Tigz Rice
Name: Tigz Rice
Camera: Hasselblad X2D (for stills), Sony A7iv (for video), and the Fujifilm X100vi (for fun!)
Favourite type of photography: Empowerment
Location: Hertfordshire, UK
Website: www.tigzrice.com
Instagram: @tigzrice
How did you get into photography?
I’ve been obsessed with cameras since I was little, and I was always the person in the friendship group that took the social photos on the night out. I don’t think I truly ever thought about it as a career until I fell out of love with illustration in the middle of my degree, and had to find another medium to see me through the rest of the course. My journey into photography is actually discussed in full in my SheClicks podcast episode.
Listen to the SheClicks Women in Photography Podcast with Tigz Rice
Do you have any photographic qualifications or accolades?
Other than passing my Licentiateship with SWPP back in the early days, I don’t believe I have any formal qualifications in photography. That said, I’ve been shortlisted for several awards over the years, including Digital Woman of the Year in 2021 and Digital Creator Of The Year in 2022. I was listed in f:Entrepreneur’s top 100 female entrepreneurs in 2023, and my book STRIP/TEASE won bronze in the Independent Publishing Awards in 2020. So, if anyone out there is worried about not having any formal qualifications in photography, I guess I'm a great example of what you can achieve without one!
What's the first photograph you remember seeing or shooting?
The first photograph I remember taking is of my brother, who was also taking a photo of me at the same time in an inception-style moment. We were both given cameras one Christmas, and of course, we were excited to try them out! The photo that started everything though, was a photo of my friend Emily dressed up as a human doll. It was taken in a windowless cupboard at university against a white bedsheet with a tungsten lamp. It was definitely not my finest work, but it holds brilliant memories and I'm so grateful that she volunteered that day and created the spark that ended up with me being here today.
What do you love about photography?
What I love about photography is the ability to help others create/curate their legacy. I have been in the industry long enough now to have experienced the sad passing of several clients, and there is no greater compliment as a portrait photographer than to have taken the photo that is used as their In Memoriam photo - the photo that their nearest and dearest consider to be the most authentic, treasured photo of one of their favourite humans.
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What do you wish you'd learned about photography earlier?
Something I wish I'd learned earlier in my photography career is colour and workspaces. I was self-taught and couldn't work out why my images would leave Lightroom looking great and then come back from their Photoshop edit looking all grey and washed out. Turns out, it's not a great idea to keep switching between sRGB and Adobe RGB 1998 during an editing workflow! Thankfully, I had brilliant people around me to push me in the right direction - and these days, everything is meticulously colour-graded on my EIZO Coloredge monitor.
Where is your favourite place for photography?
I don't really have a favourite place for photography - I enjoy the challenge of shooting somewhere new, so it always excites me when a client recommends a new location. I do have a passion for architecture though, so any form of listed building with extravagant furniture usually ranks high on my excitement list! That said, I once got to shoot in a giant adult ball-pit with neon lighting and rainbow balls - and that also hit the spot!
Do you have a favourite photographic technique?
I don't know that I have a favourite photographic technique, but I do love to shoot the moments in between the poses. There's something truly magical in those unposed moments.
Can you briefly outline your approach to image processing?
When it comes to image processing, I'm a big believer in getting as much right as possible in-camera. I do underexpose by about 2/3 stop to preserve skin tones, so I lighten that up in Lightroom, and then do minimal edits in Photoshop, which mostly involves removing bruises and blemishes, and softening any skin indentations from elastic in my client's clothing.
What's your favourite lens?
My favourite lens right now is the Hasselblad XCD F2.5/90Vmm II Lens. I love how it focuses, it's brilliant for portrait work.
Do you have a favourite accessory?
My favourite accessory right now is the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 - it lives in my handbag and goes everywhere with me.
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Have you found the perfect camera bag yet?
Is there such a thing as a perfect camera bag?! I have a ThinkTank Shapeshifter which I love for taking a full kit with me to shoots, but I prefer something a bit more feminine when I'm out at social events. I picked up a Coach bag on my last visit to Japan, which has 3 compartments and is perfect for taking a body, lens and a zipped compartment for personal items in between, but if I'm honest, I'm probably still looking for the perfect solution.
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Which photographers have influenced or inspired you, and how or why?
I tend to draw more inspiration from other sources than I do other photographers. The painters Elvgren and Vargas, for example, being two main ones. I love the work of Horst P. Horst though, and more recently, Hamilton aka @TheTogfather
Please recommend 2 or 3 female photographers to follow on Instagram.
Some of my favourite female photographers to follow on Instagram are Lexi Laine @lexilainephoto for her incredible underwater photography, Rebecca Douglas @rebeccadouglasphotography for her work in nature, and Corinne Cumming @capturedbycorinne for her incredible work with Eurovision.
Is there a camera, lens or accessory that you don't have yet but you'd like to buy at some point?
Next on my kit list is a Hasselblad XCD F2.5/38Vmm lens so I can shoot slightly wider and create more narrative with my shoots. Having switched over from Canon not too long ago, I'm still building up a full set of lenses!
Is there a genre of photography that you love but that you haven't tried yet?
One genre of photography I'd love to try is underwater portrait photography. I love how ethereal everyone looks. That said, I'm not a huge fan of water, so don't hold your breath on that happening anytime soon (no pun intended).
What's your proudest photographic moment?
My proudest photographic moment to date is publishing my award-winning coffee table book STRIP/TEASE, which celebrates a decade of work in the world of burlesque. I promised myself I'd publish a book as part of my ten-year goal, and it launched on my 10th business birthday! You can find the book here if you want to check it out.
If you could have one superpower that could help you with photography, what would it be?
A superpower I would love to have is to be able to teleport, so I would no longer have to worry about travelling with lots of bulky and/or heavy equipment!
Your favourite baked goods are?
My favourite baked good is most definitely a cheesecake. I'm lactose intolerant, though, and finding an amazing dairy-free one is quite tough!
Tell us a little about yourself.
I really enjoy working with clients in the field of empowerment, whether that be boudoir photography or personal branding photography. Helping others feel comfortable and confident in their skin is my absolute passion. I do, however, also have a love for architecture and interior design, which I try to sneak into my work as much as possible. If you ask my friends, they’ll probably tell you all about my habit of sending them photographs of impressive doors I see on my adventures!
I’m based in Hertfordshire UK, and I help fearless humans reconnect with their bodies and feel empowered, confident and unapologetically present in both their personal and professional adventures. I combine luxury editorial photography with my signature style of industry-leading retouching to help clients level up their digital visibility with authentic content that shows the world their WHY.
I strive to lead by example and consistently show up as my most authentic self. I love nothing more than pushing creative boundaries. In 2016, I photographed a campaign for lingerie brand Scantilly that was described by the HuffPost as ‘one of the world’s most inclusive underwear campaigns’. In 2020, I stripped off for the BBC’s Naked Podcast to talk about body confidence and the importance of existing in photographs. My book STRIP/TEASE - documenting a decade of work in the global burlesque community - also won a bronze medal in the 2020 IPPY independent publishing awards.
I was listed in the Top 40 Digital Women To Watch in 2021, shortlisted for both Women's Champion and Digital Creator of the Year in 2022, and I’m currently listed in f:Entrepreneur’s top 100 female entrepreneurs of 2023.
