JaredWingate has been on deviantART for over a year and has a rather varied Gallery. You may have recently seen him quoted in Photography Weekly as his reasons for taking up Photography as a hobby are quite poignant. He shoots with a Nikon d5100 and a Nikon d800 with an array of Tamron and Nikon lens. JaredWingate uses photo editing software for light retouching depending on what his subject desires.

Firstly, and most importantly - Why people?

Well, as a lot of people already know here... I have Autism, and like most people with Autism we have a lot of problems understanding people & facial expressions.... I believe I was drawn towards people to learn more about this. I gravitate towards Street Photography specifically people in the street because people are alive and moving which makes them harder subjects than say, still life.

What do you find are the challenges of staging your subjects and setting up studio type equipment?

Staging them in studio is easy... It's getting them to stay still that's a challenge, esp when shooting at shallow depth of field or when using the studio lights. Every portrait photographer knows "inverse square law" and if not... get it tattooed on you... It is my next tattoo...

Inverse square law is basically the fall off point of light... You get a person in front of you, you have your lighting ready to shoot... andthe model takes a step back, or a step forward. You ( the photographer ) then shake your head, Quietly judge the model & call him/her names (in your head) & either have him/her go back to where you had him/her... or indeed just re-meter for the shot...(to all the aspiring models out there we don't really judge you) I'm to polite, & have a bit of OCD so I never ask them to move back I just indeed.... re-meter for the shot.

Are there any portrait photographers on deviantART that you admire? If so who are they?

Oh most definitely... But too many so I will name DiamonEyes He is a real good guy, awesome film photographer & is willing to help with anything one may need.

Likewise are there any groups that you find help out with your type of photography?

Yes...Somnambulist-Aisle EarthGaia Expression-Overload The-Freek-Show alightindarkness are all very wonderful groups plus the plethora of groups I belong to that are on my profile page.

You're going on an all expenses paid holiday and can take an Artist, a Writer and a Singer with you. Who do you take? 

Good question... At this point I would have to say... and this is off the top of my head Salvador Dali, Edgar Allen Poe & Roger Waters of Pink Floyd...