Interview with Photographer - Rebecca Honeywell

1.     Will you start by telling us where you work and live and the type of photography you do?

I live near York and so work largely in Yorkshire, although weddings take me all over the country!  I specialise in wedding and portrait photography.

2.     What inspires you as a photographer?

People.  I love photographing people of any age.

3.     How long have been a photographer?

Full time nearly six years.

4.     When you’re not photographing, where can we find you?

Often at the stables with my horse, walking my dogs or baking.  I’m a country girl!

5.     Any books that inspired you {or helped you} in your business?

Bambi Cantrell’s Digital Wedding Photography helped my when I was starting out, and Dane Sander’s Fast Track Photographer is also an interesting read.

6.     Best marketing idea? 

Making friends with venues and getting recommended that way, as well as referrals from other brides.  Couples love to have recommendations from people who have first hand experience.  That way they feel more confident about the photography and service they’ll receive.

7.     Worst marketing idea?

Wedding fairs.  I don’t find they are worth the time unfortunately, although I may well have just picked the wrong ones!

8.     Do you have a studio and if not do you feel having a studio would help your business grow?

Yes I have a studio in the grounds of Newby Hall near Harrogate.  It's an amazing location and is situated in an old stable block.  I love working from there, and have the use of the grounds for portrait and engagement sessions, which is fab.  It’s like having your own stately home!

9.     What do you think makes a photographer successful?

You have to be good at business and not just taking photographs unfortunately. 

10.  What’s your weakness in this business?

My SEO is terrible!  I just can’t get the hang of it so my website is way down the rankings on Google.

11.  Are you a Nikon or Canon?

Canon all the way!

12.  and Lens?

My favourite lens is the 85mm 1.2 lens, gorgeous!

13.  If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?

I’d quite like to be an interior designer.

14.  Can you give the readers your best piece of advice for starting or running a photography business.

I jumped in a bit at the deep end, I didn’t know that many photographers and make quite a few mistakes at the beginning – I didn’t do enough research.  At first you need a portfolio, so you’ll need to assist photographers you like to build up a collection of work, and practice practice practice! I also think it’s really important to specialise, decide which area you’d like to work in and don’t do a bit of everything, that just confuses clients.  That doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind of course!  Spend time working on your brand as well, a great website and a consistent look will go a long way in getting those first clients.  Lastly, always be professional and yet personal and transparent.  Over deliver every time and the referrals will start pouring in.

15.  Tell us your proudest moment of your career?

I won the Yorkshire Brides Customer Service award a couple of years ago.  That meant an awful lot as it was voted for by the brides and grooms themselves.

Here is where you can find Rebecca Honeywell

Twitter: twitter.com/rhoneywell

Facebook: www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Rebecca-Honeywell-Photography/53511752889

Website: www.rebeccahoneywellphotography.com

Blog:  www.rebeccahoneywellblog.com

Interview with Photographer Rosie Bray

1.     Will you start by telling us where you work and live and the type of photography you do?

I live in Richmond, Surrey and shoot all over the South East. I specialise in fresh, natural images of children, families, bumps and babies. I particularly like to capture children ‘at play’, completely absorbed with their favourite toys or jumping in puddles in the park. I love to get down on the floor and right into their world to really see things from their perspective.

2. What inspires you as a photographer?

All sorts of things inspire me: nature, beautiful light, fabulous imagery. But mainly I just want to create lasting memories for families that they will cherish for years to come. It’s especially important in baby and child photography to freeze time and preserve all those little childhood quirks because they grow and change so fast. I know that my own childhood photos are hugely precious, despite the questionable haircuts and swirly orange 1970s wallpaper.

3.     How long have you been a photographer?

It’s been a hobby of mine since I was a teenager but I’ve been taking photography seriously for the last two years. Once I invested in a DSLR I learnt fast and soon became totally obsessed with everything camera related (just ask my husband!). I did a few courses, one at Central Saint Martins, but I’m mainly self-taught. There’s such a lot of brilliant information and support on the internet, it’s easy to improve, if you’re determined.

4.     When you’re not photographing, where can we find you?

I am lucky enough to live near Kew Gardens and Richmond Park and I go there as often as I can. My second love is flower photography so I’m still taking photos (told you I was obsessed) but that is my way of switching off and unwinding. I used to run a lot but now find that taking pictures of flowers gets me into the same relaxed state and is a little easier on the knees.

