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INTERVIEW: RHYS BENNETT
Good Loco Sydney photo studio is proud to introduce our interview series ’Shooting Stars’; a
quick chat with some of Sydney’s best photographers, who have been kind enough to pass
on some tips on where to start when looking for photography services.
Today we’re very lucky to catch up with Rhys Bennett, who is the founder of High Voltage
photography and videography services Sydney. The company predominantly covers music
photography, along with portrait works, music videos, and press photos. He has worked
with the likes of Powertrip (USA), FANGZ, Kingswood, Polish Club, and DZ Deathrays.
We’ll dive into topics that cover what to look for when considering photo studio hire,
whether promises of ‘cheap photo studio hire’ / ‘cheap photo studio hire Sydney’ are ones
to avoid or worth looking into and many other helpful bits of information.
Questions:
1: Thank you for taking the time to catch up with us at Good Loco photo studio hire
Sydney. We’ve touched on a brief introduction, but could you please tell us a bit more
about what you do exactly?
I always wanted to specialise in multiple fields, not just photography. So, being able to
specialise in sound recording and mixing, being able to edit together video content and sync
it up to audio, even in regard to live streams, where I’ve had to engineer live sound, has
been imperative for me. Because in this day and age, someone who wants to book you
wants to know that you can cover more than just photography on its own. There’s a reason
why people come to us rather than using their camera on their phone. A phone camera
simply doesn’t cut it for professional photography.
2: When people are looking for the right photographer for their events, what kind of
things should they be looking for and taking into consideration?
My number one rule over everything is to find someone who is pleasant and tolerable.
There is nothing worse than showing up to someone who is shooting you, and they are
wooden and awkward. It will come across and impact the images they provide you. They
should also cater to all environments – in regard to shooting your subject in a dimly lit room,
you may end up with uninspiring photos, so you should definitely look for a photographer
that can use a room to the best of its ability.
3: When the phrases ‘cheap photo studio hire’ / ‘cheap photo studio hire Sydney’ pop up,
should people steer clear of these? Or are there some hidden gems out there that are
affordable and of a high quality?
My answer is usually yes. Ordinarily no, but everything in our space is new, built from
scratch from last year. We run a system that runs on smart lighting, which not a lot of
studios have just yet. So, while you might be paying less, you’re getting the quality out of
brand-new material.
4. When you’re looking at photo studio hire for your projects, what type of features and
services are you mainly looking for?
Obviously, somewhere that has versatile lighting, a space that can accommodate any type
of shoot, whether it’s a music video, a portrait shoot, a gathering of fifteen to twenty people
– a space that you would like to come back to again.
5. What type of shoots would be best suited at Good Loco photo studio hire Sydney?
Portraits are a big one, press photos for bands; using the cyclorama, which is essentially an
infinity space, you have the range to edit the photo however you like. Whilst it is
predominantly a photo space, being able to shoot video here, whether it’s a music video,
dance video, or live stream, the place has the capability to cater to any kind of video needs.
6. As Good Loco Sydney photo studio has just launched, we’re quickly noticing the depth
of aspiring talent that stretches across our great city. Do you have any favourite emerging
photographers that people should be checking out?
Jordan Munns is one of my all time favourite live music photographers. Sergio Martin, Adam Davis-Powell and Pete Dovgan as well. There’s also April Josie, Pat O’Hara and
Ruby Boland. I find myself continuing to come
back to these seven photographers.