Elliot Masters | Interview
“I slow down and think more. I have to be selective, but still take risks and not hesitate too much.”
Elliot Masters is a truly talented individual whose passion shines through in everything he does. Elliot wears many creative hats: he's a brilliant photographer, a skilled illustrator, and a talented designer. While his journey into photography began with a technical spark, it has beautifully evolved into a profound artistic expression.
His background in illustration deeply enriches his photography, allowing him to see light, composition, and colour with a unique and discerning eye. As a photography teacher, Elliot finds immense joy in nurturing the creative journeys of his students, guiding them to discover their own unique visual voices.
Beyond his impressive talents, Elliot is a down-to-earth individual, and it's clear his enthusiasm for art and teaching is infectious.
© Elliot Masters
JLH: To start, could you tell us a bit about your journey into photography? What sparked your initial interest?
EM: My initial interest in photography came from my dad—he gave me his SLR to take to university, as my course required me to have one.
I first got into photography more from a technical point of view, drawn by emerging technologies, rather than the artistic side. That’s all changed now. While I still love the tech, I’m far more interested in the intent and outcomes of the work.
Originally, I wanted to focus solely on making it as an illustrator, but over time, photography has taken over bit by bit—at work, through personal projects, and commissions. I love art but I enjoy teaching photography more and that’s the direction I’m leaning into in my career.
JLH: With your background in illustration, how do you find that creative foundation influences the way you see and compose a photograph? Are there any unexpected connections you've discovered between the two?
EM: I find I look at light differently in my illustrations and artwork as a result of my photography. With both, I try to think about lines, shapes and structure, but also how the colour works. I try to keep a limited colour palette in my artwork, and the photos I’m happiest with are also limited in colour.
© Elliot Masters
© Elliot Masters
© Elliot Masters
JLH: As a photography teacher, what's the most rewarding part of helping others discover and develop their photographic voice?
EM: There’s so much that’s rewarding, so it’s hard to choose.
I have an A-Level photography student who has got into shooting 35mm film. When I’m on Monday morning duty, at the school gate, he comes up and shows me what he’s got back fresh from the lab. That kind of enthusiasm is so great to see, that’s a real highlight to the job.
Watching these young people develop from the start of their photography journey to that point before they move on to bigger and better things is an absolute privilege.
JLH: Film photography seems to be experiencing a wonderful resurgence. What drew you to shooting film as a hobby, and what do you love most about it?
EM: Digital fatigue! Lockdown felt like such a huge amount of time was spent in the virtual world, and the advent of AI meant it was time for a change. I love the way it makes me slow down, think more about the shot. I love both film and digital photography, but I prefer my film outcomes.
Also, it’s so good only sifting through 36 shots rather than the hundreds I take on a digital shoot!
JLH: Do you have a favourite film stock or camera that you keep coming back to? What makes it special for you?
EM: I’d probably say Kodak Portra 800 is my favourite stock that I keep coming back to. I love how versatile it is in all conditions and shooting it one stop overexposed in the daylight gives the colours a real punch. I do have to give a special mention to Lomo 800, I’ve only shot one roll of it, but I loved how it rendered every photo.
JLH: For those who might be new to film, what's one piece of advice you'd offer to encourage them to give it a try?
EM: Have fun with it. From a practical point of view, get a flexible film stock, something that’s 400 ISO or above to compensate for not being able to adjust your ISO like on digital.
© Elliot Masters
© Elliot Masters
© Elliot Masters
JLH: How do you see film photography fitting into the modern photographic landscape? Is it more than just nostalgia?
EM: That’s a good question. Personally, I think film is becoming more special as the cost involved makes you be more considered with what you do. There’s more process, it’s meditative, it requires patience in a good way. In a world with everything instant, AI, auto eye tracking, intelligent focus modes and so on, it’s so satisfying to have more input, kind of like driving a manual car.
I reckon film will continue to go in the direction of being used for high end commercial work. Both film and digital are great but for me its not just about the outcome but the process.
There is a degree of nostalgia in the aesthetic but I think that’s through our association to imagery of the past and the aesthetic.
I was testing a Canon R8 the other day for work, the autofocus on it is incredible, it locked onto and tracked the subject’s eye from 15 metres away no problem, absolutely amazing. You can’t do that with film, but for me, right now, I find film photography so addictive and more creatively fulfilling.
The ability to have a choice in media is so good, you can pick and choose what works best for you as a creative or for whatever the situation dictates for you.
JLH: When you're out shooting film, do you have a particular process or mindset you get into?
