Photographer Interview: Tiffany Burke
Tiffany Burke – Follow Your Art – http://www.followyourartphotography.com/ – Utah
1. How did you fall in love with photography?
I know you hear a lot of photographers say they got into photography to take better images of their own children…well, that’s my story too. I had some pictures taken of my daughter when she was a few months old and I was left wanting so much more. It was then that I started researching other photographers. My eyes were opened to so many amazing photographers. I thought to myself, I want to take pictures like that! So, I taught myself how to shoot manual on My Canon A540 point and shoot. Once I started to figure things out, I asked for my first DSLR camera (a Nikon D80) for Christmas (2 and a half years ago). 2 camera upgrades, several lenses, photoshop, workshops etc. later here I am. I have always been a very artistic person, but I can now say I have found my most perfect medium.
2. What gear do you use and why?
Nikon D700- I adore Nikon’s rich warm tones.
24-70 2.8 – It’s my go to lens for wider shots and creative shots as well. I also love the flare this lens produces.
135mm f/2 – I cannot say enough amazing things about this lens, I adore it! It is in my opinion the perfect portrait lens and the Bokeh is stunning!
85mm 1.8 – this was my favorite lens for a long time but it has taken a back seat lately to my 135mm f/2. Although I still pull it out in tight spots that I can’t always capture with my 135. I hope to upgrade to the 85mm 1.4 soon.
50mm 1.4 – I don’t use this lens often enough but I plan to play around with it a bit more because I hear so many great things about it!
3. What’s your inspiration?
The light first and foremost inspires me daily. I cannot stop myself from admiring the way light illuminates our surroundings, it captivates me. Also the beauty in each and every season. I always find I am most inspired right when the seasons start to change.
4. You seem to really pay a lot of attention to your backgrounds and how you shoot them. How much location scouting do you do and what do you look for?
I am always on the hunt for new locations, it never leaves my mind truthfully. I try to take different routes home or just to run errands etc. to see if I can spot new places to shoot. I have also asked for permission on several occasions to shoot in peoples yards. First and foremost it must have good light, preferably back light. I love to find beautiful fields and natural landscapes. I also look for places with a lot of color and texture that I know will photoshop well.
5. Your photos tell a lot of a story. Do you set up a set or a theme ahead of time often?
Sometimes I will have a theme in mind but not always. It really does just depend on the session and what I am trying to achieve with the pictures. More often that not it is the location that motivates me.
6. We all know that client sessions run a little differently than sessions with our own kids. How do you do things differently?
When I shoot my daughter it truly is an adventure each and every time we go. I have found with my daughter (and most kids for that matter) that I need to give her something fun to do or she is over it fast! I either give her a fun prop or take her to fun new place where she can play. I also know she’s done when she’s done and that’s that. Oh and I am not beyond bribes 
7. Obviously, you’ve worked very hard on your backlighting and it’s a strong suit for you. Without telling us too much, can you give a few tips?
I adore back light! If it’s cloudy on the day of a session I am so bummed. I always shoot my best back lit images in the last hour before the sun sets. What I have learned about back light is you can lose a lot of your shots (too much haze, a crazy flare etc.) so you cannot get discouraged by that because when you succeed it is so worth it. It really is about knowing how to position your client and yourself in the best possible light for the given situation. I try to find light that is filtered (through the trees for example) and not harsh, direct sun. I do use a reflector often as well to bounce the light back on the subject. Also post processing play a huge role in back lit images. A lot of people will throw out an image because it just doesn’t look great straight out of camera. It’s really about knowing how to bring the color and contrast back into the picture.
8. Do you tend to use one aperture or are your settings all over the place?
I really do prefer to shoot pretty wide open. It depends on the lens I am using and the amount of people I am shooting. I prefer to stay at or below 2.8. However if I am trying to achieve a specific type of flare my settings will vary quite a bit.
9. A lot of your clients seem to have celebrity wardrobes. How much coaching on clothing do you do?
t does depend on the session really. I will give my clients examples and suggestions but I am really just very lucky that most of my clients are very well dressed. If I am doing a mentoring session or a workshop though I am usually pretty specific with what my models wear. Seniors are fun too, they often show up with their whole closet stuffed in their car and we just throw fun stuff together.
