Richard Cannon

Cannon by name, Canon by nature – portrait pro Richard Cannon reveals what’s in his kit bag when he goes on assignment for some of the UK’S biggest magazines

Imainly shoot editorial portraits for a wide range of magazines including Country Life, BBC Music and BA Business Life. These assignments take me all over the UK and often to mainland Europe as well.

My style of photography is influenced by my love of surrealism, Dali in particular, and I channel this passion through my ideas, without digital manipulation.

Part of my success is due to being able to create strong and engaging work, even in the most mundane of locations, and my celebrity subjects can often be a little challenging.

I always mix my lighting with natural light and flash heads when shooting outdoors – this gives the image an extra layer of interest. My six Bowens Esprit 500 heads (I don’t always use all six) give me the lighting I need with various light boxes, spill kills and honeycombs, which all help me achieve the exact feel I need. The three travel packs help to power the flash when no electricity points are near and I try to not rely on one particular lighting setup. I prefer to let the moment and location dictate the placement of the stands – it’s quite organic really. The same goes for my lenses: I try various lenses to get that stand out image and I don’t stop until I have that feeling of excitement when I press the shutter.

I’m at most content when I’m shooting, as I am thinking of nothing else except the creative thought process and subject. I imagine it’s the same for how a footballer might get when they’re playing a match… it’s a great feeling!