EM: I slow down and think more. I have to be selective, but still take risks and not hesitate too much. Typically, I shoot one stop over box speed in daylight, and I use box speed in low light.
© Elliot Masters
JLH: Are there any photographers, past or present, who have significantly inspired your work, either in film or digitally?
EM: Jason Kummerfeldt has had a big influence on my film work, especially over the past two years—and we’re both fans of the painter Edward Hopper. I love the work of Jason Lee, I’d love to go back to Texas and shoot there on film, his work is so inspiring. I’ve also really been enjoying the work of Sissy Lu, and Birgit Buchart.
My close friend Mars Washington has always been a big inspiration—he’s an incredibly talented photographer and director, and I’ve learned a lot through our friendship.
Although not a photographer, I find that filmmaker Wes Anderson has big influence on my work in terms of composition and use of colour.
JLH: What's one of the most memorable images you've captured on film, and what's the story behind it?
EM: Probably the Brighton i360 tower, just before it closed down. I was walking from the pier toward it, and the light was amazing. I had to run to get to the right spot in time as the light was hitting it during its descent, so I didn’t miss it before it made its way back up again.
© Elliot Masters
JLH: You must see a lot of students come through your classes. What's a common misconception about photography that you often try to correct?
EM: That photography is an easy way to get a GCSE or A-Level! Or that the more expensive the camera, the better their photos will be. I show them examples of photos I’ve taken on my £10 eBay Canon film camera vs my Fuji x100 to counter the equipment prejudice.
Beyond the technical aspects, what do you hope your students take away from your photography lessons?
Hopefully inspiration to pick up a camera and go shoot. If you’ve managed to get a teenager to do that in their own time, that is such a big win. I also try to get them to consider being a storyteller and have an intention with what they’re shooting.
JLH: Illustration and photography both tell stories. How do you approach storytelling in your own photographic work?
EM: When shooting my local area, I have tried to capture the area positively. There’s a particular perception of Dover and South East Kent, and I’ve tried to capture the other side of the narrative. There are so many beautiful areas and buildings which often go unnoticed.
© Elliot Masters
JLH: Do you ever find yourself sketching out ideas for photographs before you shoot, perhaps blending your illustration background with your photography?
EM: I write out “set lists” of locations and doodle around them in my sketchbooks.
I’ve done the opposite as well: Years ago I got back from a trip to New York and was editing some of the photos on my iPad. For some reason, I just started doodling on the images and that led to a big body of work, illustrating over my photos. From this I got to collaborate with some amazing photographers such as Chio Fernández and Felix Graf, illustrating on their images.
© Elliot Masters
© Elliot Masters
© Elliot Masters
JLH: What's a current trend in photography, digital or film, that you find particularly interesting or exciting?
EM: The social side of photography is picking up more. It seems to be really big in America with events like Beers and Cameras. UPC are flying the flag in the UK and your euro trips. Filmprocessing.co.uk are putting photo walks out there, all this inspired me to run one in my local area. It’s great seeing the photographic community come together more.
JLH: If you could give your younger self one piece of photographic advice, what would it be?
EM: Buy as many Yashica T4s, Leica M6s and Mamiya 7s as possible and keep them in the box! (Keeping one each for myself).
Other than that, stop worrying about camera gear and go out and shoot more.
JLH: What's a challenge you've faced in your photographic journey, and how did you overcome it?
EM: Imposter syndrome. Coming initially from an art background, I felt like a bit of a fraud teaching photography in my early teaching years, but I eventually realised it meant I could bring something else to the table. Photography is art; you just use a camera as your medium instead of a pencil or brush.
JLH: When you're not teaching or shooting, what other creative pursuits do you enjoy?
EM: Portrait painting, It’s where I started off and I’ve come back to it recently.
JLH: Looking ahead, are there any exciting projects or photographic adventures on your horizon?
EM: Contributing work towards the UPC 2026 Open Exhibition project.
I’ve got a feature in the upcoming Low Quality Film Society zine, which is all about light leaks on film.
If I can find the time, I’d like to run another photo walk in Dover this summer.
There’s something else really cool happening, but that will be announced in July.
© Elliot Masters
JLH: Finally, for our UPC members, what's one general piece of advice you'd offer to help them continue growing as photographers?
EM: Just enjoy it, if you can spend time in any capacity being creative then you are a very lucky person.
JLH: What has been your experience with UPC so far?
EM: So positive. UPC is a great, supportive community of very talented photographers. I enjoy reading the newsletters and the social feeds showcase some truly inspiring work. Everyone I’ve spoken to has been so nice and generous with their time.