10. You don’t seem to be a prop-heavy photographer, but sometimes there are a few things. Do you find those pieces on location or do you have a closetful of things to take?
Oh I do love props and my garage is full of them. I try to bring some type of prop with me to every session just for versatility. Some times there are props available to me at a location but mostly I just lug them with me.
11. If you could shoot just for you, what would you be shooting?
My family and I also love shooting nature scenes, I just don’t get to do it often enough. As far as the business side of it, I adore shooting seniors. They are so much fun, up for anything, stylish, and really just entertaining. I used to be a high school teacher so I just love that age!
12. Any parting tips on photography or life in general?
I guess I have a tip that applies to both photography and life. It’s just to take things one day at a time. One thing I’ve learned in my life is that I cannot get too far ahead of myself or things tend to spin out of control. If I take it one day at a time it all seems more manageable. Same with photography, I’ve learned that I grow and mature as an artist one session at a time. It’s about the journey not the destination…..
Good deed that you can win!
I’m sure readers will remember what’s been going on with Robyn. She’s been so thankful for all the help she’s been getting and it’s so wonderful to watch the community pull together for her. Wonderful photographer and bag designer Kelly Moore is doing a RAFFLE the help Robyn get back on her feet!
That’s right, you can win any Kelly Moore bag, new or current. How, you ask?
FIRST: Just paypal $25 to robyn@buttonsandbowsphotography.com (if you want to enter more than once, send more than one gift of $25)
THEN: Come back and post a comment in this entry and let us know what you donated!
Not only are you doing a good deed, but you might just be the winner. All entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Thursday, August 5th. One winner will be chosen after all entries are verified and they’ll get to pick a Kelly Moore bag for themselves!
Photographer interview: Angela Monson
Angie Monson – www.simplicityphotography.com – Salt Lake City, UT
1. How did you fall in love with photography?
When I was 13 my dad gave me a Pentax SLR film camera and I would have my sisters and friends dress up and we would go take pictures at the train tracks (not much has changed). I have always loved fashion too so it goes hand in hand with what I do.
2. Of course, I have to ask abut your style first off. How did you develop it and refine it?
It’s been a journey… I think many photographers (like myself) start out copying or getting inspiration from other photographers and that is what I did for a while. I got bored of that and I wanted to stand out. Now I just shoot whatever comes to my mind. I try to continue to shoot for myself because I really honestly would want to quit doing what I do unless I continue to be inspired and excited about it. My clients want what they see on my website so that is why I have to continue to see for me because doing the same thing over and over can get very un-inspiring. Don’t get me wrong, I try to change it up a bit with my clients but they are paying me to create a certain look so I deliver.
3. It’s a fine fine line between processing for color and over-editing a photo, but you walk it perfectly. Do you edit each photo by hand without actions?
I went through a stage where I over-edited and now I have just taken it back a notch. My goal is for my photos to look well-lit, colorful and sharp…
4. I saw this photo and literally gasped. How did you set this one up and what is your secret to getting that color?
I basically shot this while the sun was setting. There was a tree to the side of Chloe that was filtering the light a little making it easier for me to focus on her and not have too much light coming into my lens. I also angled down on Chloe a little too so that I wouldn’t get an extreme light flare in my photo because I wanted to keep the detail in the hat and her hair. I shot it with my 85mm lens at 2.0
5. You use depth of field to tell quite the story. Do you keep your aperture on the same setting most often or find yourself moving it around a lot?
I move it around a little, usually if it’s just one subject I try to almost always shoot wide open, if there are more than one subject I try to keep them on the same plane and shoot around a 2.8 f-stop. I really just love how bokeh highlights your subject and the background plays a part but doesn’t take over the photo.
6.How carefully do you pick your locations and what do you look for in a location you love?
Awww… locations. I really stress about locations sometimes.. Since there are so many photographers that shoot basically right outside my studio now it’s really hard to be unique here in Utah, but my clients come to my studio ready to jump outside and take photos. I think I just try to do what I am best at and not focus on finding the new, coolest location around. I think I am comfortable with all the locations I use so I haven’t been getting out there to find new ones! I need to get my butt in gear because it does excite me to try new locations.
7. What gear do you shoot with and why?
Nikon D700
85mm 1.4 (70% of the time)
50mm 1.4 (for studio)
17-35 2.8 wide angel shots for weddings and family shots.
