An interview with Tasmanian interior & architectural photographer Anjie Blair

“Don’t be afraid of the dark….” - Anjie Blair 2020

I have been a fan for quite some time of Anjie’s work, not only the pull towards her rich, textured imagery but an insight into the gorgeous architecture on the island of Tasmania.

Anjie’s portfolio is one to be admired, be it from her beautiful compositions, dark tonal photos to her insightful imagery of architecture on the other side of the globe, her portfolio has gathered many follows and praise over the years. I must admit to trying to adapt her approach and philosophy more into my own work….something which I’m really enjoying.

Anjie Blair is a lifestyle, interiors and architectural photographer based in Launceston, Tasmania. Just shy of 10 years in photography, with a wedding, portraiture and real estate background, she narrowed down on architecture and interiors in 2016. 

Hi Anjie, I hope all is safe and well with you, can you tell us what has been keeping you occupied recently and what your plans for the up and coming months?

Hi Hi! Thank you for inviting me! Work has been slower these last few months, yet I have completely embraced it as a time for reflection and being with family. We are homeschooling our 13 year old until early June, so the days disappear fast. I have been shooting part time, teaching myself Capture One and learning a skill outside of photography - pottery. 

Numerous projects postponed early this year for obvious reasons, so as soon as restrictions lift further I will be back on the tools at capacity.

During this time, being able to say no legitimately has been very good for me. I often take on too much. 

I've been a big fan of your work for a while now, could you tell us what got you started and what your background is?

Thank you so much! During the GFC, I lost my dream job as a guide dog trainer. I decided to retrain (with a small son on my hip) and I studied graphic design. After graduating, I was employed by a local photographer (in 2011) part time as a designer within his studio. It turned out over time that I was a better photographer than designer haha. We shot real estate and commercial work during the week and weddings on the weekends.

I was obsessed with post processing and photoshop. I didn't start getting serious about architecture and interiors until 2016. Initially I gained access to projects and architects through real estate photography and my work has slowly transitioned over time.

I hear that in regards to post-processing, it is only in the past year or so I have personally taken a step back to focus more on the imagery and composition itself.

As a photography community we love a bit of gear talk, could you tell us what equipment you have in your bag and enlighten us a little bit more about your process.

My gear bag is getting lighter the longer I shoot! Bringing much less lighting gear than I used to. 

Nikon D850

Nikon D4s

Hahnel remote

Gitzo Carbon Fibre Tripod

410 Geared head

17-35, 24ts, 45ts, 50, 70-200

2 x portable 600w flash

Camranger (old one)

Reflector/Black cloth/Diffusion cloth + clamps

A couple of stands that rattle around in my boot.

A large circular white balance adjustable led panel (comes out occasionally - but more for product work) 

I plan a lot more now to wait for the light, rather than forcing a shot to work. 

In previous years I would add more flash, but have been moving away from this process the last couple of years. I keep them with me as a security blanket these days and use them mostly to remove sensor bloom around windows or as a colour guide if I need to.. 

Nice kit!

I agree that moving away from flash adds more mood and tone, something I love about your work. This is something I have admired about your portfolio and a technique which I am adapting more into my work.

There are a lot of photographers post-processing and compositing through the use of Cam-rangers, I-pads, the ‘Mike Kelley’ technique at the moment. Using composting, layer masking and multiple exposure blending can lead to some highly stylised imagery, although extremely time consuming.

It is interesting that some clients love this high quality rendering look, where others prefer a more natural approach..

Where did the inspiration come from in creating your stylised look?

I have just progressed to this way of editing over time. I tend now to desaturate a bit and work with shadows a lot more..Don't be afraid of the dark...I want my work to feel transportive and emotional, yet realistic.. I think my time shooting weddings and portraiture has influenced my use of people, light and processing. 

What is like to live in Tasmania and what is the interior and architectural scene like out there?

Tasmania really is a special place to live and shouldn't be off the list if visiting Australia! Life seems simpler here. No big commutes to jobs. It is very niche shooting in architecture and interiors, so those of us that do it here have plenty of work. Word of mouth has been everything. Instagram has also been very powerful for my career growth in Tasmania. There are some world class architectural, interior and design practices here and I am lucky to work with them. 

Do you have any favourite photographers that inspire you and anyone you think we should be keeping an eye out for?

Hélène Binet, Haris Kenjar, Ema Peter, Joe Fletcher, Simon Devitt, Shannon McGrath, Derek Swalwell, Mike Baker, Lillie Thompson, Sean Fennesy, Andy Machperson, Barry Mackenzie. I could go on and on....

Look out for @tonutunnel, @virtuallyherestudios @konstruktivist 

Lastly, what would you say is the highlight of your career to this point.

Definitely the Symmons Plains project. A massive two day shoot of a Georgian homestead renovation. It pushed me logistically and creatively, a huge collaboration. One of the photos was a recent top 100 finalist in Architizer's onephotochallenge. 

A huge thank you to Anjie for taking some time from her busy schedule, we wish you even more success in the future.