Name/age/what you do

Field and McGlynn: Nick Field, performing artist and musician and Holly McGlynn, fashion photographer.

Combining Nick’s knowledge of bringing performance out during shoots and Holly’s photography skills, we create stunning images that grab artists the attention they need to build their profile and promote their projects. We deliver a 360 service from concept and production to shoot and post-production. 

What does your creative work involve? 

From our initial consultation with the artist we get a sense of what they want their images to evoke and from there we develop a concept for the shoot. We come up with a mood board and start sourcing costumes and props. If our work is in the studio, we’ll start discussing how we want to light the images. If it’s on location, we’ll start scouting for a location – pray for decent weather if outdoors – and decide what lighting equipment to hire. 

Our shoots are famously good fun. There are 90s playlists, lots of laugher, and wine if we’re working late! As Nick is a performer he’s really skilled at bringing the performance out of the artist during the shoot so that Holly can capture it. After the shoot, we start the post-production. We’re both skilled in Photoshop and this part of the process adds a high-end polish to our imagery. 

Describe a typical day

It can involve anything from planning a shoot, meeting with a client, booking a make-up artist, approaching a new client, sourcing props – once a client asked us to source astroturf on the morning of our shoot! We managed it, too, visiting the costume archive at the National Theatre, editing photos, self-promoting and location scouting.

Tell us about one thing in your IdeasTap portfolio that you’re proud of

We’re really proud of the images we recently shot for Hannah Silva’s new show Schlock! produced by Penned in the Margins. We made a serpent out of book pages to look like it was rising out of a book and wrapping around the reader.

How did you learn your craft? 

Nick trained in theatre and performance and took photography courses at Camberwell College of Arts. Has been performing for six years, including two solo shows and an international tour.

Holly worked as a photographer in Dublin before moving to London to do an MA in photography at Goldsmiths. She worked as a fine art photographer for a couple of years and was represented by a contemporary art gallery before moving into fashion photography. She was nominated for Irish Fashion Photographer of the Year 2014. 

Are there any big lessons that you’ve learnt in your career so far? 

Be relentless! No doesn’t really mean no, it means, “Not now”. Next time you’ve finished a project or have a new body of work to show, approach that person or business again and ask, “How about now?” Keep doing that. They’ll take notice eventually!

Say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. You’d be surprised at the power that little word wields because work leads to recommendations, which leads to more work, and so it continues... 

In a parallel universe, what would you be doing instead?

Holly: I’d be well into styling, I think, or presenting my own cooking show! Or running a vintage shop with exotic clothing I source from all over the world. 

Nick: Designing floats for Brazilian carnivals or I'd have a shop that specialised in red velvet novelty cakes.

What are you up to at the moment? 

We’ve just delivered three amazing shoots in quick succession and are keen to keep on that momentum. We’d really like to work with more bands and with some big production companies.  

Who are you looking to connect with on IdeasTap?

We want to connect with performers, artists, bands, and production companies who want images that will help them take it to the next level. There is no fee for an initial consultation and it’s obligation-free, plus we love a chat over a cup of tea or glass of wine!  Find us on IdeasTap, email us at fieldandmcglynn@gmail.com or tweet us @fieldandmcglynn

Would you like to be featured in Meet...? Get in touch ideasmag@ideastap.com 

To be considered, you must have been an IdeasTap member for at least three months, have a photo on your profile and work uploaded to your portfolio. 

For more articles, jobs and opportunities, visit our Photography hub.

Image courtesy of Field & McGlynn