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Neighbour’s star Alan Fletcher on the other side of the camera

It wasn’t Ramsey Street so maybe that was why it hadn’t clicked that Fletch Photographics was Alan Fletcher’s own business. Better known as Dr Karl Kennedy, the Neighbours star also has a reputation as one of the most sought after headshot photographers in Melbourne.

When I showed up for the photo session, unlike when you meet other famous people, Fletcher was more or less, exactly as you might have imagined - except for the funky squared glasses, and maybe just a bit taller.

He’s six foot as it happens, friendly, professional and totally approachable which are great assets in a photographer. Although it felt a bit weird when he helped touch up my eye shadow and brush my hair.

Alan has been taking headshots for 17 years. “At first I started taking photos of mates, then it slowly grew as friend’s of friends asked could I take their photo too,” says Fletcher. “It’s been a natural slow growth, I’ve never advertised I just keep it low key.”

Fletcher’s dining room serves as his studio. Large lights with deflecting hoods, background screens and polystyrene reflectors clutter around the dining table. Out the back he has his own darkroom. It’s all very homey and comfortable, not at all intimidating like a big formal studio.

He’s not in to any of that “yeah baby, yeah” stuff either. Being an actor himself gives Fletcher insight to what casting agents want and what actors need.

“I don’t get in the way of the subject. I’m not trying to impose myself. I’m not trying to be ‘arty’. I think only about the person looking at the camera. You want the person who sees the photo to think, ‘Yep that looks exactly like you!’ Not, ‘Wow who took your photo? They’ve made you look amazing.’”

“What makes it work is the communication between the subject and the camera, that’s why I call it an acting exercise. It’s a performance, a non-sexual seduction of the viewer. The performer is saying, ‘I’m connected with you,’ through the camera.”

“When you look at a headshot you look straight at the eyes, and what comes back is instinctive, there’s a subconscious process happening. Its immediate and you can’t censor it, that picture will evoke an emotional response.”

“After that they’ll look for details, one eye’s a bit bigger than the other, balding, the face isn’t quite symmetrical - but that first reaction is crucial.”

The viewer should feel comfortable looking at the shot. That’s why Fletcher prefers the 10x 8 format. “The size is about the same as if you were looking at the person in real life and that helps the connection. Where they’re looking at smaller photos, there’s already a sense of superiority, the actor is miniaturised.”

Fletcher became interested in photography at an early age. “My father was a keen photographer and had his own darkroom at home so it’s always been a hobby,” says Fletcher. He also enjoys travel photography. “It’s allowed me to explore areas you wouldn’t necessary look at when travelling. I’ll go off trekking to find waterfalls rather than lying on the beach.”

Alan Fletcher has had a tremendously successful career in television, film and on the stage. Although he studied science at university in Perth, Fletcher instead pursued acting. His first professional roles were with the Hole in the Wall Theatre and then the Perth Theatre Company. After three years intense theatre work he made the move to Sydney.

A three-week stint on The Young Doctors launched Fletcher’s television career although he has regularly returned to the stage and had a number of film roles. He has appeared in Cop Shop, Lift Off, the mini series Sword of Honour and received an AFI Best Actor nomination for his performance in the ABC’s Embassy. Between 1989 and 1991 Fletcher worked with the MTC in roles as diverse as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet and Cliff in The Touch of Silk.

Then came Neighbours where he has been a regular for the past nine years. “The show has given me the opportunity to present a broad range of skills because by its nature, domestic drama is comedy one minute and high drama the next, week in, week out.” It has also kept him very busy.

Not only did Neighbours bring Fletcher regular work but a legion of fans all around the world. Fletcher is in regular communication through his website and tries to respond to as much of his mail personally as his frantic schedule will allow. He has also had the opportunity to work in the UK appearing in two ‘pantos’ where he met some of his dedicated English fans.

Recently Fletcher was elected as the Victorian Branch President, of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance’s (M.E.A.A.) the actor’s union.

Throughout all of this Fletcher has remained down to earth, as proven in his interest and involvement with peers and new-comers to acting through his photography.

“I’m acutely aware as a performer that you can go from being a rooster to a feather duster, you never know how things are going to go. I’ve been lucky I’ve had constant acting work, that the business has never been my main source of income.”

“When I started on Neighbours in 1994, it was only a one-year contract and at that point the business was busier than it is now, but I kept it up. For awhile it was a bit wearing, especially because at the time I also had young children. My wife, (Jennifer Hansen, a well known Melbourne Ch. 10 newsreader), would say give it away but I didn’t and now I see it as a sort of superannuation plan. That’s something a lot of performers don’t have.”

“I enjoy the work. I have an assistant to generate prints which takes some of the load off. I’m still supervising everything but that allows me to concentrate on taking the photographs.”

Fletcher is also intensely passionate about the Australian outback, “It’s spectacular and unique,” he enthuses. One day he’d like to collaborate with his wife producing travel books. “She can write and I’ll take the photographs”. Or perhaps produce documentaries. “When I have more time and can work them up properly, when the acting dries up,” he laughs.

For further information on Alan Fletcher’s photography visit his website at www.alanfletcher.net