‘Bodies At Work’ by Rob Woodcox

Rob's photographic journey

I’ve always thought of my work as a sort of realistic surrealism. I grew up with a big imagination, always thinking about and drawing other worlds. Early on in my photographic journey I started arranging props and costumes and bringing my friends out to nature to create imaginative compositions, telling stories inspired by emotional experiences, current events, and different cultures that I would encounter. I never let my inner child fade. As my work has developed I aim to showcase the beauty of humans integrated back into nature – living in harmony instead of opposition to our natural environment. I imagine a world where we nourish the planet and each other. We are part of this ecosystem, not separate. I’ve been inspired by great minds like the late Jane Goodall, Sebastião Salgado, Nemonte Nenquimo, Mahatma Gandhi, Xiye Bastida and David Attenborough – who all spent and are spending their lives reminding people of this important truth.

I was 18 years old – I had just graduated high school – and I remember feeling pressure from all the authorities in my life to choose what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I remember adoring the camera as a form of documentation and exploration in my teenage years. I had never taken it seriously as an artform, but I felt drawn to learning more, as I had always been artistic and loved connecting with people. I enjoyed seeing people’s reactions when I took their portrait and shared it with them. I had an intuition that I needed to go to a photography school and I was lucky to discover Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor Michigan, near where I grew up. This school had a state of the arts photography program despite being a very affordable school in the United States.

I’m so glad I trusted my intuition.

I dived into it with my whole heart and soul, practised with film and digital cameras practically every day until I felt I had begun to truly understand the technology. I had incredible teachers like Don Werthmann who imparted great wisdom upon me. The spiritual and conceptual journey has been a much longer one. I guess that journey will consume my entire life.

Photographing the human form

I’ve always been a very social person, I’m interested in all cultures and ways of life. I love a deep conversation and getting to know someone’s vulnerable side. I’ve always joked that I must have “Can I help you?” written on my forehead because no matter what kind of day I’m having, people will still approach me on the street and ask for help, directions, or just start talking. I don’t see this happen to all of my friends! I suppose I’m giving off an approachable energy, and this translates onto my sets as well. I love humans and living on this planet. I grew up hiking and exploring nature, and I saw an opportunity at a young age to create a bridge between humans and the natural world, to help people see themselves in nature once more. That’swhen I started photographing people in nature. I began writing poetry, often inspired by my experiences in the wilderness or my emotional journeys with love and other emotions, and I’d envision these harmonious photographic compositions as a result.

Photographing the human form just came naturally to me, so it made sense to keep going in that direction. I remember the first time I worked with a dancer, I asked her to express an emotion, and with barely any direction she moved into this beautiful, powerful pose. That’s when I realised I wanted to keep working with people who really understand their bodies and can bring the stories in my head to life. I love witnessing the moment someone pushes past a fear they didn’t think they could handle, or finally nails a movement they’ve been training for years to achieve. Sometimes my models face real challenges; the cold, the height of a mountain, or harsh desert winds. I’m always there, encouraging them and making sure safety comes first before any shot. It means a lot when people tell me my sets are the safest and most enjoyable they’ve ever worked on, that’s something I take real pride in.

I’d never seen anyone creating compositions like mine before I started. I’d noticed that kind of framing and balance in paintings, but not in photography, at least not in the way I imagined it. One of the biggest compliments I can get is when someone says, “I thought this was a painting.” I love pushing light, composition, and colour to the point where a real, live moment starts to feel like a painting.

Creative ethos

I aim to work with brands that feel aligned with my ethos, brands that are empowering people or protecting the planet. My goal is to always find brands that are doing both of those things. I enjoy creating with communities that move my soul. When I have the space to create personal work it always involves nature and community. I have various series of work – Bodies of Light, Interconnectivity, Queer Love, Honey to the Moon – and beyond, they are focused on a variety of subjects that I hold dear. Much of this work can be seen on my website and instagram.

Right now I’m really excited at the idea of building sets, shooting underwater, creating sculptures and writing new stories that I haven’t told yet. I’ve actually been exploring cinema for the last few years; on this recent NikeSKIMS campaign I directed moving visuals in addition to photography, and I’ve had a personal short film circulating festivals for the last couple years, as seen on Nowness. Dance, travel, gardening, hiking – the details I observe as I move through these passions also inform my perspective in photography.

