Keith Barraclough tries not to bring too much into his photo shoot, but rather keep it simple and let it just happen. His influence behind the camera is subtle and he feels sometimes less is more. Very motivated and always pushing it a little further encourages positive reactions from his subjects. His influences are his two dogs, always happy, never angry and very curious. In his own words, Keith describes some of his favorite images.
KB: The above image was an outtake taken during a photo shoot with BlueCross Blue Shield. We were all waiting for some additional props to arrive and I decided to use the time to take some portraits of the lead talent. His attitude was so laid back. There such a calm, serene feel to him, I just couldn’t resist capturing that in a photo. Plus I just loved his hat. Photographed on location in Washington, DC.
KB: Blue Kerry Terrier photographed on location in Salem, VA for Animal Planet. The assignment was is photograph all 164 AKC sanctioned dog breeds. We photographed for five days at a dog show in Salem, VA. What I wanted to capture was both their personality as well as what makes them unique. This Blue Kerry Terrier had such a unique profile – the beard, the neck, the color of his coat all came together perfectly.
KB: Jackson Galaxy – Host of Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell”. Photographed on location in New York City. Jackson was very giving of his time and happy to do anything I asked. Even if it meant jumping off a wall and screaming like a cat from hell. We did five takes. I found out later, from his assistant, that he has a very bad back. He never mentioned it and just kept jumping until I was happy.
KB: Actors Maggie Gyllenhaal and Austin Pendleton. Photographed on location at Maggie’s home in Brooklyn. Maggie was extremely gracious in letting us invade her home – especially since she had just given birth to her second child a few weeks earlier. The assignment was to take portraits of Maggie and Austin against a white seamless. There wasn’t time to scout the location, so I was very surprised that there was no room for a 9ft backdrop. The client agreed that the best scenario was to use the yard as the backdrop. We had lights leaning against trees, shooting through trees. It was quite a production. This shot was an outtake. I love the intense interaction between Maggie and Austin and shooting horizontally shows the lighting effects we wanted. (the client picked a vertical, which didn’t do much for me).
KB: Photographed on location at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. While at the Grand Palace I wanted to get a photo of some monks with the architecture as a backdrop, but never found the perfect moment. As we were leaving I noticed these two and followed them for a few minutes. As we turned to exit the palace we passed through a large arch. The perfect moment I was looking for.
To see more of Keith Barraclough’s work, go to his website and Altpick page.
About The Pick
Established in 1992, The Alternative Pick commenced with a clear mission, providing creative buyers with a vehicle to source the best brightest and most exciting illustrators, photographers, graphic designers and animators in the business.
The Alternative Pick sourcebook (1992-2005) became the outlet for cutting-edge commercial talent, offering a unique platform for artists to showcase their work.
The Alternative Pick Deck (2009-2012) offered a fun and engaging format for locating leading commercial artists.
In addition, The Altpick Awards (2003-2011) introduced yet another way to provide a platform for talents to shine.
To meet the demands of an ever-changing industry, Altpick.com was launched in 1996 and presently provides a vehicle for talent to utilize the web to connect more effectively with buyers.
As we mark our 30th anniversary in 2021, Altpick.com remains a premier source for creative professionals and we plan to continue to push the envelope providing the best vehicle for buyers to connect with creative talent.
The Pick 
Pingback: In My Own Words | Keith Barraclough Blog