Nicky Johnston, known for his celebrity photographs, started out as a news photographer for the BBC. The London-based photographer’s career has grown since those days. We asked him to answer a few questions for our readers.

How did you get your start in photography?

I did a Photographic Science Degree at what is now Westminster University, as always had a love of chemistry, and my thoughts were if I don’t make it as a photographer then I could always go into research.

After leaving school, I assisted a still life photographer for a year shooting bedding which drove me insane!We had a complete clash of personalities and one day I told him to shove his job and the roll of colorma up his arse!

I walked out and sat in Hyde Park wondering what the hell I was now going to do.

A friend of mine was head of graphics at the BBC and she asked me to start taking stills to be dropped into various TVprograms. That progressed into me taking pictures for BBC local news. They would ring at 5 am and say go to Croydon there is a fire. I had no idea were Croydon was but would drive roughly in the right direction. Remember this was in the days of no mobile phones, sat nav etc, and it was doing this with the stress that I started smoking, but I loved it, it was exciting and stressful.

I was then offered a contract with the BBC, taking stills on a whole range of shows from Panorama, Blue Peter and Top of the Pops.These were all shows I had grown up with, and it was incredible walking into these studios and to see the sets for real.

Tell us about your first experience working with a celebrity.

My first experience working with a celebrity was whilst I was at the BBC, but after I had left there after 3 wonderful years, it was my first freelance commission that I remember mostly.

It was a shoot with a woman’s magazine for a front cover shoot with a Radio 1 DJ called Steve Wright, who is now on Radio 2.

We all arrived in the studio, stylist, hair and make up, art director etc, and it was a great atmosphere, we were all chatting, and it was only when Steve stood on set that it suddenly dawned on me that nobody else was now speaking and that it was up to me to keep the mood up and to direct the shoot. It was a strange realization as I had never been in that situation before. My nerves were on edge, but because Steve was so lovely, it all worked out fine.

I see on your website a picture of Tony Bennett. Tell us about that shoot.

My shoot with Tony Bennett was a commission from a Sunday magazine, and off we went to New York to shoot him at home.

He lives at the base of Central Park in an incredible apartment. It was exciting because the year previously I had been to San Francisco with my family, my mum had always been a massive fan of his, and he walked past us in the street, and she was thrilled. So when I told her I was off to shoot him at home she was beside herself.

He was charming, the apartment beautiful, and he showed us around the different rooms, including the room in which he paints. The view was just incredible, high above the trees of Central park, and I had never seen it from this angle. I wanted the shot to show the apartment as well as the view.We spent the afternoon with him and he even did a little video for my mum!

What advice would you give a photographer looking to work with and capture celebrities?

If somebody said to me they want to shoot celebrities I would be slightly alarmed at first. I have been asked this question by various assistants in the past.

I meet so many budding photographers who don’t have a passion for taking pictures. I always ask, do you go out on your time off and take your own pictures do you shoot your friends/family/pets? Often the answer is no, which never ceases to amaze me.

I think you have to have a love of photography above anything; shooting celebrities should come second to that. In a lot of cases it’s people wanting to meet celebrities because of who they are rather than any passion for photography itself.

Which shoot ranks as one of your favorites? Explain why.

I have so many favourite shoots it’s really hard to choose one.I think shooting Justin Bieber was up there. We flew to Seattle to shoot him backstage of the main arena there. We built a studio, whilst listening to 20,000 screaming fans outside. I kept walking outside to see them; intrigued as to how crazy they go for him. I started asking them questions, why do you scream all the way through songs, what do you love about him etc. They all said they wanted to marry him!

I sat amongst them and had a picture taken, I had never been in that kind of situation before, it was hilarious.

Justin was polite, patient and was great to shoot, and when I see all the bad press about him it makes me smile. I know if I was his age with 120million in the bank I would do what the hell I wanted, and you can only go on your own experience of meeting somebody and he just wasn’t the spoilt brat that the press portray.

Please share a picture that you’ve taken in the past year that you’re proud of. Explain why.

This was taken in Cadiz, were I have a house on La Barossa beach. I was on assignment there shooting fashion. I love sitting in a local restaurant on the beach and shooting people as they go by.

I have always enjoyed shooting street scenes combined with skies/sea etc, and this shot evokes the feelings for the area I live in, big skies, wind and water.

Do you use any Manfrotto gear? If so, which?

I have always had Manfrotto tripods; I love the ease of use of them. I have a Triman Tripod.

Check out Nicky Johnston’s work on his website and follow him on Twitter: @nickyJphoto.