To Capture the Light: Photographer Colin Faulkner Featured in Journal #369

Though he deems sculpture as his first love, Colin Faulkner has made his career in photography. Raised in Thailand and Canada with an art teacher mother, he began studying sculpture at art school before transitioning to photography. After assisting some of Canada’s top photographers, his commercial career hopped from one specialty to another, including fashion, corporate-conceptual, food, cosmetics, furniture, and interiors. Faulkner is tireless in his drive to bring the best to every project and loves collaborating with creative people in beautiful locations. By consistently capturing the sculptural elements of each, he’s garnered countless awards and industry recognition.

On the subject of beautiful locations, Faulkner’s stunning photography of landscapes, flora, and fauna has gained him notoriety around the world. Take, for example, his photo “6.15.50 am” (above, left) taken in 2005. As beautiful as it is mysterious, Faulkner’s photo instantly transports the audience to the photographed location. He does it once again with “African White Backed Vulture” (below, left), which he took in Kenya in 2019. The photo is part of a larger series featuring the Kenyan landscape, various animals, and even a few locals; some won Gold in Graphis’ Photography Annual 2020 competition.

Faulkner’s talent doesn’t end at nature photography. “Hindmarch” (above, right), part of a series titled “Blocked In”, is one such example. The series, which he shot for Canadian department store company Holt Renfrew, highlights their designer handbag collection and earned him a Platinum award in our Photography Annual 2017. In “Peter” (below, right), Faulkner was tasked with a piece of portraiture. However, since Faulkner is no common photographer, he managed to capture his client in extraordinary detail using direct but soft lighting and a simple background; it was for these reasons he won Silver in Graphis’ Photography Annual 2012. With an eye for aesthetics, Faulker makes the shot dynamic and interesting to look at while never losing the main focus.

Here’s a sneak peek of our Q&A with Colin Faulkner:

Who were some of your greatest past influences?

Irving Penn, Peter Lindberg, and Albert Watson.

Who among your contemporaries today do you most admire?

As my work evolves, this constantly changes for me. I currently admire Ditte Isager and Gentl and Hyers for their ability to achieve a balance between still life and beautiful environmental imagery.

What would be your dream assignment?

I am drawn to craft, whether it is an individual creating unique objects, a chef cooking beautiful food, or a company that believes in authentic, thoughtfully designed, well-made products in any category. Working on a project with one of these clients over a period of time that involves total immersion in their creative process would be incredible.

For more of this Q&A and Faulkner’s absolutely stunning work, as well as work from other featured designers, subscribe and preorder Journal #369 today!