5.     Any books that inspired you {or helped you} in your business?

Some small-business books have been great, my favourite being the brilliantly titled “Screw Work, Let’s Play” by John Williams. In terms of photography I’ve been hugely inspired by blogs from my favourite lifestyle photographers. They’re all American and I think they’re completely brilliant: Tara Whitney (http://tarawhitney.com/justbeblogged/) – for her authenticity and fun, Deb Schwedhelm (http://www.debsphotographs.com/photoblog/) – for her dreamy, beautiful images, Anna Kuperberg (http://www.kuperblog.com/) for her incredible compositions and Katie Barnes (http://katiebarnes.com/blog/) for her documentary eye and ability to capture extraordinary moments. There is also a lovely book by The Shutter Sisters (http://shuttersisters.com/) (a collective of amazing female photographers) called Expressive Photography that I would heartily recommend.

6.     Best marketing idea? 

I’m only just getting started with my marketing push but so far Twitter seems pretty amazing.

7.     Worst marketing idea?

I haven’t made any terrible errors yet and hopefully that will continue!

8.     Do you have a studio and if not do you feel having a studio would help your business grow?

No, my whole ethos is to move family photography away from the studio and make it more real and meaningful to people by photographing them at home, where they can be themselves. I find studio shoots sterile and boring and I think people are much more genuine and relaxed in their own home or outdoors, in a beautiful garden or park. For me photography is all about creating lasting memories, and I think you’ll get much more pleasure from looking at photographs that were taken with all your favourite things, in your home, rather than in a sterile white studio.

9.     What do you think makes a photographer successful?

I think you need to be really passionate about what you shoot, whether that is children, flowers, food or weddings. You then need dedication, patience, hard work and enthusiasm. You need a good eye and an ability to see moments that others may miss (and preferably a sixth sense to predict when great moments are about to happen!). You also need a good business head, self-motivation and a geeky love of pixels and f-stops.

10.  What’s your weakness in this business?

I love the detail. This even shows in my photography as I like to get in close and macro photography is a big love of mine. But I’m beginning to realise that I need to step back and not worry about the minutiae of changing a font size by one point or moving an image by one pixel. I am learning to see the bigger picture and crucially in my editing I’m learning to speed up a bit!

11.Are you a Nikon or Canon? And Lens?

Canon – I started with a 1000D and then made the big leap to a 5D Mark ii and I absolutely love it.

I have a 24-70mm, which is great for moving toddlers and obviously offers plenty of flexibility. I am in love with my 100mm macro for all the detail shots, babies’ feet and eyelashes etc. Then I have my nifty fifty 50mm lens for lovely portraits and my Lensbaby Composer for dreamy, creative fun. Next on my wish list is a 35mm.

11.  If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?

I was a TV producer for nearly 10 years and before that I was a journalist writing for magazines and websites so I have a strong media background. I’ve always wanted to run my own business though, so if it wasn’t photography it would be some other creative small business. I would also quite happily review spas for the rest of my life….

12.  Can you give the readers your best piece of advice for starting or running a photography business.

Only do it if you LOVE it. There are so many great photographers out there it’s important you find your own style but if you really love it then you will. I think success is 20% talent and 80% hard graft so you’ve got to be prepared to put the work in. Read a lot, practise a lot and do plenty of free shoots with family and friends just to make sure that you like it.

13.  Tell us your proudest moment of your career?

I still feel pretty new so I think my proudest moment is still to come but I already feel proud when a family tell me how happy they are with their photographs. It’s such a privilege to be able to do something I love and give people with something really special – it’s a great feeling.

Here is where you can find Rosie Bray Photography

http://twitter.com/#!/rosiebray
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rosie-Bray-Photography/106582552749212

Website: www.rosiebray.com

Blog: www.rosiebray.com/blog

Interview with Serena Taylor from image newcastle

1.     Will you start by telling us where you work and live and the type of photography you do?

I am a self taught photographer who grew up in a small country town outside of Melbourne, Australia.  After years of travelling throughout the world working as a photographer managing up to 16 staff, I met my future husband - in Alaska of all places, whilst we were on assignment. After 2 years of a long distance relationship he flew out to Hamilton Island, where I was the assistant manager of Hamilton Island Photography at the time and we got married on a private Yacht on the Great Barrier reef where we had 8 photographers onboard all snapping away (Talk about Paparazzi!). I then emigrated to Northumberland where we set up our business image newcastle in 2004. As a business we specialise in Wedding photography throughout the UK and abroad and this is the core of our businesses income. However I am also employed as an Inhouse Sports photographer by Newcastle United Football club and have been working there for almost 7 years now.

