Jason Starr and the Vantage Point from Australia’s Studio Sixty

Australian wedding photographer Jason Starr has a relatively simple yet highly effective formula for success in a competitive arena, and it’s a strategy that small studios anywhere might well adopt. The first, and fairly obvious, aspect is to produce great photographs, followed closely by “dare to be different, and provide good old fashioned personalized service.” In combination, those three elements make Starr’s studio stand out. That, in his estimation, is what sets him apart from many others in the field.

“What I have learned in the last 12 years is that every good photographer’s work is different from others, and it really is a matter of educating people to be able to see the difference,” Jason says. “That is how you stand out. The work does speak for itself but, as well as that, the whole package helps you to become distinct.”

Studio Sixty, Jason’s wedding and portrait studio in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, aims to be more mobile and cutting edge than bigger studios. “We don’t have to play it safe like the larger studios, so we can offer young couples a fresher, contemporary look to their wedding photography,” he explains. “We are not afraid to be different and challenge ourselves in that area. On the other hand, we do offer traditional personalized service to all our clients, and because we are a smaller studio, can afford to do that.”

While Jason has been a full-time professional for the past 12 years—and is recognized as a Master of Photography by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography and has received numerous other prestigious accolades—he says he feels as though he has been working as a photographer his whole life. Jason is something of an exception in the Australian wedding and commercial photography industry. He has a formal education in photography, gaining an Associate Diploma of Photography from the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, after four years of part-time study. While completing that course, he also worked in the retail side of the business with well known Andersons Camera Repair. “While that was a long time ago, I still apply what I learned there, and the experience not only honed my sales skills but also my ability to relate to people in a professional context.”

On reflection, Jason says that teaching business skills was not a priority of his university’s photography program (unfortunately something common to most creative pursuits) and he was lucky to join a network of local photographers who advised him on business development, strategies that worked and those that didn’t, and how to grow as a professional photographer. The Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) has also played an excellent role in improving business practices, but educating emerging photographers to value their rights is an ongoing issue, especially as more enter the field. “There is a reasonable number of photographers in our regional marketplace—it is not overrun, but it is growing all the time,” Jason says. “In the commercial field, most head offices of large commercial clients are located in Sydney and Melbourne, so photographers in those areas usually undertake the work. However, in Southeast Queensland, wedding photography is growing at a fast rate, with many emerging and student photographers recognizing the financial opportunities and moving into the marketplace.”

The main concern with this infusion of new photographers is the proliferation of discount service providers. “Many new photographers are willing to hand over their intellectual property to get a foothold into the marketplace. That is where the network of local photographers comes in handy—we work together in sharing information about how best to work in the market without damaging it. There is room for more photographers as long as they adopt good business practices. AIPP helps by running professional development courses for young and emerging photographers and advises on how best to make their business survive and thrive. As photographers, our intellectual property is the most valuable commodity we have. Giving this to clients for free, or at low cost, just undervalues what we do. Over time, practices like that will eventually damage the marketplace for good. The more we as photographers can assist younger and emerging photographers, the more likely there will be a thriving industry in the future where we all can succeed,” he says.

There’s no denying that Studio Sixty has made its mark in wedding photography but, in truth, Jason’s talents are multifaceted; he also thrives in fields such as general commercial, corporate and fashion photography. With seemingly little effort, he can transition seamlessly from a portrait session to a corporate assignment. The key is quite simple: He is a people shooter. “I admit that I am lucky because the central theme to my work is people—it may be a wedding, a commercial shoot or a portrait, but fundamentally it is about people, and I aim to capture what they want to convey,” he says. “Because of this similarity, it is easy for me to move across each of the disciplines and for them to feed off one another.”

Jason’s general approach to assignments is that each has a list of “must-haves,” and he plans accordingly. As an example, at a wedding, the must-haves include shots of the father and bride, mother and bride, and the groom and his family. Jason’s images show that he is an accomplished visual storyteller, his work capturing both the emotion and the essence of the day that are portrayed in memorable moments. “It would be remiss of me not to make sure they have those moments captured. The whole event is a story, but it is the way you take those photos that makes them less like a tick list and more like an important story in the lives of the people involved. Such things as how Dad looks at his daughter; those looks and tears; Mum and her son just before the service; her straightening his tie or making sure his hair is neat. Weddings always present powerful moments, and I aim to capture those moments. I think it is probably similar to writing a book—there is always a beginning, a middle and an end, but the story is always different. A writer says it in words; we tell it with photographs,” he says.

Planning is paramount, and Jason always tries to get to know the couple before the wedding and then portray their individuality and personality through his pictures on the day. “I watch the way they relate to each other, little things such as how they look at each other and the things that make them unique as a couple,” he says. “It takes practice and experience, but over time you develop a knack of being able to do that. Each wedding and each couple have their own personality, and I do my best to convey that with my images.”

