Gillian Currie, In Their Shoes

In Their Shoes

How did you approach your first wedding shoot and would you do it differently now? 

When we first started shooting it was over 10 years ago and I think at that time we were battling against a lot of the ingrained traditional stuff that people expected to see. We are lucky now that we have a client base that is looking for that documentary style - so a big part of our job is making them feel comfortable and relaxed being photographed. It’s about creating a mix of storytelling imagery, as well as some more editorial style photographs. We used to be so nervous before every wedding and while we still retain a little bit of those nerves now, we have a much more focused approach – we know what we want to create that day and how we can get the best photography for our couples. 

Looking at your work feels like you are actually there in the moment, the viewer gets more than just the visual facts. How do you achieve this?

I think a big part of this is down to the leg work that we do before the wedding day which is really getting to know our couples, understanding their personalities and family dynamics and how they expect and hope their celebration to pan out. Then it’s really just kind of getting in amongst it. When people are comfortable with you being there it’s easier to take a really intimate candid portrait. Then a lot of the rest of our photography style is really capturing the mood and producing a set of images that feels like how the day felt.

Who is your favourite photographer? 

For me you can’t beat William Eggleston for colour especially and for creating such a strong mood with his photographs.

Name four people whose shoes you would like to walk in for a day.

This is a really hard question to answer. I think firstly one of my favourite, if not my favourite, fashion designer Christopher Kane. I just love his aesthetic and the way he represents Scotland and his crazy creativity. He’s such a creative mind.

I also think it would be very interesting to be in Greta Thunberg’s shoes for a day - I think we all need to gain her passion and drive to help tackle climate change.  

It would be super fun and very interesting to be in Johnathan Van Ness’ shoes for a day. Oh and Lizzo too! 

How do you style your Salt-Waters?

I love that they have that slightly nostalgic feel. I tend to go for a darker shade and they’re so comfortable it means I can wear them when we’re shooting at destination weddings or meeting clients in summer. I feel like they just give me a little bit more polish and I like to style them with a summer dress or cropped jeans and a boxy tee. 

 Describe a favourite corner of your home.

At the moment it has to be this giant really old crumbling sash window we have in our dining room and the most beautiful light in the mornings that hits the wall with a lot of my favourite art and photographs on. It’s just such a joy in the morning to be able to really enjoy the light in your home like that.

What are you listening to at the moment? 

At the moment I’m really loving the band Black Midi. I have a slightly alternative taste in music that I think comes from my emo teenage years.

What’s your advice for young photographers?

It’s a totally different game now than when I started. It’s easier in some ways as it’s so simple now to get your work out to a really wide audience, but at the same time that means that it’s a much more competitive industry. I think my main piece of advice would be that yes, you need to know your market and you need to know what’s going on with your competitors, but really you have to carve your own group because only you know what kind of work you want to create; what kind of work makes you happy and makes your clients happy. It takes a little while to get there so perseverance and keeping the energy for your passion high will help you to create a sustainable business

When we're able to travel again, where would you go and why?

Right now, it would have to be Cape Town which is one of our favourite places to go and stay. Chris has family there and we love the drive from Cape Town out to Betty’s Bay - it’s just the most beautiful place with the loveliest people in such a relaxed and chilled culture and I swear the avocados there are 10 times better. 

Get to know more about The Curries and their work on their website and Instagram profile.

See the full-colour range of our Slider sandals here!