I’ve been posting on this blog for a few months now, and doing so pretty consistently. That being said, to those of you who read my posts, I don’t think you all know me very well. Sure, I have a short little about page on this blog, but I wanted to sit down and write something a little more casual so you guys can get to know me a little bit better, and that will hopefully give you some insight into my photography work as well.

So, let’s get into it! 20 Questions with the Photographer (that’s me) starts right now.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: When did you start photography?

There are actually a few answers I could give to this. I got my first camera in the eigth grade, so you could say that’s when my photography started. However, it was just a little camera I shot around with for fun, and I don’t really count that as doing photography– in the same sense that some people might not count randomly taking pictures on your phone as photography. For me, there has to be a sort of intent. Freshman year of high school, I got a DSLR for Christmas, and started taking pictures more often and with more intention, bringing it to events to capture candid moments of my friends. I would say I really got more serious about photography (planning photoshoots, editing photos, investing time and money into it) my junior year of high school.

Why do you do photography?

Photography is a very personal thing to me. I do it solely as a hobby. To my knowledge and memory, I’ve never gotten paid for any photography I’ve done, though I’ve gone to events and photographed them as favors to friends or friends of my family. I’m a very creative person, and photography is a way for me to express that creativity in a low-risk environment. No matter what I’m currently doing in life, I can pick up my camera and shoot for an hour or two and have that creative outlet. It’s also something that it’s okay if I don’t practice photography for months on end, because I have to commitment to it. It’s something I enjoy spending my time doing, much like people will enjoy reading books or playing a sport or any other hobby.

Ok, so who are you?

Well, my name’s Emily– nice to meet you. I’m currently a student at UCLA double majoring in Economics and Public Affairs, though what I really love doing (and hoping to find the space in my schedule to minor in) is acting. I’m originally from Maryland, but am determined to live in a big city when I’m older (think LA, NYC, Chicago, etc.). I have five siblings, and am right smack dab in the middle of them at #3. The only pets I ever had are betta fish, and my current fish that I’ve had since August does not have a name.

What have you been doing during the pandemic?

After completing my first year of college in 2020, I took the 2020-2021 school year off. I took a couple of community college classes for the first part of that school year, but the second I’ve been spending my time volunteering, working some odd jobs, prepping for my second college year in Fall of 2021, and (of course) working on developing my photography skills.

Why did you start this blog?

I started this blog at the beginning of 2021 after a slew of other blogs that I just lost interest in writing on. I wanted to do something that explored my passion for photography, and writing and sharing about it seemed like a fun idea. So I tried it out, and so far, I’ve been able to keep it up and stick to a fairly regular schedule. Articulating my thoughts about photography, my photography process, and journey growing as a photographer has made me analyze it even more, and I think is a big reason why I have grown so much as a photographer even just this year.

What’s your favorite thing to photograph?

I love shooting editorial portraiture photos, but what that will look like changes depending on the concept I’m working on. I would say my favorite thing to shoot, however, is high-energy events, like sports, concerts, or other types of show. One of my favorite things about photography is being able to capture a moment, and so shooting an event where there are simply so many moments is my ideal situation.

What’s your photography process?

I generally have two processes: One that is a spur-of-the-moment let’s-go-take-pictures process, which isn’t really all that much of a process, and another where I plan things out meticulously. I’ve gotten a lot better at planning shoots, which starts at coming up with the concept and creating a mood board for what I want the shoot to look like and the different elements to include. After I have my concept nailed down, I’ll gather my materials, recruit a model (or resign myself to using myself and a self-timer), and scout the location I want to use. Then I’ll take the pictures, which will usually take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on the concept and how happy I am with the pre-edit outcomes. I’ll download all the pictures to my computer, removable harddrive, and Google Photos (always save in multiple places, guys!), and then get to editing. I started out just using VSCO, but have been learning and using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom for my last few projects. And then I’m done!

How do you come up with photography concepts?

The age old question, and something I would like to know the answer to also! In all honesty, it’s kind of a shot-in-the-dark type of thing. I’m in a couple different photography clubs and visual art groups, and those will often have weekly prompts, so that’s one way. All I have to do is put my own twist on the weekly prompt. Outside of that, it could be anything– a movie I really like the cinematography of, a picture I see on Instagram that I love the outfit in, or it could be as simple as exploring different elements, like color-inspired photoshoots. I’ve taken to keeping a list of phrases and words if I ever get into a concept-rut to help inspire. I have a post that includes a bunch of words, phrases, and categories, but it boils down to different colors, emotions, movies, stuff like that. If I give myself a weekly prompt in one or two word phrases, then it almost forces me to be creative and come up with something, which is my fail-safe.

How do you make people feel comfortable in front of the camera?

