Clare Shilland captures the beauty of youth through her subtle and dreamy photographs. Keeping it simple, she likes to shoot with a small team, giving her subjects the space to be their complete selves. The outcome shows the true personality of everyone she photographs, creating an intimate and honest documentation of boys and girls alike. Hailing from south London, Clare studied at Camberwell and the Royal College of Art, but nothing really made sense to her until she picked up a camera, which lead to a career shooting for the likes of i-D, Marni, BEAT, and Supreme. Here are ten things you need to know about Clare.
1. She has always been creative.
“I was not academic, and only interested in art class and reading books. I think I have enjoyed being creative for as long as I can remember…”
2. Family and work leave little time for hobbies…
“I still love reading and I like being outside. I don’t have that much time for hobbies — I have two small children. Between them, work, and my husband there is only time for sleeping!”
3. She has a strange obsession.
“I love cuts and bruises and photographing them. It’s been an ongoing obsession since art school.”
4. There will be no Rihanna or Drake on in the studio.
“I actually hate listening to music when I’m working; I find it super distracting. I think I’m borderline with some sort of disorder.”
5. The best things come in small packages.
“Usually the best thing is a small team in the middle of nowhere. I went to a tiny island in the Swedish archipelago with good friends for a shoot that was one of the best.”
6. Her dream i-D cover would look something like this…
“My 5-year-old daughter Miriam with her black hair and freckles, shot by me.”
7. One of the trickiest things about her job is…
“Having enough time.”
8. And the best…
“Self-publishing my own projects. And I still get a kick out of seeing my pictures in magazines.”
9. She thinks the fashion industry needs a more female gaze.
“Although it is also a form of escapism, it should reflect real women more.”
10. A Steven Spielberg 80s classic was a big inspiration.
“The movie E.T. I’ve been obsessed with since I was a child. The suburban Californian landscape (I’m from suburbia). The light. The forest. The magic.”
Join the discussion as we explore what it means to be a woman today.
Credits
Text Lula Ososki
Photography Clare Shilland