I absolutely love my 85mm, it’s my go to lens that is always sharp and never lets me down! Oh and I LOVE the bokeh on that lens!
8. A lot of your clients’ clothing choices seem be similar. How much direction do you give them on wardrobe prior to the session?
I almost don’t at all anymore. My assistant Whitney does for the most part but I just tell them to look at my blog for inspiration. People in Utah are really fashionable and beautiful, for real!
9. A lot of photographers have trouble when it comes to posing a family. Yours always look so natural and un-posed. How do you talk with your clients to get those poses?
I just talk to them a lot and ask them to act like they are sitting on the couch watching tv or to act like they are bored. Just talking to them and asking them questions about themselves really relax people. It may seem like it’s easy but I am doing a lot of work behind the scenes just trying to get everyone comfortable, getting the right light, and just getting everyone to look at me! I do have an assistant at most of my family shoots, trust me it’s worth it!
10. You do a lot of outdoor, but you also know how to shoot in the studio too and still get your signature ‘look’. What’s your favorite studio setup and how does the processing differ from your outdoor work?
I just use a large octabox and an alien bees light. I also do a lot of natural light in my studio, we have huge windows in there! I just don’t edit my studio images as much as my outdoor images because studio light is more contrasty and just doesn’t need as much enhancing.
11. Your children are simply stunning, and you capture them so well. Many of us are quite familiar with the annoying and evasive antics of a photographer’s child. What is your secret to capturing such striking images of your own little ones?
I just have fun with them, don’t yell at them and bribe them of course! My kids are so used to the camera, they know how much it means to me and I think they want to please me. They also get one on one attention too and it makes them feel special. If you act like you are going on an adventure and tell them stories while you are shooting it helps them to look more relaxed and have fun!
12. You do a lot of siblings. We all know how hard it can sometimes be to get kids to get close to each other. How do you handle that?
I just talk really soft to them and talk about what they do together for fun, sometimes I have them tickle each other, and other times I ask them who gets in the most trouble. Sometimes it’s difficult but that’s why I have an assistant helping me. There are times when I have to ask the parents to just walk around the corner so that the kids won’t act out as much. I just joke around a lot but I try not to get too crazy until the end because kids will match your energy and you don’t want them crazy the first 2 minutes. Always have empathy for the kids and dad that usually don’t want to be there. I try to joke around with them as much as possible so they will at least have a little fun and it won’t be as miserable as they thought!!
Help a stranger (or maybe a not-so-stranger)
I have a friend in Orlando named Robyn Pollman. She runs Buttons and Bows Photography and Paperie Boutique (who has been a sponsor here for Modern Magical) and is one of the best and most in-demand photographers in Florida. She has been pretty much forced from her home this month never to return, all due to Chinese Drywall. It’s caused her a pantload of health issues and it just compounds. Vomiting, colitis, migraines, insomnia. Her kids were sick all the time, the appliances need replacing every 6 months due to corrosion. It’s a nightmare. They’ve had to leave everything porous, since not only it it pretty much poisoned, but it will continue to ‘off-gas’ and contaminate everything in their new place, turning any home they bring this stuff into a lethal area (really, the gas was used as part of a nerve poison in WW1!).
Her update:
paperieboutique.com/2010/06/15/made-in-china/
Chinese drywall links:
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/drywall/docs/Drywall_for_Healthcare_Providers.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/drywall/
They and their two boys are in a new rental place, but it’s a lot like a house fire and insurance will probably not cover that loss because it’s not ’sudden’. So, she’s lost everything that’s not metal or ceramic or glass. Furniture, bedding, shelving, clothes, books, boxes.. everything. This includes all of her photography things except for one body and one lens she had been keeping as a backup in her garage instead of the house.
So, she needs help. Photographers and other companies across the US are sending props and I’ve personally cleaned out an entire closet of my own to ship to her. The one thing I can’t send is camera gear. She’s been saving up for a new camera body (a D700) and a few new lenses for more than a year, but now that money has to go to buying her kids things and replacing furniture. I want for her to be able to finally be able to upgrade and replace what she’s lost, which is going to be about $6000.
I’m writing in hopes that people will come through in some donations for her. $5, $10, $50.. whatever you can will be a help. Since she’s not an organization and not a non-profit, this is not tax-deductible, but she just needs a little help to get back on her feet this once. Please paypal whatever you can to robyn@buttonsandbowsphotography.com so she can have a little pick-me up and get what she needs to keep working. Huge thanks to everyone in advance!
