Photographer Tommy Blake

—First and foremost – whom can you name as the best photographer in Lisburn, United Kingdom? :)

—Me obviously :) closely followed by my wife

—Are you photogenic?

—Never, much prefer to spend my time behind the camera

—How did you get in the photography industry?

—I originally started doing landscape photography, eventually I moved on to putting people in them after second shooting a wedding for another photographer I fell in love with the genre.

—What are the most important components of a good photo in your opinion?

—For me real moments that show real emotion top everything else, the technical side of things should be a given.

—Do you love traveling?

—Yes, love it.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—Being a small part of the couple's day and love delivering the images.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—The time spent in front of the computer editing and doing all the admin business stuff can be a bit of a chore.

—What will be the future of photography?

—Have no idea

—What is special in the photography genre you specialise at?

—It's a mixture of them all having shot a few different things professionally wedding photography is one of the only genres that combines most of the others. You have to be able to be a photojournalist, a landscape photographer, a product photographer, a fashion photographer and a portrait photographer every wedding day. It's awesome!

—How do you handle criticism?

—Everyone has an opinion of what they like and what they don't as photographers it's important we learn and take on board any negative comments as well as enjoying the good ones.

—Are there any trends in photography?

—There are always trends in terms of post production and marketing.

—What should be the criteria for a customer to choose a photographer?

—When we got married ourselves someone advised that we should look for someone we could get along with on the day as well as making sure we found someone whose work we liked. For me that was great advice.

—Whose work has influenced you most as a photographer?

—Cliff Maunter

—What motivates you to continue taking pictures?

—Love

—If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

—Jump into pro photography earlier

—Do you like dogs or cats?

—Dogs

—Can you give a few tips for photographers who are just starting out?

—Ignore everyone, do your own thing.