Marc Hayden, Freelance Photographer
Hi Marc,
since you started your career in photography about 5 years ago, you made quite a name for yourself. Currently you have over 130k Instagram followers and tons of brands as well as agencies approaching you to work for them. It seems like you successfully made the brave leap to quit the day time job at Apple and turn your hobby into your profession.
How was it cutting the safety net and entering the unknown?
It was life-affirming, that’s for sure. Whilst it was exciting, liberating, and new, it was simultaneously very sobering, and suddenly I became very aware of the fact that the regular pay I used to get from full-time employment, was no longer there. Nothing makes you hustle harder than seeing the bills coming through the door!
You once said that you really got into photography because of the Instagram app on your phone. Do you think you would have chosen to be a photographer if it wasn’t for Instagram?
I think so. I really wanted to leave Apple, and I was longing for a creative outlet, so I think it would’ve happened with or without Instagram. It was actually the phone camera itself that started me off. Having a decent phone with a camera in my pocket was the starting point.
How important is Instagram for you today?
It’s still hugely important, but I’m keen to change that. I’ll always love it, and I will never forget how it changed things for me, but I don’t want to rely on it. Instagram has changed massively; the content, the algorithm etc. and I don’t want to be a slave to it.
Since you upload a lot of your work on the internet, there is a certainty that some photos will be used by others without your permission. What kind of experiences do you have with image theft?
I’d say a bigger problem is people not understanding, or being aware of copyright law. I have had reputable agencies, artist managers and other creatives using and asking me for images with no understanding of how the law works in regards to photos. Many think that if a picture is online, it’s okay to take it and use it. I guess I didn’t know the law before I started shooting, but it’s a real problem.
In 2015 you said “I always check the model’s social media to see how they view themselves and what suits them best.” Do you still do that today?
I will always check it out and see what they like and what suits them. You always have to do your homework and you can never be too prepared!
When looking at your photos, you can really see the model’s personality. What is your advice for other photographers out there, when it comes to making your model feel comfortable?
Well this is what it all comes down to. It isn’t about the lens, the camera, the editing… you always need to have a connection with your subject. I hear loads of stories about creepy guys making models feel uncomfortable and this is a great way to get terrible photos. Models are people. They all have a story. Find out what it is and just chat to them. I always need a coffee to start and being a decent human is always a great start to making a guy or girl feel comfortable.
You have worked for a lot of brands and worked on various campaigns. How do you maintain your style of photography when big brands give you orders on how to shoot?
It’s not always easy, especially when you start out and need to please brands. I’ve done shoots where I was asked to replicate another shooter and that’s so strange to me. I always meet the brand and have a real good chat about what I do, what they can expect and what the brand expects.
Marc, thank you so much for sharing your story with us! One last question: If time, money and other factors did not matter, what would your absolute dream project look like?
Shooting models in their home cities, all over the world. I want the locations, I want the backdrops and I want them now haha.
Find out more about Marc Hayden on his website and check out his Instagram channel!
What to read another interview? Check out our “Unimaginable Landscapes” interview with the photographer Leo Thomas
© COPYTRACK | Jannis Groh