Happy Birthday, Paperie Boutique!!
It’s been a fantastic year for Robyn over at Paperie Boutique. She launched right at this time just one year ago and has just been going up ever since! Several places around the net are hosting huge happy birthday giveaways and coupons, so be sure to keep your eye on Paperie Boutique to find out where!
Photographer Interview: Cristina Grissett
Christina Grissett – http://christinagrissettphotography.com – Florence, SC
1. How did you fall in love with photography? Loved photography since high school, shooting with my Pentax K1000. Took a break through college, then I married, had a baby, plus a new digital camera, and BAM! Total creativity.
2. Obviously the first thing I have to ask about is your unique style. How did you develop your style for your photos? Flickr, mentoring, and experimenting. I have to say it is also your creative “EYE” too. You can teach “art” but not everyone can be an artist.
3. How much processing time do you have to spend on an average session? Do you enjoy it? Heavy question here! I dock my Iphone next to the computer, press play, and edit one image per song (3-5 min). The music starts to fade and I’m finished. I do enjoy it because it combines two of my favs, music and art.
4. In this image, your girl is backlit, but there is still light on her face and eyes. How do you prefer to light your subjects when you’re going for a shot like this? This was taken at 7:30 in an open field, so the backlight is soft and the sky behind me brings reflected light back into her face. You have to move around to find that light. Shuffle those feet!
5. I know SC is disgusting in the summer (I’m in GA myself) with the heat and humidity and bugs. How do you deal with nasty heat and still have your clients look so fresh and happy? Man, if you can do it, then later in the evening is the best, say 7. That’s why I am in so many fields lately. I can catch a breeze, the sun is setting, and the heat is not so intense. But believe me, we are all sweat hogs at the end! I always have bug spray too!
6. How carefully do you pick your locations and what do you look for in a location you love? Very, very carefully. I stalk those seedy alleys and funked up buildings. I zing by a few days before to see what the light is doing, cause that crazy sun moves from month to month! Illumination is the key to a great spot.
7. What gear do you shoot with and why? D700-full frame, great ISO capabilities. Lens- 24- 70 2.8, 20% of the time for those wild moving kiddos, the 85mm 1.8 the other 80%.
8. I love that you show a fair amount of the backgrounds when you’re working outside. Do you have a favorite aperture you work in? I use my 85mm at 1.8 to 2.0.
9. You also do studio work, so you are quite versatile! What’s your favorite go-to lighting setup? Oh man, I am still learning the studio stuff! I use an Alien bee 800, with a 7ft octobox.
10. Your children are simply stunning, and you capture them so well. Many of us are quite familiar with the annoying and evasive antics of a photographer’s child. What is your secret to capturing such striking images of your own little ones? $$$$! And, for Kate, a Sonic slush!
11. Your locations have a ton of color in them. How do you spot these locations and know what they will look like in the final shot? Foresight into what this image is going to be in the end, once again, your creative “eye”. I can see it before it’s edited. I know what Photoshop tools I will use to get the results I want.
12. Older kids are so tough to keep natural in front of the camera. How do you do it? I always suggest poses, but I also say, if it feels comfortable to you! They will typically position themselves in a similar way, but since they have control, they do look much more natural. But still sometimes, you get that statue look, and you have to switch tracks altogether.
Photographer Interview: Tamara Burross
Tamara Burross – Dallas, Texas – http://fromthetreetop.com/
1. How did you fall in love with photography?
I have always been in love with visual arts. As a child, I was endlessly busy creating or crafting. I took oil painting lessons at the prompting of my father, an artist himself. He often encouraged me to notice colors and composition around me and to translate that creatively. Photography is an extension of this for me and my interest in it peaked when I began shooting my own marketing ads for my children’s clothing line. I found that I enjoyed the photo sessions and the photography as much as the design process. So I decided to explore it further and fell completely in love.
2. You shoot a whole session with a mix of far and close shots. Do you switch lenses a ton, or just know how to anticipate what you want?
