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Our very first First Fridays featured artist is a photographer out of Arizona. Emily has been a photographer for 4 years now. Emily started photography the same way a lot of us do, taking pictures of our family! That very quickly lead to her love of capturing moments with people. Let’s get right to the interview shall we!
John: How long have you been doing photography?
Emily: I got my first DSLR in 2019, and I was doing a little photography of anything and everything on and off just for fun. I didn’t start pursuing it more seriously until this past year or so.
J: what was your first camera?
E: Canon Rebel T7i that I got during a Black Friday sale. It’s very “entry level” but it’s been a great camera to learn on. For what it is I feel I do quite well with it and it’s actually what I am still using currently, but I am really, really hoping to upgrade soon. In fact, I am itching to upgrade so badly that I am considering donating plasma for extra money to put towards it, haha.
J: Donating plasma is a big step to take towards investing into this. Do you know what camera and or lenses you would like to upgrade to?
E: I am still undecided, I guess it depends how patient I want to be. I really would love a Canon R series camera, but I have not settled on anything yet.
(Update: She has recently upgraded to a Canon R6 Mark ii, we are all very excited for her!)
J: What got you into photography? Why did you start photography?
E: I originally bought my DSLR so that I could just have a nice camera to capture life’s moments with. Whether it be family photos at a holiday party, or photos of my travels, I just wanted to do better than my cell phone (I know cell phone cameras have come a long way and phone photography is a valid thing, it’s just not for me. I tried the whole cell phone photography thing for a while and I never really felt satisfied with it, personally). I wasn’t really planning to “become a photographer”, but what I found was how much I actually loved doing it. I didn’t know how much I loved it until I just… Started doing it. One day I decided to try doing portraits just for fun, and that’s when I really started falling in love. Now it’s almost an addiction, I can’t stop chasing it.
J: Who are some photographers that inspire you? That you admire or try to emulate?
E: One photographer in particular comes to mind Meg Loeks (@meg.nlo on instagram). She primarily shoots children, her photos are very captivating and they really capture my imagination. She is very creative and I love her use of props. She really inspires a sense of wonder through her photos. But honestly, there are many photographers that I follow on social media who I admire, and who I feel inspired by, but I don’t necessarily try to emulate anyone in particular. It’s important, to me, to develop my own style. I don’t think I would enjoy photography if I was trying to emulate what somebody else is doing.
J: What is your style? Shooting and editing
E: That’s a tough question- I don’t know that I really have a super consistent editing style right now. There are so many factors that play into how I edit a photo like the setting, the lighting, the colors, and the content (Like, I am not going to do a “moody” edit on a happy graduation photo, but I might do a “moody” edit on a more artsy/creative kind of portrait). I often hear how important it is to be consistent with your editing style, but I think that is more for people who have found a niche. Truthfully, I haven’t really found a niche yet. I am in experimentation mode right now, and every photo set I come out with is just so unique, there is really no one size fits all way of editing them.
I would say, generally speaking, I tend to prefer color. I’m not big on black and white for my photography. I don’t like oversaturated colors, but I don’t care for too much desaturation either. I especially don’t like to desaturate a photo overall. If I desaturate, it’s usually only specific colors that are popping too much for me, not the whole photo. I also have a tendency to make the darkest values in the photo a bit lighter, I don’t typically like for my blacks to be as black as they can possibly be. I also like to bring the clarity down, not a whole lot, just a touch for some softness which I find really nice for portraits.
J: You mentioned that you haven’t really found your style or niche yet. I completely understand that. My style has changed so much and so many times over the years of doing this. Some times I go look at old photos and cringe. Something I’ve noticed consistently throughout your images is they all have this glow about them. I imagine you shoot at “golden hour”. Do you try to plan your shoots around golden hour? Or just as it comes when it works out for both of you?
E: I always try to shoot during the golden hour, whether it be one hour after sunrise or one hour before sunset- Both are so beautiful. I insist on shooting during the golden hour and explain the benefits of doing so, and people generally find it agreeable. Most people prefer sunset, but I’ve had a lot of people do sunrise shoots with me as well, especially because here in Phoenix, it’s just too hot to shoot during the day (during summer at least). 115-120 degree days are NOT a fun time for photography. At sunrise, you can avoid the heat of the day.