I love connecting with people. I love how photography creates a sacred space where people allow themselves to open up in a way they wouldn’t normally on the street. It feels like a super power to create a safe enough space for someone to express vulnerability in a world that’s often full of pain, judgement and tragedy.

I think photography, and art in general, is not valued as it should be in society. Artists are seen as a luxury, or as a waste of resources by many in positions of power; however art is one of the pillars of our existence – it is the purest and most natural form of expression in all its manifestations. It’s what makes life on this planet more interesting, enjoyable and bearable in challenging times. Art is the language of imagination – something we need in order to grow, adapt and change as the world does. To build something new, you must first be able to imagine it. I hope to live to see a day where artists are taken as seriously as doctors, construction workers, lawyers and the likes.

Choosing medium format

My photography feels like its own world. I shoot landscapes and compositions full of intricate details, details that deserve the scale and quality only a medium format camera can capture. I’ve also had the honour of working on large campaigns, both commercial and advocacy-based, that end up on billboards and screens around the world. Medium format really elevates those visuals, giving them that smooth, clean, high-quality finish that makes them stand out even more.

I historically photographed with a Canon DSLR camera. I still love that camera, but I have to say – the functionality and sleek nature of the Phase One is definitely stealing my heart.

Before shooting with Phase One, I used a method called expansion to create a medium format effect,by capturing multiple images of a scene and stitching them together, I knew I wanted the medium format look even with my DSLR camera. This adds so much editing time, whereas just shooting on medium format makes a single image so much more elevated in depth and quality.

I still use my DSLR for personal or travel projects where a larger camera isn’t as practical, but I’m keen to explore more of the Phase One range and see how different models could fit into my workflow. Right now, I mostly use Phase One for commercial shoots, but I’d like to start bringing it into my personal work too.

Why Phase One?

I’ve had the chance to shoot with Phase One thanks to CAMP, who brought me on for commercial projects like the NikeSKIMS campaign and made sure we had the budget for the best possible equipment. It really paid off, the final work has been seen in major cities all around the world.

Phase One is such a powerful camera, it delivers incredible resolution and quality so effortlessly that it lets me focus completely on a single composition. I actually work faster with it, because I can give my full attention to one moment at a time, knowing that with good direction, I’m already getting the best possible results. The Capture One software also fits seamlessly into my workflow, it’s brilliant for quick edits and client reviews, helping me show what I had in mind almost instantly, which always makes for a happy client.

I’ve recently worked with the 100 Megapixel camera body, 40-80mm zoom lens and prime lenses ranging between 28 to 80mm. That focal range is the window I love to capture people in their environments – any wider feels too distorted unless I’m going for a specific effect, and any longer starts to feel too compressed and flat.

I think the 100MP body is the perfect balance for my style and workflow – it is elevated from a DSLR – giving me that creamy, gorgeous, medium format scale, while also not being so big that the files become more lofty to handle.

I love the 40-80 zoom lens – it’s all my favourite focal lengths in one lens, which allows me spontaneous flexibility and diversity while shooting.

Exploring filmmaking

I genuinely believe we have the power to change the world by sharing beautiful stories that matter. Right now, I’m developing a climate film that brings together my love of photography and filmmaking. As we create the film, we’ll be capturing striking art visuals to help promote it and raise funds through print sales, with proceeds going back to the communities we’re documenting. We’ve already identified five extraordinary communities that are tackling climate challenges at a grassroots level, and we want to share their stories to inspire others to take action locally.

We’re now refining the concept and looking for investors. Change happens through action, and I want to keep learning, growing, and improving my craft so I can bring the best version of myself to the causes that matter most.

Beyond the feature film, I’d love to photograph some of my icons. I’ve already had the chance to work on some huge campaigns and tick a few things off my bucket list, like collaborating with the Royal Ballet, my favourite singer-songwriter Ry X, and most recently, the NikeSKIMS campaign. Those projects have all focused on my ability to capture groups and movement, but I’d love to create a series that allows for a more intimate connection with people I admire, maybe even around themes of advocacy for the planet. Who knows, it might even tie into the climate film I’m developing!

Visit Rob Woodcox Instagram account