I work mainly with friends and family, and when I work with strangers they’re usually not professional models. I quite like that, because it gives a sense of rawness to the photos and they don’t feel as staged for my style of photography. I do my best to put them at ease, and usually that’s by asking the questions, striking up conversation, and bolstering their confidence. The first two are fairly self-explanatory, but to bolster confidence, I’ll usually take a few photos in a simple, easy pose and show them my favorite of the shots. Showing physical proof that they can model and the pictures will look good is one of the best ways I have found can give non-professional models confidence in their photos. It also opens the door for collaboration, showing what I like but also giving them a chance to suggest changes based on what they like.

What’s your direction style?

I’m a very low pressure director when it comes to photography. I like for my photoshoots to be a collaboration between photographer and model, especially since I do it as a hobby, and the photos are almost always going to be used by both parties. I have been working on becoming a move active director, especially when the model is new to photography, and will often suggest small changes or move on to different poses if I’m not capturing the exact shot I have in mind. However, I am aware that some things people may not be comfortable with doing, and so I try my best to do simple suggestions and compromise in order to keep both myself and the model happy.

What’s your photographic style?

This question may be the bane of my existent. It’s something I’m actively trying to figure out, especially since I’ve only been seriously doing photography for a few years at this point. There are a few things that tend to inspire me, however, and that are present in most of my favorite photographs I’ve shot, so here’s a list: editorial, motion, idealistic, fun. Again, my style is a work in progress, and I’ll definitely revisit this question in future posts as I continue to figure out what my style is for myself.

Whose work has influenced you the most?

This is actually a really hard question, especially because (embarrassingly) I don’t know too many photographers or follow their work. I get inspiration often times from the places I’ve mentioned above, or through friends I follow on Instagram or people I meet through my various photography groups. However, there have definitely been people who pushed me in photography, and you could say they were who influenced me most. A friend of mine from freshman year of high school definitely pushed me to be more creative and a more critical eye in photography. While it was mainly because he was super artistic and I had a crush on him so therefore wanted to impress him, it definitely evolved further than that. More recently, the people in my Visual Arts Club from Quadio definitely pushed me in my work through asking me questions about my photography and me wanting to impress them with my work.

What separates a great photo from an average photo for you?

I think we’ve all heard at one time or another the saying “a picture’s worth a thousand words”. For me, the pictures that tend to be my favorite are the ones that tell a story. I can have a perfectly composed image, but if there’s no meaning behind it, it’s going to pale in comparison to a picture that transports you into the scene it was taken. Much like a good book or movie wants to draw you into the story, if my photo is able to draw a person into the story it tells, it’s going to be a great photo.

What’s the most difficult part of photography for you?

The most difficult part of photography for me is when I have a clear concept and inspiration and have an exact idea of what I want to photograph… and then I can’t capture it. Whether it’s a camera malfunction, the posing doesn’t work, I can’t find the right prop or outfit, or I can’t get the editing right, it’s frustrating. One of the hardest things for me is to conceptualize a shoot, so when I get that down so clearly and then am unable to get the picture just right, it’s very difficult.

What’s the most rewarding part of photography for you?

The most rewarding part of photography for me is being able to take photographs that others love. I do get a certain sense of satisfaction of taking a good photo that I like, but being able to take a picture of someone else that they love is an amazing feeling. Knowing from personal experience that everyone’s usually their own worst critic, taking a photo of someone that they love is so rewarding. I feel like I’m a part of making someone else happy and fulfilled, and that I helped to enable them to love themselves and see them as I do, which is amazing.

What’s your dream photography collab?

Right now, I would love to do a photoshoot with The Greeting Committee or half-alive. Not only do I love both the bands’ music, but I absolutely adore their artistic vision and style. Check out their music videos on YouTube– they’re extremely visually pleasing and so fun, I get totally lost watching them.

What do you do in your free time besides photography?

While photography is probably my main hobby, I do enjoy a lot of other things. Outside school, work, and photography, I love volunteer work, especially with the homeless community. I play lacrosse, I’m learning to play the guitar, and I make a mean way-too-occasion-dependent Spotify playlist.

What does photography mean to you?

There’s a couple different things I could say here. It’s probably my main creative outlet, so it means freedom of expression to me for sure. It also means a way to connect with others and to share experiences in a simple format. It keeps me sane, and allows me to find happiness and peace in the moment. It’s cheesy, but it means the world to me.

Any advice for aspiring photographers?

Take a bunch of pictures. When you’re first starting out, you might be concerned with getting the “perfect” photo. That’s going to be hard to do, especially while you’re still learning about your equipment. The best way to learn photography is by doing, so take as many pictures as you can of as many things as you can. You’ll soon enough learn what you like shooting, and be able to focus on that subject matter and get even better.

My other piece of advice is to volunteer to take photos for anything and everything– birthday parties, open mics, community events, friends’ Instagram pictures, whatever. Again, this will give you practice and help you learn. Now, do be careful about this, especially if you plan on transitioning to professional photography at some point or somebody asks you to do something huge, like shoot a wedding. But for these smaller events, they’re usually low risk, high reward.

Where can I find you online?

Besides here at my blog, you can find me on Instagram and LinkedIn. And here’s my Spotify because I’m a big proponent of adding a visual aspect to photography.