Anyway, it’s not that I can’t take a good photo during other hours of the day, but it is trickier light to work with and I don’t prefer the look of it. I did prom photos for my stepsister once, and we had to do it in the early afternoon. The sun was still so high, and we were in this desert preserve and the gravel/dirt was so white and so all of the light from the sun was just reflecting off the dirt and bouncing back onto the subjects. I mean, everything was just so bright. Artistically, it’s not a look that I like… After that photoshoot, I was like, “Never again!!!” Lol
J: Golden hour is a beautiful time to shoot so I completely understand!
That glow is unmatched!
I have shot during peek day and trust me I understand everything just bouncing light around. Like can we find a dang tree or something!
J: How have you evolved since you started?
E: Oh, there are many little things that have changed since I first started, like my proficiency with operating my camera and all it’s settings, and the fact that when I first started I didn’t really know about backlighting (I was solely relying on the sun to light my subjects, or putting them in the shade), but one of the biggest things that has evolved is my confidence. I had major imposter syndrome in the beginning, too. As I have continued to learn and gain experience, my confidence in myself and in my work has gone up a lot, and I feel like less and less of an imposter every day.
J: Imposter Syndrome is very real. I agree working through it, learning and getting better definitely helps get past it. What are somethings you do to help with that learning and building confidence besides doing a photoshoot?
E: It might sound silly, but positive self-talk is a super useful tool in building confidence. Also, connecting with other photographers…. Being accepted by others in the community is helpful in deterring those feelings. I still feel it, at times, but it’s definitely far better than it used to be, haha.
J: Positive self talk is key. We must speak life into the world. I say affirmations all the time because I have imposter syndrome myself. Community is huge! It’s like this unspoken thing people need in any aspect of life but so many don’t talk about it!
J: What is your current set up?
E: Right now, I just have my camera/lenses, external flash, diffuser(s), reflectors, and computer with a solid graphics card for editing.
J: What do you shoot?
E: Portraits! And as I had said earlier, I am kind of in experimentation mode- I don’t really have a niche yet. I’ve done a little of everything so far- graduation photos, prom photos, maternity photos, holiday card photos, family photos, bridal showers/baby showers, engagement photos, etc. I’ve also done a lot of “just for fun” portraits and more creative/artsy kinds of portraits.
J: What is your favorite thing to shoot?
E: People, which is why I primarily do portraits. I do planned photo sessions, not candid street photography (big props to those who do street photography, I just can’t help but feel totally uncomfortable taking photos of strangers in public). I just love capturing people beautifully, and I love sparking joy in my clients/models through my photography.
J: You have been shooting for about 4 years now, how long have you been doing portraits specifically?
Also I can see your posing is good. What did you do to learn posing? Or is it just natural for you to want to have these types of poses? I ask because I know how hard posing is. Especially when you see it in your head and the execution does not match.
E: I first started doing portraits about 2 years ago, but it was kind of on and off and I didn’t really get serious about it until the last 6 months or so, actually.
To be completely honest, a lot of my “posing” isn’t really posing- It’s movement. I often tell my models to just “move”. Do a twirl, put your arms up in the air, give yourself a hug, play with your hair, your dress, etc. I find that continuous, fluid motions look very relaxed, natural, and candid (I know it’s not truly candid, but it feels that way). Even when the model feels a little awkward about it, there are always inevitably great shots. What I like about this style of modeling is that everybody “flows” differently, it’s unique to each individual, it’s really interesting to see how people move and flow in whatever ways feel right to them. I learned about this type of modeling from another photographer who I modeled for, actually.
I guess I probably learned traditional posing from seeing what other photographers are doing, mostly. I’ve also learned quite a bit from my models who are “natural” models. There have been times they’ve just gone and done things that I never would have thought to do, and it just works. When I do “pose” people, I always tell the model to feel free to change little things up while staying in the general position. Like, they can move their hand positioning around, they can change their head positioning, etc. I find that when people are allowed to move and change it up a little, it’s more comfortable for them than just sitting there in a stiff position, it seems like they are able to relax a little more. This was something I just kind of discovered on my own – It just made sense. Get people into position, but allow them to make small changes to the general position. Plus, it yields variety, which is cool.
