<sub>`contains-mild-peril was recently elevated to Senior Member status, and for good reason.

An active member of the deviantART forums and user community since 2004, he is generous with sound advice and help to the users of dA and has a gallery of high quality photojournalistic images to boot.

His well-received constructive critique on the works of other users has improved the skills of many, myself included. `contains-mild-peril is a prime example of user that makes deviantART the community that it is.

Here follows his interview...</sub>

Introduce yourself! Where are you from and what do you do?

I'm Adam I'm originally from Grays in Essex but via Devon and West Wales arrived in Cardiff. I've just left the sunny Welsh capital for a job with a national press agency in Bristol.

When did you discover deviantART and what made you join the site?

I came across dA at the end of 2004. I seem to remember a mate of mine who stencilled told me about the summer before that.

What got you into photography and what fuels your interest in it?

I started off around 9 or 10 years ago taking photos of friends when we were out skating and riding BMX. I never really followed it up though so it wasn't until I was at university that I really got into photography. I started working on the student paper and seeing my photos published spurred me on.

You've worked very hard to get where you are now. What are your ultimate goals in your photographic career and how do you feel about where you are at the moment?

Ultimately I'd like to work on a national paper or international agency. Reuters is the agency to aim for I think, their work is constantly breathtaking.
As for where I am now I'm pretty pleased! I'm working at an agency considered to be one of the best for pictures in the UK and I know I've got here through hard work.

Most people would love to be paid for their hobbies. Do you get a lot of satisfaction from your work?

I have to say I love every minute of it! It doesn't feel like a real job some of the time. I just love getting up in the morning and looking forward to getting to work.

Is being a professional photographer as glamourous as it seems!? What are the perks and the down sides?

Probably not as glamorous, but then I guess no job is. It takes a toll on your social life for one. My basic day is 8.30 til 6. Usually it's longer. Last week I finished at 9pm three times and one night was still on a job sending images at 2.40am. And if you're doing a watch there's every chance you'll be sitting in one place for a day or two (the 2.40am finish was a day I started at 8.30am for example). Unfortunately there's also the occasional abuse and always the thought that you'll have one chance to get the shot.

But the benefits are great. I work with such an awesome group of people and for every couple of long tiring jobs there's a good one round the corner. Everyone at the agency is talented and very driven so you just feed off it. Plus we get to talk about cameras all day...

What is your proudest photographic moment to date? Which of all your photographs are you most pleased with?

On the first week on the job I did a shoot for the Daily Telegraph. The picture editor rang up afterwards to ask who I was because he was impressed. I think that's my proudest moment to date.

I think the ones I'm most pleased with are [link] and [link] The Iggy Pop one because it was a DD and also because the photographer from Getty liked it (and missed the moment ). And the Brand New shot because I was about to go home, saw the light, fired off two frames (adjusting for the exposure quickly) and that was it.

What type of photography do you enjoy doing the most?

I think still live music when it's a small gig with a band I love. Boysetsfire, Send More Paramedics and Strike Anywhere are all so good and amazing to shoot live.
But that's why I love press, you get to do gig stuff as well as so many other areas.

What advice would you give to anyone wishing to start out as a professional photographer? Is there any advice you wish you had been given when you were starting out?

I think if you're at the stage where you're considering turning professional then the photography isn't the key area. You should already know how to take a good photo and know your techniques inside out.

It heavily depends on which field you're looking to enter but whichever field you're better off learning all the other aspects of the job. So this might mean knowing about tax and accounts or for press photographers knowing your laws well. You need to look into where you can sell your images, whether that's a stock library, print sales or to magazines and papers.

I think taking the photo is the tip of the iceberg. I mean if you have a quick look through dA or Flickr you'll see thousands of good photographers. That doesn't mean they're good professionals though.

What do you make of the rise in the number of photographers fuelled by the relatively low cost, and ease, of the digital SLR market? What does it mean for real established photographers such as yourself?

It's great! It's so good to go to gigs or out on jobs and see so many photographers. Personally I think that it's healthy for the profession that so many people are looking towards photography as a career. I have to be honest though I wouldn't like to be starting out now. When I got my first DSLR I didn't know anyone else with one. And the downside is I now know photographers who have really good kit, all pro stuff, but, to be blunt, are poor photographers.

Ultimately though if your work is good enough then you'll rise above the rest and people will appreciate you more for it.



And finally...



What do you think of deviantART and what have you got out of it?

dA is the internet community that I've really felt a part of. I started using forums years ago in the days of CIX (around 1992-3) and since then been a member of countless social networks, but dA is much more friendly and a lot less ego driven.

It's so good to meet a variety of artists and to see good photography day in day out. I joined Flickr but left soon after. It was a bit too Web 2.0 for me and also their licencing is a bit suspicious (it's a badly kept secret in the industry that Flickr has always planned to launch a royalty free stock service at some point).

I can never imagine attending a MySpace meet, but I get upset when I miss a Dev Meet

You're positive they're out there, but where are all the punk fans!?

Either grown up, hungover or working in Borders!

I still have the faith though!

You fall asleep one night but when you wake up, you're totally buck-naked on the stage of the Albert Hall in front of thousands of people. You can speak sentence to your audience. What would it be?

I think I'd just do the helicopter, self 5 and walk off. If the Queen was there I'd add a bow in at the end.

Marmite?

Of course. A good sauce for meat eaters when you're having steak is the juices left over, marmite and red wine all mixed and heated up. Works a treat! Also a good marinade for Tuna steaks.