© Marshall Williams

Meet San Diego-based commercial photographer and APA member, Marshall Williams. Marshall specializes in beautiful lifestyle, food, spa, and destination photography along with digital video as well.

What inspires you? 
Wow, where to begin? I do get inspired by reading biographical stories. I just finished Robert Irwin’s Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees. Pretty influential.

What 3 words describe your photography style?
For my commercial work, I would say Slice Of Life.

Do you have a favorite podcast?
I do not — but I do enjoy listening to Hidden Brain on NPR.

What are you most proud of in your career up to this point?
I think it would be that I’m still in business after 30 years, it’s a crazy ride.

What do you listen to when you’re shooting? 
Good question. We always have music playing on set. It is essential to creating a collaborative environment and the conduit that connects everyone together. Plus when things go sideways — which they sometimes do, it fills in the awkward moments. I have several playlists. My personal go to though is Dave Matthews.

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
The places I’ve experienced and the people that I’ve met. I’m pretty sure most photographers would say the same. The camera is a front-row ticket to the world.

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
My wife and I thought it would be fun to raise our children in a big old house… so I’ve become pretty good at painting molding and restoring 100-year-old wood windows, among other things. We pretty much love anything involving food and wine… probably the happiest when grilling on the BBQ in the backyard with friends and family.

What photographers have inspired you or your work? Why?
There are so many. Gregory Heisler, Matthew Rolston, Herb Ritts, Annie Leibovitz, Peggy Sirota, Mark Seliger — these were the powerhouse editorial shooters of the 1990s when I was beginning my career. Their images have a strong narrative component, masterfully composed and lit, and perhaps the most important element — gesture. Other photographers whose work has been influential are Hiroshi Sugimoto, Richard Misrach, Max Yavno, Julius Schulman, and a bunch more.

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
I apprenticed in Dean Collins’ studio out of Brooks. He generously allowed the interns and assistants to shoot in his space. He would walk up behind you while you were shooting, slap you on the back, and say “Talk to her!”. By that, he meant to keep a continuous chatter so your subject stays engaged. I don’t know if it was the best advice ever, but I use it today.

What are the current challenges that you face as a photographer?
The fourteen-hour shoot days feel like they’re getting longer… or I’m getting older.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far?
By far the highlight for me would be the studio that Tim Mantoani and I built and worked out of together for 25 years and the community and friendships it fostered. Of course, his passing in 2016 was devastating.

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
It has always been the center of my life. I did work at a Safeway through high school and college.

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
If I weren’t a photographer I’m sure I would be doing something that involves creativity.  I really thrive off of visualizing an end result and working through the creative process to get there.

What do you do when you get stuck?
When shooting, if I’m feeling like things aren’t working, I’ll often remove the camera from the tripod and take a 360-degree walk around the area I’m working in. Another good trick is to turn off all of the lights and start from black or with only the ambient environment and begin building it back up again, one light at a time. That was advice courtesy of Gregory Heisler.

What is your best advice for your peers?
Be generous and be professional. Word of mouth is your best friend.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
It’s hard to understand when you’re young in your career, everything builds on everything else, it’s a long slow simmer.  Keep working hard and keep moving in a forward direction. (That was actually advice from the dad, which probably IS the best advice I ever received…)

How has your work evolved over time? Why?
It has evolved so much with the technology available now and the demands of the marketplace.  Back in the film days we were making judgment calls on lighting and image construction based on a two and one quarter inch or 4×5 inch polaroid. That seems crazy,  particularly now that we have 27-inch monitors on set. DSLRs have allowed me to shoot more loosely but more precisely,  it has definitely driven the style of my work.

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
I believe a photographer’s role transcends technology. It is still and has always been to cultivate a unique and passionate perspective of life. If you find inspiration in music, art, literature, food, culture, sports, nature, urban decay, whatever it is, use those influences to form your rich and unique perspective of the world. Find the beauty that lies in the most unassuming of people, places and objects. It’s that unique perspective that will become evident in the pictures you make and the value that a client receives when they hire you.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
I don’t know but I hope it involves a great meal in a hole-in-the-wall cafe somewhere. I would love to do some more traveling and personal photography projects.

Thank you APA | SD!

Check out more work from Marshall Williams.

