Sean Myers is an interior and still-life photographer; he used the Leica SL2 on his latest shoot for The World of Interiors. The Leica SL2 provides benefits such as tethering to a laptop and applying page crops or adjustments in real time, making it the perfect pairing for Sean in the studio.

Could you tell us a bit about your photography journey so far?

My father was an Advertising Photographer and Director (TVC). After leaving school, I assisted him and other photographers for five years before launching my own career. I started working with food and gardens, then transitioned to interiors and still-life. I started working with 8×10 plate cameras, before moving to digital medium format as the industry changed.

Could you give us some background behind the imagery and what it is like working with The World of Interiors? What led you to take these images?

My work for The World of Interiors is usually a collaboration with an interior stylist; For this shoot I worked with Miranda Sinclair, who also designed the set. We also worked with a set builder to assemble and paint the scaffold frames. I chose to shoot with tungsten lights to have a cinematic feel and warm tones. World of Interiors give you a great amount of creative freedom as a photographer and this story made up eight full bleed pages, which is a great showcase for my work.

What led you to use the Leica SL2 for this project and what was the experience like?

I wanted to try a mirrorless camera system with quality glass & colour rendition that would tether to Capture One. The SL2 tethered seamlessly with Capture One, which is essential to my working process, especially in the studio. The lenses also have a good range in the depth of field, unlike most DSLRs.

What lenses did you use and why?

I used the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90 f/2.8-4 Asph. as this covered the wider angles I needed for a large room set, then a longer focal length for detail shots.

What were the advantages of doing this shoot in a studio?

We wanted to paint and build a set and control the lighting. I used a 5K Tungsten Fresnel, diffused with a large silk and 2k Blondes for fill. You need a studio to achieve full blackout. We also needed an infinity cove, which we painted rather than using a seamless paper backdrop.

What is your post-production workflow?

I always shoot in raw, taking multiple plates on a tripod. These are then layered in post to achieve a balanced image, but more natural than HDR. Images are graded for colour and contrast. Some unsightly objects retouched out.

Are you working on any other projects at the moment?

I am currently planning a shoot on location in Malaysia. I will almost certainly be working with available light, where the SL2 excels. A lightweight camera system is also a big advantage on location.

Sean uses thoughtfully composed colours in minimalist spaces to highlight his subject matter throughout the work he creates; this concept is clear through his World of Interiors imagery as he showcases bold red prints contrasting against neutral tones. The control he has in the studio is also apparent and utilised to its fullest potential to create the perfect balance of lighting.

Find out more about Sean’s photography on his Instagram page and website.