I shoot 95 percent of the time with my 50mm 1.4, but I do switch to my 85mm 1.8 occasionally. I think I have learned to move and flow with the subject and the location. Shooting 50mm has become second nature to me, it certainly keeps me moving, give me a workout and forces me to discover angles I may have missed without it. I use the 85mm most often for seniors, family groups or distance shots.
3. Tell us a little about what you look for in a location.
I tell every client that the single most important thing to me is light..light..light!! I judge a location based on the light it provides and I adore the romanticism of a lonely place that time has forgotten but beauty has not. This isn’t to say that you cannot find good light in any location…it’s there if you seek it out, but there are locations that provide magic!
4. What do you look for when you consider good lighting?
As a natural light shooter time of day is extremely important to me. I prefer to shoot about 1.5 hours prior to sunset, that is my absolute favorite time of day and it provides such warm, sweet lighting!! If evenings aren’t possible I try to shoot well before 11am to avoid harsh, or even hazy light..especially in the hot summer months. I generally choose a location that will provide me with shade and open areas for sunset shots. I can’t neglect to mention overcast skies, who doesn’t love a day of open shade?
5. What gear do you use and why?
I currently shoot with the Canon 5D Mark II, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8 and my trusty reflector! . Why these items? Well, from the time I first used my original Canon 5D I was in love with the clarity, natural color and low light handling the 5D series offers. I have used zooms in the past but always come back to my beloved primes. I am completely obsessed with tack sharp images and the primes never let me down. In fact, I am so used to shooting primes I find myself fumbling with a zoom! The reflector is absolutely essential for me because I frequently shoot in difficult lighting situations.
6. These photos of your daughter with a cloak on in the snow are just amazing and look mostly spontaneous. Do you give her any direction or do you just let her do her own thing?
One thing you must know about Grace is that she is going to do her own thing even when directed! LOL She is my muse and I credit her with several of my proudest moments as a photographer. Many times her “not listening” turned into one of my favorite shots. I do offer her direction but mostly I put her in beautiful light, a gorgeous location and let her be herself. This is my philosophy when it comes to all my subjects.
7. You do a lot of siblings. Do you have any special secrets to getting them to sit still long enough to get that shot?
Oh, these two girls are so precious! I was lucky because their mommy is a very calm presence and this makes a huge difference. I don’t think I have any “secrets” except to say that staying calm and patient always pays off. As with most sibling sessions, the baby wasn’t always willing or cooperative, but by praising the older sister for her efforts and giving her positive feedback rather than focusing on what the baby was doing- I was able to keep her interested long enough to capture baby once she was ready. Kids can feel your tension and parents are usually tense enough for everyone, and understandably so! My best sibling advice-be calm, carry on, and don’t be afraid to look silly. Another tip-if the younger sibling feels ignored they are suddenly very interested in having their picture taken…well it works some of the time anyway.
8. This light in this photo almost looks like fairy dust . How do you find or create that?
That day we were in a low area near a dry creek bed on this family’s ranch. The light was literally twinkling through the leaves. I wish I could take credit for that but I think I was just in the right place at the right time. I do love to add a bit of Gaussian blur to enhance the magic, especially when i am shooting more closed down for a sibling group. I usually shoot at f/2.8 or lower but for siblings I shoot around f/3.2-3.5.
9. I know you shoot near sunset for that golden hour, but your lighting always looks super golden and warm. Is that your location or is it more in your processing?
In this case the golden grass, her reddish hair and cute freckles add so much warmth, but I find when shooting back lit at sunset the images are naturally golden. Shooting in the right light will always add rich color to your images. No amount of processing can substitute for good light and proper exposure.
10. You shoot backlit photos a lot. Do you find it hard to process or expose these?
It is a challenging process and I probably make my life as a photographer harder chasing those golden moments, but I am completely addicted. In order to achieve those back lit images I work with a reflector and try to angle my lens slightly to one side or the other of the sun’s direct light. If you turn your lens directly to the sun not only will your camera cough but you may overexpose the image and subject entirely. Working with the reflector allows me to light the subject with natural light so as to not completely blow out my background. Let me mention that this also takes the help of an experienced assistant that knows the balance of lighting the subject with the reflector without blinding the subject with the reflector, which doesn’t make for a very happy subject.
11. Your children are simply stunning, and you capture them so well. Many of us are quite familiar with the annoying and evasive antics of a photographer’s child. What is your secret to capturing such striking images of your own little ones?
