Hi, I'm Andy. I work away at sea on survey ships, so my time is split between being offshore and being home to pursue my interests — one of which is modelling.
When Slavomir invited me to shoot at his SKphotoART studio I was only too happy to oblige. He's based in Wigan, and I'd been meaning to visit for a long time because of a family connection to the city.
My grandmother was in service in a house there back in the 1920s, and she grew up close by in Up Holland. She died in 2017 at the grand old age of 103. I remember her stories — one of her earliest memories was watching German Zeppelins passing overhead on bombing raids of British cities. I can only imagine the sight of those huge silver ships high in the sky in the days of horse and cart: terrifying and awe-inspiring at once, like something from the future.
SKphotoART sits in a characterful part of town on Jaxons Court, full of interesting shops, bars and restaurants. I parked right opposite the home of the world-famous Uncle Joe's Mint Balls — minty treats so beloved they've inspired at least one song in their honour.
The studio itself is wonderfully charming, the perfect place for creativity to blossom. It's also home to Slavomir's backdrop-painting operation, and it's lovely to think the canvases painted right there end up shipped worldwide to the studios of some of the finest photographers around.
I spent a brilliant day in Slav's company. We chatted all day through the shoot, which ran through several set and outfit changes. It was a long day, but the time flew — one of the most enjoyable, productive and creative studio days I've had. I even left that evening with a fully edited, mounted large-format print of one of my favourite images from the day.
The weather got the better of us in the end, so we didn't get to try the backdrops out in real-world locations. I'm already looking forward to my next visit for more studio time, some location work, and of course more chat. Slav — thanks for a great day, man.