Louisa Seton

Inside the Mind.

Below the Surface.

[or Under the Surface.]

…with the volume at 11

CCP asks Louisa Seton the questions about her craft

1. What gets you out of bed every day?


Creating work that I love.

A deep desire to discover more about life.

Being able to wake up and walk in nature, see a sunrise, and shoot in the soft morning light.

2. Who is the photographer that has inspired you the most?

I’ve had several photographers whose work I’ve admired.

I think growing up, it was definitely Peter Beard. I grew up in Kenya, and his work really captured the wild yet romantic Africa. He shot in black and white film and created a lot of mixed media pieces by drawing over his photographs.

Photojournalist Sebastiao Salgado's iconic black and white images high contrast images. He had so much depth to his visual storytelling. I loved his work.

Lastly, Steve McCurry - I’d look through his coffee table books of portraits taken in India and Africa, and dream of travelling the world and doing the same. Every photo told a story. 

3. What camera are you currently shooting with?

Canon 5R R5 Markii

4. When you’re on a shoot, do you play music? What other essentials do you have with you?

I never play music. I shoot outside in nature, and it’s not something I would even think to have with me. I’m too busy shooting, art directing, connecting with my clients and carrying things to about music.

I edit to music. Have it playing in the background when I’m zoned in..

5. In the digital world, how important is the print?

In my world, the print is very important. It can ruin or enhance your image. If you have an amazing image that gets printed on low-grade photography paper, it can kill the image. If the same image is printed on beautiful art paper, it can really enhance it.

6. B/W – Colour – Analogue – Digital. Put these in order of preference and tell us why.


BW - I mainly shoot monochrome. I have a fine art background, so BW appeals to me. It’s classic, timeless. I also had to shoot in BW film and print BW to master it at Uni. We had to do this for 2 years to Master it. Only then could we move on to colour film.

7. Have you exhibited your work, and how important was the framing process?

Yes, I exhibited and framed my work for years. Probably about 24/25 exhibitions before galleries started moving online more.

Framing - very important. Again, like printing, it’s an important step in the process.

Frame a beautiful image in a shitty frame, and it takes away from it. Frame it well with a good-sized mount and even just a simple black or white box frame, and it raises the bar. It presents the work well.

8. What defines a great image?

The use of light, the subject matter, the alignment, whether it’s aesthetically pleasing to the eye, the visual story, and the emotion it provokes.

9. What is your favourite photo you’ve taken? Why?

I have too many favourites.

10. What’s the best photography advice you’ve been given?

Probably my professor at Uni. “Less is More”. Sometimes the best photos are the ones with the least clutter. Keep it simple. Simple can be quite profound.

11. When you’re not taking photos, what are you doing?


Working, editing, walking in nature, travelling, doing yoga, and pilates. Hanging with good friends. Enjoying life.

High point in your career?


Winning a huge portrait photography competition in London, and for the prize, I was flown to Brazil to shoot for the Brazilian tourist board.

Patrón of the Arts, James Erskine, of Liverpool Street gallery, bought my entire exhibition before it opened.

Low point in your career?

Being stranded for 6 days while photographing remote tribes in a very dangerous area near Sudan. It was a matter of survival, and it was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life.

Louisa Seton May 2026