Thank you! Don’t be fooled, my children are a handful!! I find them to be the most trying subjects I encounter because the don’t always want to cooperate with mom. When they were younger and I wasn’t as busy with clients they literally ran from me when they saw the camera. I can remember many sessions ending in tears on my part at not being able to capture anything but a profile shot of my daughter. Now that they are older and I am too busy to photograph them as much as I would like, they LOVE to be my subjects!! So there is hope! I think the best advice I can offer is to let them be part of the process (have them choose something they love to wear that you can both agree on), capture them being “themselves” (put them in a fun situation that also happens to be a great location) and try (and I stress try) to keep it short and sweet. After all, they are your kids..you can torture them again tomorrow if you choose to!
Photographer interview: Amanda Keeys
Amanda Keeys
Location: NSW Australia
Website: http://www.amandakeeysphotography.com/
Actions: http://www.fallintoblue.com/actions/
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mskat
1. How did you fall in love with photography?
It was a total accident. I was browsing the net for something random, and came across DeviantART (back in early 2003). I saw some photos on there and kinda went, ooh cool, I can do that, easy! For a couple of months I just went crazy with this dinky little ONE megapixel camera I borrowed from my in-laws (and soon realized it was not easy). I saved my butt off until I could afford a better point and shoot camera, went crazy with that one too, and then realized I was just deep deep in love with taking photos. Back then it was more self portraits and “things” rather than kids. So I saved and saved for some months more until I was finally able to afford my first DSLR and have never looked back.
2. You have a brilliant eye for capturing magical childhood moments. Do you keep your camera with you at all times, ready to capture a bit of everyday magic or do you set up special shoots?
Oh no, definitely don’t have it with me all the time. That thing is HEAVY! I don’t even have a point and shoot. I find if I take my camera everywhere, I forget to BE in the moment, I’m too worried about capturing it (and maybe not realistically either, I want that moment to be perfect, and so I change it, you know?). I am more of the type to plan a little something, or at least have an idea cooking, before I get the camera out. That’s not to say that at home I won’t pull it out occasionally just because, but it’s less of something I do now then when I first started out.
3. I think the vast majority of your photos are black and white. Can you tell us a little about why you love it so much and how you manage to convey that special magic without the use of color?
That actually started because I’m colourblind. I’m in the 0.1% of females that are colourblind. So I always felt like I would never be able to “see” in colour properly and was paranoid that if I tried… things would look weird! I remember actually when I started out, I hand-coloured (not selective colour, by hand) a photograph of my niece. I thought her skin was a pretty peachy pink but it was GREEN!!! I didn’t even find out until months later when someone asked me if she was meant to be a pixie or something.
More than that though, I just love the way B+W strips everything else away, and lets you just focus on the emotion of the photograph. I’ve always been drawn more to a beautiful moody B+W than I have to lovely colours.
4. You do a lot of very serious poses and faces with your kids like this one. Do you set these up this way, or are your kids more serious in nature?
Oh gosh no they are not serious at all. Madison (in that photo) is a little pro at modelling. When she was about 3 I started taking photos of her all the time because she LOVED being in front of the lens. So she kind of “learnt” through that what Mama likes to see. Sometimes it can be a bit frustrating when I want to capture her just as she is, but most of the time I really love that she gets what I want. She’s always been really good at being a total ham, and then when I say “just look at me” (or whatever) she whips out these killer expressions. For her it’s natural to be like that, even though she’s a total goober normally. With the others, I never, ever ask them to smile (or I’ll ask them to smile a specific way – but that’s my secret trick *grin*) so if I get eye contact with them, it tends to be more of a connection of them actually *looking* at me rather than, oh theres a camera let me cheese for you. I have plenty of photos of them laughing or smiling and playing about, but the moody soulful eyes contact shots are the ones that speak to me most.
5. You have five small ones! How do you keep your cameras from getting annoying to them and still manage such great shots of them all the time?
My secret is to not get it out for them too often! I don’t have it out at home all the time, and I definitely don’t push them to get in photographs. My oldest literally has a handful of photos from the past few months because he really really doesn’t like being in photographs. So although I’d LIKE to have more of him, I respect his feelings and don’t push. All the younger ones go through stages where they’ll ask me to take photos of them, or they’ll share an idea with me and ask if we can take photos of that (usually of their toys) so we’ll do maybe a couple of shots of their toys and then I’ll grab a couple of them. I try to make it fun, and I try to reward them afterwards by going out and grabbing a milkshake or whatever and let them know what a great job they did.
