Last week, I shared photos from the wonderfully talented photographer, Shelly Han. When I was first starting out @MiraJeanDesigns, I had the good fortune of meeting Shelly. We've been collaborating ever since.
Shelly's photos have a beautiful way of capturing color, light and energy. Fun fact: her favorite subjects are actually people. (Luckily for me, she still photographs my textiles, too). I recently asked Shelly to share some insights on her work, creative process and more. She graciously agreed and today we are sharing the interview with you here:
Kate@MiraJeanDesigns: How long have you been a photographer?
Shelly: I started photography in middle school with my dad's film camera (digital wasn't around for another 20+ years) and bought my own camera (Canon AE-1--I still have it!) with my graduation money when I was a senior in high school. That same year I did an internship where I developed photos of the stars (the heavenly kind) at the University of Arizona's space science center -- but ended up pursuing a degree in political science.
Shelly: I started photography in middle school with my dad's film camera (digital wasn't around for another 20+ years) and bought my own camera (Canon AE-1--I still have it!) with my graduation money when I was a senior in high school. That same year I did an internship where I developed photos of the stars (the heavenly kind) at the University of Arizona's space science center -- but ended up pursuing a degree in political science.
K: When did you know you wanted to be a photographer; when did you get the photography "bug"?
S: Even during college and living abroad I continued to take pictures. But the photography disease (frankly, "bug" is just not a strong enough word!) returned in full force when my kids came along. I realized I needed a different set of skills to capture little things that refused to stand still so I started studying on my own and then fully embraced digital photography as it was just emerging.
S: Even during college and living abroad I continued to take pictures. But the photography disease (frankly, "bug" is just not a strong enough word!) returned in full force when my kids came along. I realized I needed a different set of skills to capture little things that refused to stand still so I started studying on my own and then fully embraced digital photography as it was just emerging.
K: What do you love photographing the most?
S: People! I love capturing an emotion, a moment, a fleeting look in the eyes. I rarely take landscape photos, or photos of flowers. It's all about the face for me. Although, if you think about it, hands and body also can convey an emotion, so it's just all about having a person in the frame. The next best thing: a dog!
K: Would you be willing to share a story about a particularly surprising photo shoot?
Yes! One of my strangest shoots I've had was in the deserts of Turkmenistan. I had the opportunity to spend one night camping at a place called the "Gates of Hell". It's essentially a football field-sized crater that is filled with natural gas. It was created when they were drilling for gas and the ground sunk beneath them. They thought they could burn the gas off and start again, but forty years later it's still burning! At night it is the most amazing sight. I had done some research ahead of time and planned the equipment I would need, extra batteries (because no place to plug in!) etc. It was incredible. Once night fell I enlisted my camping buddies to all stand in a row in front of the pit while I took the photo. I loved the result not only because it reminds me of an incredible place and experience, but also because it represented to me what I could create if I planned ahead and prepared properly. Here is a photo of me in front of the crater during the day and then the shot I took after dark:
K: What makes it fun?
S: The unpredictability. Even if I'm shooting at the same spot, you are shooting with different people and the shoots are never the same because of that. This factor also makes it challenging, and sometimes stressful, but it's also what makes the whole thing fun for me. I like to be challenged. I like it when people say, "Oh, I don't like to take photos", or "I always look bad in photos." That's like whacking me in the face with a white glove--game on! I want to be able to figure out how to bring that person along, capture their personality, make them fearless in front of the camera. We should all be fearless in front of the camera. Sometimes I think I'm a therapist just as much as a photographer, and I love it.
K: If you had one tip for amateurs on how to take great photographs, what would it be?
S: One of the best tips I learned a few years ago from a teacher was about paying attention to perspective. Not only learning to quickly read what is in the frame (a quick eyeball sweep around the whole frame to look for distracting elements or poles sticking out of heads) but also the height from which you are shooting. This teacher looked at my portfolio and he said these are almost all taken from 5'5" (that's how tall I am). So get a little workout in by bending low to the level of your kids, or stand on the nearest bench and get a little height. Your pictures will be more dynamic if you vary the perspective.
K: Where do you get your inspiration from?
S: I follow a lot of photographers on Instagram for constant inspiration, and I am in a VSCO Film Users group on Facebook where there is stunning photography from around the world on a daily basis. You can check out the related website here: http://www.
K: If you had one piece of advice for an entrepreneur or business owner, what would it be?
S: Embrace the accounting! I'm still not there 100 percent, but I finally realized that to be a successful business owner you have to like business. Who knew! So I am slowly coming around to convincing myself that the business-side of things can be fun, and of course rewarding, if you get it right. There is absolutely no need to be a starving artist.You can be a great artist and a great business owner.
K: Do you have a favorite or most memorable photo you'd like to share?
S: Here's what it takes for a photo to make it into my top tier: awesome natural light, a real expression or emotion, and, finally, if it brings back a good memory then it's gold. This photo of my husband, Lianchao, fits all three criteria. We were sitting outside with family at a beautiful mountaintop cafe in Greece with gorgeous light from the setting sun, house wine in a carafe on the table, and he turned to me to say, "Cheers". Yes, indeed. It's one of my favorites.
All Photos Courtesy of Shelly Han. Photos and text by Kate Hougen and Shelly Han.
No comments:
Post a Comment