I am still learning how to pose people, though. Traditional posing is a tricky thing. Often what you see in your head does not translate well into real life, but what I’ve found is that sometimes all it takes is one small change to make it work.
J: Yes! Posing is a tricky beast. When I studied posing in college they actually teach you movement. And the models should know this. The only Time you “hard” pose someone is when you want a specific look and even then you have to allow the model to move!!! So id say you are farther a long than a lot of people!
J: What is your favorite piece of equipment not a camera or lens?
E: I don’t have a ton of equipment yet, so right now I guess I would have to say my computer. It is amazing the difference a computer with a good graphics card makes when using Lightroom. Early on, I was using my laptop or tablet to edit because it was all I had available. Lightroom was always so glitchy on those devices, the healing tools were nearly impossible to use, and there was no option to use the enhanced noise removal tool. On a computer with a good graphics card, though, Lightroom runs so smoothly, I can use the enhanced noise removal tool (which is incredible), and the editing process is just so much smoother and more fun!
J: What software do you use?
E: Adobe Lightroom (premium). It’s great software and fulfills most of my editing needs. However, there have been a few times where I’ve thought, “Dang, I wish I knew Photoshop right now”, so I am doing an online course in Photoshop currently so that I can take my editing skills a bit further.
J: Do you use presets or does each image get its own style?
E: I typically try to not to use presets. Early on, before I was as proficient with editing, I would select a preset merely as a starting point, and then make adjustments from there. Now that I understand all the different tools in Lightroom better, I typically edit “from scratch”. I don’t really have anything against using presets, I just really love the editing process so editing “from scratch” is really fun for me. Using presets feels like I am skipping steps that I genuinely enjoy doing.
J: Did you have any schooling or self taught?
E: I have not had any formal education in photography specifically. My college degree is actually in Sociology. I did take a lot of art classes in High School, which I feel has helped me a lot in the artistic side of photography. Things like composition, leading lines, etc. are all important for paintings and drawings, so it was natural for me to apply those concepts to photography as well. It was the more technical stuff (the exposure triangle, what kinds of lenses to use in what situations, equipment, how to achieve a good background blur, etc) that I really needed some help with, so I took some courses online through Udemy to expand my knowledge and understanding of that stuff, and as I said earlier, I am currently doing an online course in Photoshop as well.
J: What are things you struggle with in photography?
E: Well, I would absolutely love to make a career of this, and I think that is the main challenge for me right now- Getting paid gigs. I mean, currently, I am mostly working for free to build a portfolio. This is fine right now, but my hope is that the more work I do and the more experience I get, the more the paid gigs will come. I get a few here and there, but they are few and far between. I am really trying so, so hard to put myself out there and build a potential client base, but it is truly a challenge. I know I just need to be patient, though. They say that all good things come in time, if you are putting in the effort to get them. I hope that’s true.
J: How do you go about getting your clients? That being said which do you prefer to shoot – the typical type of shoot or the creative/artsy shoots?
E: I started with friends and family, then as I connected with other photographers, I got referrals for models, who referred me to their friends/family, etc. I would also post a lot on social media that I was looking for models, and I would get people that way. I’ve also offered photoshoots to communities I am part of, such as the community choir I am involved in, and I had quite a bit of interest from that.
J: What is your story and the story you want to tell the world?
E: Something very significant about my life story thus far is that I have struggled with severe depression, anxiety, and ADHD for a very, very long time and this has caused a lot of setbacks in life for me. Not only do I have a chemical imbalance, but I have some childhood trauma as well. Without going into too much detail, I grew up around volatile relationships and on top of that, my father was an alcoholic for a long time that eventually spiraled into a drug addiction. It really impacted me as a teen/adult very negatively (although I didn’t really know it until I started therapy later in life).
