We
have been shooting stock for longer than anyone
would care to imagine. In fact we both were founder
photographers with Tony Stone Images (now part
of Getty Images) and that experience was really
useful when we went freelance. Prior to that we
both had interesting careers working for some
top companies.
Before entering the world of
self-employment Erika also worked as staff photographer
for Imperial Tobacco and later The Design Council.
Way back Tony worked for Press
& Commercial shooting fashion and news for
the trade press. He followed this by a spell as
assistant to Toronto photographer Peter Croydon
who specialized in food & still life for top
North American magazines. Peter gave him the knowledge
and experience to later become director/photographer
at Tony Stone Studios.
Both of us have conveniently
forgotten our days at Ealing School of Photography
(students), the Metal Box Company (food &still
life), KVOS TV in Vancouver (stills), Heals (rooms
sets) and the Council for Small Industries in
Rural Areas (?)
We both realized that working
for someone else was not exactly our cup of tea,
and neither was living in London. After a couple
of years searching the country for the right place
to live we moved to the peace and quiet of Exmoor
ridding ourselves of a mortgage at the same time.The
tranquillity of this English National Park was
just the right place to further develop our creative
skills and provide a secure base from which we
could roam the world.
In 2002 we founded Images Etc
Ltd. As you have rightly guessed the Etc
stands for E
rika and T
ony C
raddock. So we are now in the process of building
up a new company that will still be involved in
selling stock photography via our worldwide agents.