6. You do a lot of field and cemetery photos. Why that particular location, and what makes you love it so much?
I have always had a “thing” for cemeteries. I remember wandering through one when I was VERY little with my Nan, and being fascinated by the headstones. I moved out of home when I was 16, and had no real “me” space where I was living, and the cemetery was one of the places I used to go that would feel like “me”. I know that probably sounds weird! So anyway, I would be going to the cemetery a few times a week, so when I started out with that crappy little camera as I mentioned above, the first place I went was the cemetery! The stone and the history and the overgrown wild plants just speak to me. There is literally NOTHING around where I live. No fields, no cool buildings, no rustic, no rural, no urban, NOTHING! The cemetery is my one little spot where I can find little (and I mean little) spots that I can work with and make it LOOK like I have a cool area. That said, I have never ever taken a client there and don’t think I ever would.
7. What do you look for in a new location and lighting?
Well as I mentioned, there is nothing around here really. So when I look for somewhere, I try to find something that has a bit of a fieldish vibe, and if I can manage to get something else of interest too, I’d be incredibly happy. There is a park I use that has a couple of little spots, but it’s nothing special. Lighting wise, I want to make sure I can shoot there in the afternoon with the light coming from a nice direction for backlight, and that it has a couple of spots where I can get some shade if I need it.
8. I think a lot of us struggle with Black and white photos. Can you tell me how you ‘see’ a photo in B+W? How do you know it’ll look good in B+W when you shoot it and set it up?
It’s kind of just instinct for me at this stage. Second nature, whatever you want to call it. I just…. see it that way! I can generally tell if the lighting conditions and location are going to give me a nice bw or whether I’m going to be better off sticking with colour. Sometimes I’ll shoot with the intention of making something bw. It pays to pay attention to the colours around you (for instance, red for me looks muddy and blah in black and white unless you edit it in certain ways) so I plan things like wardrobe with bw in mind and background in mind too. While in colour I like things to be a bit brighter, in black and white I really want something with a bit more richness I can work with, so if I’m shooting with a bw in mind I’m more likely to underexpose slightly to allow me to have richer tones to work with in my black and white conversion.
9. Your processing has a lot of deep colors. Can you tell us a little about how you get those?
Well I sell an action for that 
Haha. In photoshop I use a couple of layers to bring the richness into the midtones especially. I tend to shoot pretty bang-on exposure wise, so I rarely touch the light tones much at all, but the mids and darks I’ll work with. I do everything pretty much exclusively with curves layers.
10. You do a fair amount of backlighting. How do you set up and properly expose those shots?
Expose for the skin!! When I’m shooting backlight, I rarely if ever watch the light on the background. I ALWAYS watch the face (and I move *myself* rather than the child) and skin so that I know where the light is falling, to avoid as many hotspots as possible (some I don’t mind, that is the nature of strong backlight) and expose for that skin. Unless you want something darker or a silhouette, what you want to see is the child (especially the eyes, if they’re looking at you) so forget everything else, and get that exposure on their skin tones right. You’ll soon learn how to see and shoot with backlight without even thinking about it.
11. Your children are simply stunning, and you capture them so well. Many of us are quite familiar with the annoying and evasive antics of a photographer’s child. What is your secret to capturing such striking images of your own little ones?
Thank you so much! My kids have their days (and weeks, and in the case of my oldest, years) when they don’t want to have their photographs taken. I get the camera out of the face for the most part, and when I do take photos of them, I try to make it more like I’m playing with them or they’re helping me out (and I LAVISH on the praise when they do a good job). I know some people who have their cameras out all the time and take amazing day-to-day photos of their kids, but that just would not work for me. One, I would get burnt out!!! and 2, my kids wouldn’t stand for it. So when I take a photo, I have the outcome in mind, and thats what we aim for. I might only get one or two shots, but they’ll be the exact ones I’m after.
12. The light in your photographs could be described as pure magic. What is your favorite time of day to shoot?
In the summer, very late afternoon (5pm onwards) and in autumn/winter 1.30pm onwards. The light in Australia is very harsh and strong, so afternoon when things get a little softer and warmer is definitely better. If I was a morning person maybe I’d like mornings too, but I’m definitely not
xox Amanda
Photographer interview: Jorja
Meet Jorja!
