CCP - ARTIST in FOCUS and FRAME, Corey Madden

I am Delighted to be featured as Charing Cross Photo Artist of the Month this March. I’ve been printing my work with them for many years, so it’s a privilege to be recognised in a space that has supported my work.

This post features my interview as a Featured Artist/Photographer for Charing Cross Photo — a community hub for photographers and photo lovers. In this Q&A, I open up about what gets me out of bed each day, why prints still matter in a digital world, and how my own life experiences shape the work I make. Whether you’re a fellow photographer or just curious about the mindset behind the images.

Full article from CCP can be found here

CCP asks Corey Madden the questions about his craft

1. What gets you out of bed every day?


Honestly, my dog Roma. I take her down to the beach for a swim most mornings, then grab a coffee. Best way to start the day.

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


I can’t go past the work of some incredible Australian photographers, Trent Mitchell, Rennie Ellis, Trent Parke and Tajette O’Halloran. Love their work.

3. What camera are you currently shooting with?


I mostly shoot with the Sony a7R3. I’ll occasionally pick up the Contax G2, and I still love taking the Canon 5D in the Underwater housing out for a swim.

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


In the studio, music is essential. You need a really good playlist to set the mood. If I’m out on an early morning walk with my camera, I’ll usually have 2SER Radio playing.

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


I think prints are really important. The digital world can feel temporary. It’s so easy to find inspiration at our fingertips but we’re always doom-scrolling past it. A print makes you stop and really take it in. It’s something physical you can hold and sit with, and that just hits differently.

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


Digital – Colour – B/W – Analogue.
 They all have their place, but as a professional retoucher I prefer digital for the control and the ability to colour grade my own work. That said, I’ll never stop loving the feeling of getting film back from the lab.

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


Many moons ago I was part of a couple of group shows. I loved the framing process, it’s another part of the storytelling. It’s a way to showcase your style beyond the artwork itself.

8. What defines a great image?


Subject matter, lighting and composition.

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


It’s probably a photo of one of my brothers surfing back in the day. We grew up at the beach, taking turns filming each other in the water. That’s what first got me interested in picking up a camera. It’s a bit nostalgic.

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


Always have your camera on you.

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


Camping with my partner Naomi, surfing, swimming, having a beer with friends,

High point in your career?


Winning a live music photo competition for the magazine, veri.live, back when I was shooting a lot of gigs. I ended up winning a bunch of great gear, which was a pretty exciting moment.

Low point in your career?

Losing files or not properly backing up a shoot. Something simple, but painful enough that you never forget it.