Interview with Shelly Mantovani of Toast of Leeds Photography

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

I’m based in Leeds but I have legs and they do like to travel. Most of my photography is of the wedding
variety but I do a little bit of commercial and family photography too.

2. What inspires you as a photographer?

Many things. Love, romance, light, ,shadow, film, books, music, art, architecture, landscape.
I find surrounding myself with other creative work inspires me so much more than if I just
surround myself with wedding photography. You can’t grow if you don’t experience stuff.

3.How long have been a photographer?

I started out some 21 years ago completely by accident. I was working in a press office and the
photographer slipped a disc. I had to learn how to work an slr and develop and print all the
images in a dark room in the space of one day. At the time it didn’t seem like an unusual thing to
do but then I was young and niaive.

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

Lying on the sofa catching up on a mountain of television I’ve probably missed with a large drink in
hand– which sounds deadly dull I admit but I spend most of my time either shooting or editing. And
I also have a four-year-old so the rest of my time is spent pretending to be a squirrel or a dog or
colouring in and reading about princesses!

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

I suppose many over the years. I love all kinds of art so I read lots of books. I also read many a
blog too. I guess the Joe McNally books are good if you’re starting out on using strobes creatively,
and I love the Magnum Magnum book.

6.Best marketing idea?

Be yourself. You can’t market something successfully if there’s not substance.

7.Worst marketing idea?

Advertising! Seriously people, stop paying for adverts.

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

I don’t have a studio. There are times when I think I’d like one but I think creatively it might slow me down a
little. Most of my work is done in the field (when it comes to wedding photography you can’t drag people to
your studio now can you?) and actually it makes you think and react quickly and instinctively. I’ve met a dozen studio based photographers who tell me wedding photography is just too nerve wracking and stressful that there is no way they would do it. The light changes constantly, the pace is incredibly quick and there are a million factors that could make or break a shot and there’s no time to get upset if you missed an opportunity. It’s a mad adrenalin rush and I still get a thrill out of every wedding I do. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t rent a studio for certain work tho.

9.What do you think makes a photographer successful?

Hard work and staying true to your own style. In my business I probably spend 70 per cent of my time on
office based stuff. Marketing, editing, admin, meetings… It would be lovely just to be out shooting every
day, but in actuality, that never happens. The most successful photographers I know all have their own
individual style and work hard at their brand. They didn’t get where they are now just because they were
great behind the lens. They had to work at the other stuff too.

10. What’s your weakness in this business?

Time. If only I had more days in the week and more hours in the day. Other than that, it’s gear. I don’t
need more gear (no photographer does as long as they have a camera and a lens) but I just can’t help
myself. I’m currently lusting after a new camera bag but until my old one falls to bits, I’m not sure I can
justify it to myself.

11. Are you a Nikon or Canon?

I’m a Nikon. Not that I’m a Nikon snob. Canon are equally fab in my opinion. People get hung up on
allegiance to either camp but I’m sure I would be just as happy brandishing the Canon as I would the
Nikon. I started out with a little old battered slr Pentax and I loved that camera. It could do no wrong.

12. and Lens?

Primes all the way. I like to use my feet – I need the exercise. My fave is my 85mm F1.4 - I heart that
lens. Beautiful bokeh every single time.

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

Young and with less wrinkles. I did a degree in landscape architecture and garden art and design so I’d
probably be messing about with plants somewhere.

14. Can you give the readers your best piece of advice for starting or running a photography business.
Embrace new media, never stop learning, and don’t expect new business to just fall in your lap.
And move with the times. What’s hip and funky now, will be out of fashion by next week. And
don’t expect a social life.

15. Tell us your proudest moment of your career?

I’m such a perfectionist I’m not sure I’ve had one. I’ve had stuff published in some great places
and weddings featured all over the place, but I’m never completely satisfied. I’m always striving
for perfection so I guess I don’t allow myself too much glory.

Here is where you can find Toast

http://twitter.com/toastofleeds
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Toast-of-Leeds
Website http://www.toastofleeds.co.uk/
Blog http://www.toastofleeds.com/