Q&A with fashion photographer Robert Voltaire.

Let's start with what inspired you to become a photographer? Have you always taken pictures?

I fell into photography by chance. For Christmas one year I was given a camera as a gift. It sat in a box for about six months and on my birthday in June I began using it. I was taking some pictures at the beach of a friend of mine that wanted to become a fashion model. When we were done shooting I handed her a roll of film. A week later she was signed by Ford Models in Los Angeles. Her booker wanted to know who the photographer was. They contacted me and right away I began to shoot their girls. I was very nervous about this as I had no idea what I was doing. I just remembered I had all the settings on automatic. Later when i picked up the film from the lab the technicians there marveled at how all of the frames turned out perfectly.

Where did you get your inspiration to become a photographer?

I have always enjoyed looking at photographs, paintings, art and going to the movies. I am a very visual person. I remember looking at photobooks in bookstores and seeing images by Sante D'Orazio, Herb Ritts, Peter Lindbergh and wanting to do what they do.

Did you have any formal training?

I didn't have any formal training so I decided to enroll at a photo school. Our assignments were to go out and take pictures of objects that were found in nature. I kept taking portraits of friends and models. I had already begun testing for Ford so I would bring slides of the girls I shot into the class and work them into our projects. Eventually I got bored there and left after a semester.

Have you ever worked as an assistant?

No, I never really had the time. I used to work a full-time job and assisting just didn't fit in my schedule. The closest I ever came to assisting was working for a week with Andreas Bitesnich in Palm Springs. That's the most time I have spent with another photographer. It was a workshop.

What was your first big break?

An editor at a european edition of Esquire magazine took notice of my work and offered to let me shoot 35 pages for Esquire. When it was published an agency in Europe took notice and signed me as a photographer.

You just got back from Europe. How was it?

I love it there. I just got back from shooting a fashion editorial in Greece. The month before I booked a lingerie campaign in Italy and shot a fashion editorial there too. That was a very nice job and I brought my family with me to relax there while I worked.

Your are known for your clean, yet simple images. What kind of locations or sets do you prefer to work in?

Growing up in Southern California exposed me to some of the most beautiful locations and light the world has to offer. I enjoy shooting in wide open landscapes such as the beach or desert. I love the space, warmth and light you find there. I also love to travel and shoot in new countries or new cities in general. I find a ton of inspiration when I travel.

Do you like to shoot in studio?

I do. I generally prefer simple setups without a ton of distraction but yes i shoot in studio all the time and I love it. Shooting indoor can be perfect for both beauty and fashion assignments.

Do you shoot digital or film? Do you show the model or client images during the shoot?

I shoot primarily digital now. I started out in film but really started shooting when the digital revolution began. So for me it just made everything easier. The immediacy of the medium is very nice. I don't really like to show previews to the model of what we are shooting because they can often get into their head and worry about a feature that they don't particularly like about themselves. Like their ears are too small or something. I like to shoot and move and not worry about this. I am very critical of images so I am already monitoring this as is my team of hair and makeup, etc. I want the model to be able to move freely and live in the circumstance. As far as the client goes I am more than happy to show them images as we are shooting. It generates excitement to know that I am giving them exactly what they want and if adjustments need to be made now is the time to do it before the shoot is wrapped.

Tell us about your Hollywood Studio.

I have a studio in North Hollywood. It has hardwood floors and large windows that let in natural light. It is on the small side but perfect for clients who like privacy and want to avoid the hustle and bustle of large commercial studios (which i do rent when the client has the need). It is perfect to shoot beauty in or fashion assignments.

So you set out to become a fashion photographer?

I did. But complications arose. I was inspired by fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar and I thought yes, I can do that. I want to become a fashion photographer. I figured in order to be in magazines like that all i had to do was to go out and take pictures that reflected the style of the magazine and presto! I saw a Dolce and Gabbana dress in a fashion layout and decided to go out and get one on my own since i had no ties with the designer. That's where I experienced the first roadblock. I had no idea how expensive these dresses were and I quickly realized that getting a handfull of them to develop the kind of stories I wanted to shoot wasn't going to happen overnight.

What did you do?

I started out by shooting swimwear as many photographers do. Swimwear is cheap to find and easy to get ahold of. So, i started there.

Tell us your interpretation of fashion.

Fashion is about fantasy and escape. When you open a Vogue, W, Numero or other fashion magazine you are automatically drawn into the world of fantasy. Like a great movie an image can transport you into a place or time that you want to be a part of. A story should make you fantasize about its circumstance. What is she wearing? Where did she get that. Who is she? I want to be like her! And if you can mix in an emotional subtext that the reader can identify with then you have magic. The reader says to herself. I remember feeling like that. I know what she's going through or i'd love to feel what she's feeling right now... That's fashion.

What magazines have your images appeared in?

Off the top of my head? Let's see... I can tell you the larger publications that come to mind: Esquire, GQ, Cosmopolitan, British Vogue, Men's Health, Max, Maxim, FHM and French Photo. Some of those magazines I have been published in several times and in different countries.

Are there modeling agencies that you prefer to work with over others?

I do have some agents in Los Angeles that I prefer over others. The agents that have taken time to get to know me I like the best. There are so many agencies out there and I haven't established a relationship with all of them. I do like to work with Elite and LA Models and Next.

Do agents mind that sometimes your models have little on?

If they know me and my work its ok. Here's the thing. The agent isn't in the business of selling clothes. The agent is in the business of marketing girls to clients. My pictures are clean and tasteful. It was never about a girl being nude or explotating her sexuality. My photographs are about beauty. I think that is why i particularly enjoy shooting cosmetic campaigns. I like the simplicity.

So the female form is simple?

No, not at all. Beauty photography, for me, is. My fashion portraits are very simple as well. I don't fiddle with lighting equipment for hours. Generally it takes less than ten minutes for me to set up a shot. I usually handle the lighting myself. It depends on the complexity of the job. Sometimes I can have several assistants running around but that usually isn't the case. But the female form is far from simple. It can be very complex. The idea is to take away from a portrait all of the extraneous elements and deliver a clean, simple image.

What do you look for in models that you work with?

I admire personality and confidence. I also like a model that takes care of her body and knows how to move. I work with a lot of new girls that don't have much experience in front of the camera and that is great too as long as they can take direction and have an open creative mind.

Are the models often difficult or are they easy to work with?

I find that most fashion models are very easy to work with. We are there to do a job and they are usually happy to work with me. Everyone wants great pictures.

Any difficult or uncooperative models?

Ah, yes. I remember a model specifically requested me to shoot a cover for her. The budget was really low and we were on location so there was a very small crew. My makeup artist was out of range and I asked the model to move some hair out of her face because it was casting a shadow across her nose. She said, "I can't." I asked, "Why not?" She said, "I usually have someone to do that for me."

What is your relationship with the models you photograph? Do you tend to use the same models repeatedly?

My relationship with the models usually comes about because I, or the client, cast them for a specific project. Our relationship is based on trust and an understanding that i want the very best images for the client or our personal work. I have a great respect for models. They are generally emotionally and physically very giving. I come with one agenda and it is not hidden. Let's take the very best photographs we can. I do have favorites that I like to shoot year after year. Everyone has people they would prefer to work with. I like to work with nice, capable people and girls that can communicate with their bodies well.

What are interesting ways a model can communicate to you?

I am very interested in a models hands. For me taking photographs is like directing a silent film. Especially when i am working with a model who doesn't speak very much English. The way she uses her hands, touches her face or the dress she is using, her eyes and emotional subtext in the scene can be very fascinating. Sometimes she is doing absolutely nothing. And in that nothingness I can find a world of expression.