Location: Cincinatti, OH
Website: http://www.inmyprimephotography.com
1. How did you fall in love with photography?
This is the hardest question and I had to come back to it. I have always loved photography and art in general for as long as I can remember. But like any good relationship, it is the constant falling in love with it that makes the relationship a lasting one. Everytime I get that image that I have been craving, I fall in love all over again. So I guess to answer the questions, I am STILL falling in love with it!
2. You have a brilliant eye for capturing magical childhood moments. Do you keep your camera with you at all times, ready to capture a bit of everyday magic or do you set up special shoots?
I do both. My camera is always at the ready so I can catch a moment as it is happening. Kids tend to be spontanious, so to capture that, I also have to be spontaneous. But I also do get visions for an image that I have to set up and wait for just the right moment and light to pull off.
3. In this photo, the location makes the photo. Tell us a little about what you look for in a location.
Well, that location I have to wait all year for! I like natural locations, so I tend to look for forests, paths, fields, and little pockets of wildness. I like locations that help to complete the telling of a story. For example, if I am doing a shoot in the fall, I like the fall colors and leaves to be incorporated in the image as much as possible.
4. What do you look for when you consider good lighting?
I like interesting lighting. All lighting; front lit, side lit, back lit, has it’s place. I like lighting that adds depth and mood in an image, like this….
I love shadows and working with light and shadow to complete an image.
5. What gear do you use and why?
I have the classic 5d, 30d, 135 2.0L, 50 1.2L 15mm 2.8 fish eye, plus the 85 1.8 and a 430ex flash, both of which I never use. My favorite combo and the one I use about 80% of the time is the 5d with the 135mm lens. That combo does the best job of creating the images I see in my head. Plus, I like the longer focal length because it give me enough distance from my subjects so that they can be more spontanious and less aware of the camera pointed at them.
6. This backlit photo of your littlest blowing bubbles really captures what it feels like to be a child. Do you direct your kids at all, or anticipate them?
A little of both. I put the kids in the light I want and then I give them something they would want to be doing anyhow, blowing bubbles holding a bunny or chicken, jumping, dancing, or twirling. I know they will be happy and I will get natural expressions.
7. You shoot a LOT of backlit photos in many different locations. How do you get proper exposure with the changing light?
I tend to like to expose to the right, and basically, spot metering the light bouncing off of faces gives me the exposure read that I need to accomplish that. If I am not getting a good read off the face, I will spot meter the shadow and expose a stop higher and that give me a good base for what I need. I shoot in RAW exclusively, since that gives me the range I need for creative exposures.
8. You catch a lot of seemingly spontaneous moments like this one. How do you set those up or are they really spontaneous?
That shot was pretty spontaneous. She had just received that trike for her birthday, so just setting her on it I got happy, spontaneous shots. Again, this goes back to the fact that I do always have my camera at the ready, so it takes me ten seconds to get a shot like this.
9. Could you share the three photos that you are proudest of, and feel best represent your style?
Shoot, this constantly changes. But I will give it a shot;
This one, cuz it embodies Spring, from her dress to her wishes to the light to the new leaves on the trees.
This one is a little older, but it has all the elements that I truly love, circles of confusion, bare feet, whimsy, a pony and backlighting.
And this one for the pure happy emotion.
10. Your children are simply stunning, and you capture them so well. Many of us are quite familiar with the annoying and evasive antics of a photographer’s child. What is your secret to capturing such striking images of your own little ones?
I try not to push them. Limiting “sessions” with them to ten minutes or less. Often just one or two frames, since I can set the shot in my head for days, wait for just the right light and mood, and then shot for 30 seconds. Plus, again, I like to shoot them doing what they want to do anyway, playing with the animals, jumping the the creek. And, since I have three kids, I can use whichever one is in the happiest mood.
11. The light in your photographs could be described as pure magic. What is your favorite time of day to shoot?
Awww, thanks! I like shooting at all times of the day. Evening for great catchlights, in the sun for colorful, fun, playful shots, window light fro drama and shadows. But when I schedule sessions with clients, I like to shoot in the morning or in the evening, so that the light is softer.
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