2.     What inspires you as a photographer?

I have always loved being behind the camera and capturing the moment. I remember Photography becoming a major part of my life when I was picking up my parents camera at the age of 11 and taking away on Basketball trips taking photos of my friends playing in tournaments and at the parties afterwards. Its the memories that remind you of how you were feeling at those particular moments in time that mean the most to me. I also love looking at other photographers work like Jerry Ghionis and Yervant, both highly talented photographers based in Australia. Simply the best in my eyes. They inspire you to become better at what you do and for you to push the boundries.

3.     How long have been a photographer?

I have been in the industry now for 18 years and my husband John has been in it for 20 years. Some people don’t believe me when I say I have been doing it for 18 years and I have two children 4 and 2 as they think I am in my early 20’s… (I’ve been blessed with some anti-aging genes but I’m actually in my mid 30’s!)

4.     When you’re not photographing, where can we find you?

You can find me in the Kitchen cooking. I was meant to be a chef… That’s what I really wanted to do and got straight A’s in school with a certificate of distinction when I graduated. However, fate had me down as being a photographer and that was the route that I ended up taking from the age of 18.

5.     Any books that inspired you {or helped you} in your business?

Scott Kelby is helpful with photoshop techniques but we mainly do online research.

6.     Best marketing idea? 

Word of Mouth Referrals and Freeindex.co.uk- which is what we rely on the most!! Followed by Facebook, Twitter, Blogging and networking (Which I really don’t spend a lot of time doing and need to make more of an effort!)

7.     Worst marketing idea?

Advertising in glossy wedding magazines- it costs a fortune for very little return!

8.     Do you have a studio and if not do you feel having a studio would help your business grow?

We don’t have a studio as we specialise in weddings which are location based. I do my meet and greets in the comfort of my clients homes or somewhere over a cup of coffee and cake. If you have a studio you need to push for portraits and other types of photography but I don’t want to get into that right now. My sister in law is about to have her first child, so I will do some baby portraits for her… If I enjoy that then I may change my mind and decide to start photographing babies… We’ll see!

9.     What do you think makes a photographer successful?

Working hard and having charisma to really make your subject shine so you can capture the best in them.  And when you start providing a great service with great photos your clients do the hard work for you referring you on to their family and friends and leaving you great testimonials. Ok so you still need to be a sales person as well, but I find that when I go to meet and greets I show my couples that I am just ‘me’… a friendly, approachable person who wants to do the best photography for their memories… not a sales person being pushy and just wanting their money!

10.  What’s your weakness in this business?

The amount of photographers out there. The industry is flooded and everyone wants to turn their weekend hobby into a full time career. With digital cameras becoming more accessible now the competition has really toughened up and if you are not at the top of your field you will be left behind that’s for sure! Oh and keeping up with the book work… I’m a photographer- not an accountant or book keeper!

11.  Are you a Nikon or Canon?

Have always and will always be a Nikon Girl from my first F50 at the age of 18 that I bought with my first pay cheque to my D3’s now and I have just got the new D7000 with video. I can’t wait to play with it… I love them!

12.  and Lens?

Nikkor 10.5mm 2.8 Fisheye through to 400mm and everything in between… We have about 10 different lens to go on 4 different bodies. My personal fav is my AF-s VR 70-200mm 2.8. I don’t go anywhere without it!

13.  If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?

A chef- hopefully with a michelin star to my name… 

14.  Can you give the readers your best piece of advice for starting or running a photography business.

If you are naturally talented I would start off photographing friends and family. Build your portfolio and show professionals in your area and ask them to critique your work. Take their feedback and work on your images to make them stronger and learn from your mistakes. Don’t take negative feedback personally. What you see will be different to what a seasoned professional will see and their professional eye will help you make your images stronger! Then start assisting so you can to get experience and learn the trade from a professional. Business link is definitely the best place to go to talk about starting up your own business they offer free advice and have many free seminars and activities throughout the year.

15.   Tell us your proudest moment of your career?

Gracing the back cover of ‘The Times’ sports section with a photograph of Michael Owen celebrating after he scored the winning goal against Sunderland in the Tyne and Wear Derby at St.James Park in 2008.

I had been inside working and was late to come out for the second half. As I got down pitchside the ball was crossed into the box and Michael scored. He ran straight towards the corner flag where I literally had just sat down and captured the perfect shot! If I had’ve been out on time I would’ve been on the other side of the goal away from him celebrating or if I had’ve been out just 10 seconds later I would’ve missed everything and would’ve missed out completely! Oh and holding the championship trophy in the tunnel and then with the Manager at the time Chris Hughton when NUFC won the league in 2010.

Here is where you can find image newcastle

twitter.com/  http://twitter.com/#!/imagenewcastle
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/imagenewcastle

Website- http://www.imagenewcastle.co.uk/

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