Shifting focus - the Decade interview: Josh Olins

To mark the start of the new decade and Phaidon's publication of Decade - a photographic history of the first ten years of the new Millennium - Phaidon.com spoke to ten leading figures in a variety of disciplines about what they were doing ten years ago, what they are doing now, and where they might be in ten years' time.

Born in 1980, London-based photographer Josh Olins is fast becoming one of British fashion photography's rising stars. High profile work to date includes editorial projects for Vogue, I-D, and V Man and commercial campaigns for Benetton, Giorgio Armani, Lancome, Louis Vuitton and Topshop

Q: What were you doing ten years ago?

I was still living with my parents and working as an assistant for a few London-based fashion photographers. I was also doing some part time work at Metro Studios which no longer exists.

Q: What are you doing now?

Back then I was dreaming that I might achieve some of the goals that I had set for myself but, to be honest, I did not know whether or not they were realistic. I feel very lucky to have seen some of those results from a lot of hard work and practice.

Q: Where do you think you'll be in ten years' time?

At this point I still have my sights set on a lot of things but again would never like to spell those out. I know that I hope to be working at the same rate as I am now with the same amount of enthusiasm, passion and satisfaction. It will be interesting to look back in 10 years on the work I have produced to see how it has developed.