Bill Ward is a multi-award winning photographer and actor, born and raised in
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England.
Was there a single event that made you decide to become a professional photographer?
Dawn at Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland, Boxing Day 2009. I’d driven in the dark through an unforecast blizzard, in a poorly equipped Skoda Fabia and literally slid down the hill. Incoming tide, snow on the rocks, not a soul around. Magic time. I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.
What is your favourite location to capture?
Forgive me, but I tend not to be a “capturer” of locations. I have a thing about trying to work WITH Mother Nature, and meet her on her own terms. I try to think of photography as an ensemble creation between me and wherever I happen to be.
Social media – love it or hate it?
Embrace it.
Favourite camera you have ever used or owned, and why?
Pentax K5. Small, mighty. Beautiful picture quality. I loved it so much I converted it to IR.
What’s in your kit bag?
I’m a Pentax Ambassador, so a lot of that! Pentax K1ii, Pentax K3iii, 15-30mm, 24-70mm, 70-210mm, lensbaby, tiltshift. Bucketload of nd filters. Waterproof housing. Wetsuit. I also have a lightweight travel kit of 20mm prime, 24-90mm, 55-300mm that comes with me everywhere when I’m touring with my other day job.
Name 5 essential items in your photography bag.
Wellies (don’t fit in the bag, but they do on my feet). Snickers. Sandwich. That’s enough.
Are there any strange/unusual items in your photo bag? Household bits?
Quite a lot of gaffer tape. Allen keys are useful.
How would you describe your style of photography?
Unashamedly emotional. I’m interested in investigating specifically how it felt to spend this particular time, with this particular place.
What is one thing you have learnt over the past year?
That waterproof housing fails - it’s just a question of when!
What is your earliest memory of handling a camera?
Summer holidays. Kodak Instamatic. Riding on my bike with my brother and taking pictures of other people’s expensive cars.
If you hadn’t got into photography, what do you think you’d be doing now?
I’m an actor when I’m not a photographer, so a lot of that! I usually say that I do both of them full time, which is true.
What is one question you’d like to be asked and never have been?
Hi Bill, this is the RSC. Would you like to play Macbeth?
What is the most random fact you know/love?
That cucumbers are 96% water.
