New Talent: Portrait and still life photographer Lottie Bea Spencer
In the latest in our series uncovering creative talent on Facebook and Instagram, we speak to London-based photographer and recent LCC graduate Lottie Bea Spencer
Photographer Lottie Bea Spencer graduated from London College of Communication in 2015. Her work has since appeared in Riposte, Wonderland, Metal magazine and the Financial Times.
Spencer started taking pictures of people when she was just 14. She enrolled to study fine art at university but quickly realised it was photography that inspired her and switched courses.
Her work features some striking compositions and a clever use of lighting and colour. Fashion stories feature flashes of red and yellow or monochrome stripes against pastel-hued backgrounds: “I’ve always been inspired by and drawn to colour whether that be one solid colour or a combination,” she says. There’s an intimacy to her portraits – recent subjects include former Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry and Tottenham Hotspur and England footballer Eric Dier.
“I recently shot three England footballers for Nike. I was asked to photograph them in a light which captured their individualities and the proudness of playing for England,” explains Spencer. “The whole process was great, getting to travel to different cities and meet lovely down-to-earth people.”
Spencer is currently working on some fashion and portrait commissions. “I’m also always trying to shoot personal work and keep busy thinking of new projects, shooting spontaneous still lifes and new faces,” she adds.
“The projects I have enjoyed most are those which either you have a lot of creative input on – something which gives you the freedom to experiment and try new ideas – or those which at first you’re a little scared by, maybe something you think might not be suited to you. I think [that] gives you a push to be like, ‘Okay, what can I do to make this more me?’… It’s good to just try and have fun and be open minded to new projects,” she adds.
New Talent is part of Inspire, a year-long partnership between Creative Review, Facebook and Instagram showcasing outstanding creative work across both platforms. More advice and inspiration for creatives using Facebook and Instagram is available at www.facebook.com/ads/creativehub. You can see more of Lottie Bea Spencer’s work at lottiebeaspencer.co.uk or follow her on Instagram (@lottiebeaspencer).