James Worrell

James Worrell Studio | New York City, New York, USA

jw[at]jamesworrell.net | +1 (212) 367-8389

Q&A with James

How did you get into taking pictures for a living?

It was all because of a car accident in Los Angeles. I was out there attending CalArts for my MFA, a fine art degree that is the base requirement for tenure teaching positions at the university level. One day as I was trying to park at a restaurant I got into a fender bender. The guy driving the other car had Iowa license plates on his car and being from Iowa, we got to talking. Long story short, he managed a commercial studio in LA where I began working and the rest is history as they say. I loved and still do love the collaboration and integration of ideas and practical workmanship in commercial photography. 23 years later I have had my own studio in the New York area for 20 years.

Tell me about your 360º photography studio setup! For starters, what kind of camera do you shoot with?

I shoot with Canons and PhaseOne, whichever is the best tool for the given assignment. The same goes for lighting, I use Broncolor, Dnya-lite, Profoto, Arri and Mole-Richardson. And in addition to the Imajize software I have 2 turntables and I am currently waiting for a 3rd.

What type of products are you particularly good at creating 360º views of? Do you have a specialty?

I shoot everything except people, and sometimes I shoot people. I love photography. Outside of 360 shooting I do a lot of photo-illustration that combines ideas into images to illustrate a story, ad, etc.

Describe your ideal client for shooting a 360º view.

My ideal client is not determined by size or company or job but by attitude. Working with good people on repeat assignments is the key to good business.

For 360º photography, do you prefer shooting in high volume or low volume?

Same answer as before. I am a small business that takes pride in it’s relationships and can scale to meet the needs of any client.

What kind of things do you do for fun? You know, outside of work?

I have a wife, 2 young kids, a dog and a garden… that’s about as much fun as I can handle outside of work. But seriously, outside of the studio, I spend most of my time with my family and a little bit of time helping others in my amazing suburban community outside of NYC.

Who are some clients you’ve done work with in the past?

I have worked with numerous clients from large to small including Mars, Pepsi, Pringles, American Express, Grid-it, Jacaranda, Michael C Fina and local boutiques.

How does your pricing work for 360º product photography?

I find that every client is different, some want a price per shot while others want a package, etc. Please contact the studio and after a brief description of the project we can give you a price. I am competitively priced and as a top end product photographer with 20+ years experience, I am pretty good at what I do.

What’s a memorable project you’ve worked on in the past?

I recently shot my 95th job for Consumer Reports and over the years I have shot literally everything, from products to conceptual covers. I realize it’s not a single project but a repeat client with a sustained relationship that says more than any single job I have done. One of my favorite recent and new projects was a drink library shot for Pepsico. I have done two shoots for this project and hope that it keeps going.

What’s the best way for someone to get in touch with you?

jw@jamesworrell.net or (212) 367-8389

Contact James