I was also pretty directionless until recently. I really didn’t know what I wanted out of life, for the longest time. I went to college for sociology because I loved it, but I never even knew what I wanted to do with it. I’ve been in and out of various jobs, but I was never happy in any of them. I spent years of my life in a state of limbo, unsure of what I wanted or where my passions truly lied, looking for some kind of solution and never finding it. At some point just prior to the pandemic, I finally accepted that in order to get my life on track, I really needed to tackle my mental health- I needed to do therapy and actually stick with it and possibly get on medication (something I was afraid of for a very long time). I did both- The therapy helped tackle the stuff from my childhood that was affecting me as an adult, but it didn’t necessarily fix the drastic mood swings I would have (like I said, I also have an imbalance), so I got on medication too. It’s been so helpful in stabilizing my mood and has allowed me to really focus on figuring my life out- Finally. It took a while, but without a stable mood, I don’t really know that I would have ever finally found my passion: Photography. I am 30 now, and sometimes I wish I had figured all of this out sooner, but maybe it was meant to happen this way for some reason.
The reason I feel that all of this is important is because maybe it will inspire somebody who is struggling to keep holding onto hope and get the help they need, whatever it takes. I know that depression can feel like it’s never going to end. I know it can feel like a permanent curse on your life that you will never be able to tackle and keep at bay. I know what it feels like to have existential crises, questioning the meaning and purpose of your existence and wondering what you are suffering for. I know what it’s like to feel lost and directionless and thinking you will never find your purpose or passions. I know what it’s like to have suicidal ideations. Sorry to get dark, but it’s the truth and it matters. I really believed for the longest time that I would never escape depression. I am sharing this aspect of my life because I want people to know that it’s not impossible. Depression is manageable. You can beat it into submission, and you can start living your life. Have patience, give it time. If I can do it, you can do it.
J: First off I just want to say thank you for being open enough to share what you have with me. That sounds really tough to have went through and in ways still go through. Im so glad you decided to take the stand against it and fight for you and who you are. It is such a honor to get a peek into that. And through it all found something that you are truly passionate about.
In its own way, how has photography helped you through this?
E: Photography has given me something to strive for. I just want to keep getting better and better. I don’t think I have ever felt so motivated to be good at something, and succeed at it. It also keeps me busy, entertained, and keeps me from falling into negative states. It’s quite therapeutic, and it’s so satisfying to see the results of the work you put in. It just continues to motivate me.
J: What is something you wish you knew when you started?
E: I wish I had known how supportive and kind so many other photographers are! It’s not that I was sitting there assuming the worst about people or anything, it was more just that I was insecure. I was really afraid of putting myself out there and networking in the beginning because of the imposter syndrome, I would compare my work to theirs and wonder if it was good enough, I was afraid they would just see me as someone trying to compete with them and therefore they wouldn’t want to connect with me, etc. Turns out there are a lot of really amazing people out there who have been more than willing to connect with me, answer my questions, give advice and feedback, and support me and my work. If I had been expecting this kind of response from other photographers, I might have started networking sooner. With all that having been said, I just want to take a moment and thank all of you wonderful people. As someone who is still getting established, it means a lot.
J: I understand the thought of this world not being supportive. And some people aren’t to say the least. But in my experience most of us are. Most of us want to help and see people shine. Is there any photographers in particular that have been a big help that you want to shout out?
E: You’ve been awesome, for one! Your support and encouragement has been so motivating, and I really appreciate that. Your desire to make genuine connections with the photography community really makes you feel welcome, too.
Some others include Jareb Gutierrez (@jnggtzphotography), he is just generally very supportive and encouraging, Melani Heldt (@melaniheldtphotography) has been super helpful in answering questions I’ve had in the past about photography, Garrid Klippness (@garridklippness) has been very supportive and helped me out by referring me to an awesome model, and lastly, I’m not sure his actual name but on Instagram he is @theroot64 and gave me some great advice once regarding photography.
J: This is so awesome Emily! And thank you for the shout out hehe
I love this community and really getting to know you and not just “the photographer” I think that’s the whole point!
I just want to say thank you again Emily! It was such an honor to get to spend some time getting to know you. Thank you for being so open and sharing so much of your life with me and with my followers! I know how difficult that can be to open up.
Every one please check out Emily’s work on Instagram and Facebook. Show her some love and encouragement!
Peace
J