© Donald Miralle

Today we feature, Donald Miralle, best known for his sports, adventure, and documentary stills and motion work for our ‘Meet’ a member interview.

Do you have a favorite podcast?
Embarrassed to say but I don’t really listen to podcasts. Just read books, newspapers and listen to NPR in the car. I’m a little old school 🙂

Who are your top 5 favorites that you’re following on Instagram?
NatGeo, NatGeoAdventure, NASA for science, NYTimes & LA Times for current events.

What 3 words describe your photography style?
Clean, graphic, and composed.

What do you listen to when you’re shooting? 
Don’t listen to music when shooting as I am usually outdoors focused on what’s in front of me. But I love listening to all types of music when I’m relaxing or working out including classic rock, jazz, reggae, alternative, classical music. When I’m in a studio shooting indoors, I usually ask the model or athlete I’m shooting what playlist they would like to listen to!

What inspires you? 
The form and function in nature, human emotion and connection, and when both are reflected in art.

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
Photography has been my ticket around the world to visit new places and meet new people. No two days are the same, I get to be outside alot of the time and you only have to sit at a desk when editing or doing expenses. Photography is an international language that any person from any country speaking any language can understand and relate to. Being able to use one of the most powerful and universal forms of communication as your job is empowering and important!

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
Being in the water every day: swimming, surfing, paddling. The water is my happy place!

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently): 
Get myself and kids out of bed, brew pot of coffee, make breakfast and pack their lunches. Lauren and I split school dropoffs, and I have a surf check on the way back; if there are waves I surf, if it’s flat I do a paddle workout. Then I finish my coffee over emails and look over my shooting schedule. Expenses are done and turned into clients before my noon swim, then I pick up kids and drop off to afternoon sports. While they’re at sports I finish off any edits, then after picking them up I get one more workout in or a sunset surf if conditions are good.

Who were your biggest influences?
My first Editor at Allsport / Getty Darrell Ingham, who guided me early on, saw that I had a little talent and drive and fostered it. If I didn’t have a mentor like Darrell, I don’t think I would have made it, and I can say the same about most young photographers. Although he lives in Windsor, England now, we still keep in touch and talk on holidays. Another Englishman who has influenced me in a different way is legendary sports photographer Tony Duffy, one of the founders of Allsport Photography, the first company I worked for. Although he left the company shortly after I joined, he always was supportive of my work and then became a good friend once I moved to Encinitas a couple miles away from him. One of the biggest influences on my career is my friendship with Al Bello. Al started at Allsport several years before me, and was very supportive of my photography, especially when I showed up on the scene specializing in underwater photography, which was a rare skill set in the 90’s. We shot side by side at many Olympic Games, Super Bowls, and other major events, and I love the creative process of bouncing ideas off of each other. He has always been one of my biggest supporters and best friends on my journey.

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
Less is more. Focus on your strengths and your unique vision and figure out a way to get it to an audience or client that fits you.

What are the current challenges that you face as a photographer?
So much has changed in the last 3 decades I’ve been a photographer. When I started there was a very small group that was able to do the craft well: you needed to be able to shoot manual focus as AF didn’t even exist, shoot E-6 chrome film for magazines exposing properly (within 1/3 stop using a light meter), shoot C-41 negative film and develop on-site for newspapers on deadline, and be proficient in all aspects of photography including studio lighting, darkroom, editing, and delivery to clients. You needed a solid portfolio book of commercial work to even get considered for big jobs. Now digital cameras are so good the market has been flooded with hobbyist or part-time photographers taking jobs or lowering the standard rates and the bar that was set years ago. Most of the jobs are not for print but web/social only, and the majority of the photographs are not taken in camera but created in post-production. In general, the world changed once iPhones and smartphones put everything in the palm of your hand including a camera. And although I’m not resistant to chance, I do like the way the old craft of photography was executed and enjoy using the new technology to take that same approach.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far?
Highlights include 10 Olympic Games, 6 World Press Awards, an Emmy Nomination for video work, and seeing my images published for the first time in Sports Illustrated 24 years ago and National Geographic 12 years ago fulfilled a dream of mine. The biggest challenges were walking away from my Senior Staff job at the world’s largest photo agency that I helped grow for 10 years to become a freelancer to do my own thing and expand into other genres of photography. Balancing work/travel with being home with the family is always a challenge. Also, getting in a ski accident where I couldn’t walk or work for four months was a challenge physically and mentally as well. But to be truthfully getting over those challenges were as satisfying as the highlights!

