic Practice because I mainly wanted to learn practical stuff in short period without too much of theory.
Why did you decide to specialize in music photography?
I didn't - it chose me. I have no complaints about that though. To be serious, I started by going to see lots of gigs anyway and then combined two of my 'hobbies' photography and music. A Finnish punk zine wanted pics that I had so that's how I got started.
What was the turning point that helped you get recognized for your work?
NME cover with the Hives?
What perks do you enjoy from your work?
Perks? Get in for free to gigs but hey, I am working!
You are best known for your portrait work. Do you still shoot live gigs regularly?
I do a live gig once a week or fortnight but my main piece of work lays with session work. I can't say studio work as I prefer locations but you know what I mean. Nice set up location.
What advice would you give to the many people hoping to break into the music photography business?
Expect lots of hard work (especially if you a woman), grumpy old men and not much money. However, it's worth it! :)
Do you work with assistants? If so, how does somebody go about becoming your assistant?
I do have assistants but it depends on the shoot whether I am going to use one. I advertised for assistant about a year ago when a very good assistant of mine was leaving and found a few good ones. I think it's more about personality than initial skills that you have before becoming assistant.
Are there any artists you particularly enjoy photographing? If so, why?
Yes there are and they are the ones who don't take themselves too seriously. I feel that photography in the current times is about catching the rare moment, 'not -seen-before- side of an artist' and that is what I aim for and what I enjoy most. I cannot name one artist but for example Fat Mike, Ville Valo (HIM) or Dave Grohl are always a pleasure to work with. Other current big names that I respect in sense of photography are My Chemical Romance and Matt Heafy of Trivium. Actor John Hannah was a very smart and nice person to work with, too.
Ever had any disasters or strange experiences during a shoot?
Yes, plenty probably and I get asked about this all the time but I still can't think of any completely disaster of a shoot. I have always managed to pull it off in a way or another. It may all change tomorrow though! I guess I could mention here a shoot with Jason Bonham. We did it by O2 arena in night time (in freezing November) because he wanted moody and dark.. well, It was hard to get it work and I am not 100% happy with results but it was used in a magazine and they were happy. One photography trip to New York in 2001 also springs to mind... and last month I dropped my flash gun on the floor before taking any single shots in a quick job. Needless to say that it broke in front of my clients and Billy Sheehan and I decided to run to nearest camera shop and get a new one. What else could I do? so I spend most of my fee for the shoot for new flash gun. d'oh.
In what way does your kit differ from live work to portraits?
For photoshoots I have my Lumedyne lights, radio transmitters + possibly the backdrop and stand & poles. I usually take two camera bodies for the shoots too after a failure in the middle of a shoot when I only had one body with me. For live I have usually only one body and three lenses + flash gun.
What kind of photography do you enjoy when you’re not working?
none! : ) No time and no energy. Mind you, when I am travelling, I take pics - and it's mainly for myself.
Do you work with agencies or just magazines?
Yes, I do have two agencies: each for slightly different stuff.
What photograph are you most proud of and why?
My NME cover with the Hives is still one of my favourite shots. I also love my Toxico Clothing style shoots with old cars and various weapons. I also like my 'pin up girl shoots' that i haven't done much but will do more in the future. I am very proud of my pics of Lemmy, John Hannah and Ville, too.
Film or digital?
Digital 98%
Do you still get a buzz from seeing your work on magazine covers?
Yes and it's still a real disappointment when/ if the designer has messed up the pic.
Do you have much of your work displayed at home?
I have one A3 size framed picture of Dave Grohl and another bigger one of my first Toxico shoot. I am planning to change/ add more but I haven't got round yet.
Ever been commissioned for anything particularly unusual?
First Magazine ('thinking women's weekly') commissioned me to cover a news feature about the evacuation of British citizens from Lebanon last Summer.
What’s the highlight of your career so far?
My highlight is that I am getting better and better every day and that I have got this far ( I sound like a politician now!). Some of my highlights can be seen in www.tina-k.com
What would you still like to achieve with your photography?
I want to broaden my subject matter from music portraits to other stuff.. still portraits but more celebrities and even fashion. It annoys me a bit that people seem to refer me as 'heavy metal photographer'. I do so much other music and portraits, too. I also want to be featured in French Vogue again (I had picture in August 2007 issue) as well as other big magazines.
Websites: www.myspace.com/tina_korhonen
www.tina-k.com
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