Jason adds, “Planning also includes meeting with the couple twice before the event—once to get acquainted, talk about my work and their plans for the day. Then we meet a second time for a pre-wedding meeting to discuss times and locations on the day. I also arrange an engagement portrait shoot so I can gauge the best angles and better study how they interact. It’s all a process to ensure we feel comfortable working together. Sometimes brides have specific ideas about what shots they want, and I am happy to accommodate them as long as they fit my general style. I try to avoid shots that are too posed or old fashioned. Generally, they are happy with my work and style and hand over the reins so I can do my job, and they can relax and enjoy the day. I haven’t had a dissatisfied customer yet! Usually it is a combination of my experience that delivers those must-have shots and my enjoyment of the day that delivers the candid shots of those special, memorable moments.”

Another important facet of Jason’s approach is listening to his clients and being flexible, willing to accommodate clients’ requests with the proviso they gel with his general approach. “I am flexible and happy to work with the bride, groom and their parents to make sure they get shots they will cherish. But I don’t really have a modus operandi when it comes to dealing with people—I am too busy listening! Australians are an informal bunch and are happy for you to move about the day as unnoticed as possible and take photos of them. They are also pretty keen to get those important family shots as well, so we usually have a happy balance,” he says.

Jason is pretty flexible in another way too—he’s fit and agile. And he often puts this skillful athleticism to good purpose, bounding onto the roof of his car or climbing a tree to get an unusual overhead angle. “Some shots need a wide- angle view and from above, so being agile and fit enough to climb to a vantage spot has its benefits,” he explains. “Also, these informal shots are usually towards the end of the day when people are more relaxed, and they seem to enjoy the spectacle of the photographer climbing up a tree or something like that. It’s all good fun, and I have made some great shots that way—as long as I don’t split my pants climbing down.”
Unlike many of his colleagues, Jason travels light and prefers to work alone without an assistant. “I use only one camera and no tripod, my shots are generally not posed, so I really don’t need an assistant. My aim is to be as unobtrusive as possible—like the environmentalist’s message, ‘Tread lightly,’ ” he says. And, being without an assistant, he keeps lighting simple, using ambient light and relying on a steady hand; he rarely, if ever, uses electronic flash. “Here in Australia, we don’t have a shortage of daylight, so I am lucky because it has to be my favorite—especially in the late afternoon or early morning when the angle and color are just right.”

Shooting digitally allows Jason and his team to control virtually all facets of photography and postproduction, with the exception of printing, which is outsourced. “I capture mainly in JPEG, however, some of my commercial work is shot in RAW,” he says. “Because I do shoot a lot of material at a wedding, I like JPEG, as I never want to miss that one great shot. My workflow is mainly automated, and I have a great technical assistant who helps me out with album plans.”

Jason aims at the high end of the market but is able to offer competitive fees by keeping overhead low—another benefit of operating a small, cost-efficient studio. “I would say that I am very affordable to the mid- to high-end clients and within reach of most couples. Compared with how much some couples spend on food and flowers, which last only a day, my photography is a steal!” he says.

Like most other small photography businesses owners, Jason concedes that it’s easy to feel isolated and urges colleagues in similar situations to get involved with professional groups. To that end, he has become involved with the AIPP and has been the Queensland State president of the organization for the past six years. “What we [photographers] do is often very isolated, and we do work on our own for long periods of time. This is where industry groups, such as the AIPP here and WPPI in the United States, offer not only professional development but also a chance to get to know fellow photographers and occasionally meet with them. You also get to mix with photographers whose work you have admired. WPPI offers that on a more radical scale—and that is something I am keen to get involved in! Hopefully my trip to Las Vegas next year will help me continue to build and develop ties with my colleagues in the States,” he says.

Jason is quick to praise great photographers who have influenced his own work, either directly or indirectly, and lists the early Magnum photographers among those whom he admires. Others who come to mind are David Oliver, Sebastião Salgado, Ian Wilkinson, Marcus Bell and Steve McAlpine.

Even though Jason Starr maintains that he really has no specific style, so to speak, he and Studio Sixty have certainly made an impact on the Australian scene. “My style is trying to have no style,” he says. “I aim to capture the moments as they happen with the least amount of interference from me.”

At a time when many businesses strive to get bigger and bigger, Jason is sticking to the successful formula of delivering great photographs, daring to be different and, possibly most important of all, giving clients an all too rare commodity in business today—good old-fashioned personalized service. It sounds simple, and in reality it is, but it takes special talent and dedication to make it work. This master of photography has all of the above.

To see more of Jason Starr’s images, visit www.studio60.com.au.

Peter Skinner is a freelance writer, photographer and author with more than 25 years experience in the photo industry in public relations, media liaison, corporate communications and workshop production and coordination. His magazine articles and photography have been published internationally and he has co-authored or edited numerous publications and books including the 5th and 6th editions of the ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography (Allworth Press). His latest book is Sports Photography: How to Capture Action and Emotion (Allworth Press). He can be reached at: [email protected].