Dickies NZ - #DICKIESPEOPLE - Troy Freyee Photography

Meet Troy Freyee (pronounced FRAY-YAY) A talented and passionate photographer with an uplifting and infectious personality that can only be truly appreciated in person. Spend an hour with him, and you're sure for a laugh, work alongside him and you'll understand why he gets booked time and time again by some of the world's leading brands (Dickies, Wrangler, Lee, Thrills and Afends. to name but a few.) We caught up with our good friend for a chat.

When did you get into photography/fashion photography?

Firstly, thank you for that KILLER introduction legends <3

I first got into photography when I was 24, about seven years ago. It took me about three years to figure out that fashion photography was where my true passion is.

Where has photography taken you around the world?

So far, I've been to places in Australia I would never have thought of going, Bali eight times over the years and last year, I had the pleasure to go to LA, which by the way is a photographers dream. I don't think you can take a bad photo in LA.

Can you show us some of your favourite shots taken in 2019?

Name some photographers/creatives that inspire you?

Many other photographers also inspire me, here's a couple that comes to my mind:

Brydie Mack (@wolfcubwolfcub)

Daria Ritch (@dritch)

What movements have you noticed in photography and fashion photography over recent years?

Hmmm, this is actually a really hard question! I kinda don't notice much haha - I suppose the film look is so popular, but I feel like it has been the whole time.

I'm a guy who goes with the flow and does whatever feels right at the time. I don't look into the future that often. In saying that, I just landed a job with Lahana Group on the Gold Coast, which has been a big step for me as they are such amazing humans with such an incredible brand. I will be working with them three days a week going forward, which enables me to continue freelancing. I also plan to collaborate with some more significant models and creatives in the near future. I'm always keen for the next thing, whatever that may be.

For the photographers out there – what is your current setup?

My current setup is pretty minimal. I have a Canon 5Dmkiii, Canon L series 85mm 1.2 lens (it's incredible), Sigma Art 50mm 1.4 and Canon L series 35mm 1.4 lens. Plus some portable Elinchrom studio lights. I've had the same camera body for 4-5 years now, so probs should upgrade that... But I love it! I kinda love the fact that the rubber grip is starting to fall off, but yeah a camera backup would probably be smart.

Can you share some advice for up and comers in the creative field?

Try and put yourself out there, at every opportunity. Don't expect it all to work out straight away; it takes years, lots of work and trusting in the process.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF and DO IT YOUR WAY." (Probs' one of the hardest things to do in such a saturated industry.)
Try and figure out your unique style. Don't copy other photographers.
Find other creatives in your field to work alongside (photographers, models, stylists, etc.)
Experience is key.

An important tip I can give is to provide the models with positive feedback, never negative! Like, if they do something you don't think looks good, take the shot and say 'ok amazing, now let's try this'.

And lastly, a photo isn't just only about your photography, its about the model, the styling, the art direction etc. To me, a great image combines all these elements.

Describe a typical shoot from start to finish.

Every shoot and client is so different. Some clients organise it all and some I do. I'll explain a shoot that I organise from start to finish.

Briefing Stage

• The client and I will discuss what they want to achieve from the shoot/campaign. (vibes)

• I send the client multiple model choices and some location ideas to select from.

• Once the model/s and location/s are locked in, we look at outfits, other elements and create a 'shotlist' and brief.

• I'll then put together a mood board and call-sheet to send to everyone involved in the shoot.

Shoot day

We start with makeup and hair. During this time, I invite everyone involved in the shoot to come along. This is an essential time for all the models and crew to all get to know each other. We put on tunes, drink coffee - it sets the tone for the day.

• I make sure to get everything photographed on the shotlist first, then we have some fun and hope the magic happens.

• Have wrap drinks and hang, I also find this important. Team is everything to me.

• Once a shoot is complete, I speak with the client about what sort of edit they like. I usually provide 2-3 options to choose from.

• I sift through the bad shots briefly and remove them.

• I send them all the shots to select from. Tip: I use a program called Shoot Proof, it allows the client to "star” their favourite shots too.

• Then once all selections are made, I edit them and make sure I get the shots to them in their desired time frame.

What would be your favourite Dickies product/s?

I froth everything you guys do! If I had to pick one piece, it would be the Black fleeced lined hood jacket (33237 Jacket).

Can you share any upcoming shoots/events for 2019/2020?

As said earlier, I'll be working closely every week with the legends at Lahana swimwear :)

I go to Bali next week for two shoots.

A couple of other things I can't mention at this stage.

Troy recommends:

Burleigh Pavilion - arvo drinks

Guru life on the Sunshine Coast - good coffee and vibes.

Bali - One of my favourite places on earth, there's something so special about Bali. It legit clears my soul.

Off the Rails mag - such a vibe and I got a feature in the recent issue 14.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freyeephoto/
Website: https://www.freyeephotography.com/