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
I was always a student / athlete growing up, and competed mostly as a swimmer through high school and into college at UCLA. When I quit swimming because UCLA dropped its program because of Title IX, I had ALOT of extra time on my plate. I worked in local restaurants to make money and assisted photographers on the weekends. This is when my reality of what I wanted to major in and what direction I wanted to take for a career started to change…

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
Working at McDonalds? When I was in high school I thought I wanted to be a doctor or surgeon as I loved biology and had a very steady hand from drawing. After a couple years at UCLA as a Biology major, what I thought I wanted to do drastically changed and I switched to fine art and design. I was mostly interested in painting and sculpture at the time and photography was in the background. But when I graduated I had a couple of job opportunities, one with Disney Studios as a background artist, one with a large sunglass company as a designer, and the other with a sports photography agency. I often wonder where I would be if I took the other two options…

What do you do when you get stuck?
Go outside and workout

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
Don’t be afraid to take more risks. Do more personal projects and stories.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
Hopefully doing what I’m doing now! I haven’t worked a day in my life because I love what I do and I don’t want to “retire” anytime soon because I’m already doing what I want to do!

Check out more work from Donald Miralle.

Meet Austin-based photographer, humanitarian and APA member, Jelisa Peterson

Photography and Human Communication: For more than two decades, Jelisa has focused on uniting her viewers with her photographic subjects by creating images that resonate the perfect example of love and inspiration. 

Do you have a favorite podcast?
Recently, the podcast I have most enjoyed is Serial by Adnan Syed.

Who are your top 5 favorites that you’re following on Instagram?
@annabella_1008
@coblephotography
@stig1964_
@sistersky55
@bulanbannari

What 3 words describe your photography style?
Documentary, environmental portraiture, black and white

What do you listen to when you’re shooting? 
Children’s laughter

What inspires you? 
People who triumph over poverty and scarcity

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
The ability to travel, meet new people and experience different ways of living

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
I read widely (fiction and nonfiction) and watch a lot of films.

Who were your biggest influences?
Sebastião Salgado, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Lola Álvarez Bravo, Sally Mann

What are the current challenges that you face as a photographer?
My photography is physically and financially demanding, with travel to remote places. It is not getting easier with age.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far? 
On a professional level, validation of my work as something of value in the photography community has been both a challenge and an incredible highlight as many pieces have been shown in a wide variety of venues. Next year will mark 30 years of this adventure, and I am finally getting broader exposure for this work that means so much to me. On a personal level, I love returning to the sites of my shoots and handing out personal photos to the individuals and families of the people I have photographed.  

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
I was a university student majoring in Anthropology and Women’s Studies.

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
If I hadn’t chosen photography I might have pursued a career in family law or related public service.

What do you do when you get stuck?
I take a break. Clarity usually emerges over time, especially when doing film photography.

What is your best advice for your peers?
I get a lot of messages from aspiring photographers looking for advice about how to proceed to build a career. I advise them to remain determined and to use their photography to share their vision and passion with the world.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
1. Use sunscreen.
2. Don’t expect to be able to carry more than half your weight in your backpack and camera pack.
3. Don’t bathe in Lake Victoria

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
To produce meaningful images of lasting value.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
I hope to publish the best of my work in book form that will inspire and contribute to the positive portrayal of the African communities I have been privileged to work with.

Check out more work from Jelisa Peterson.

Meet Southern California-based photographer and member, Scott Lorenzen.
“I hold onto the stream-wading, tadpole-collecting curiosity of my boyhood, and am driven by a desire to connect with and convey big feelings and big ideas.”

Do you have a favorite podcast?
No, but I do listen to a lot of audiobooks.

Who are your top 5 favorites that you’re following on Instagram?
@initiumphoto
@lakeflato
@andyandersonphoto
@motzburger

What 3 words describe your photography style?
Graphic, Emotive, Structured

What do you listen to when you’re shooting? 
Quiet

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
I love having control of my schedule, being able to work with the rhythm of my own creative cycles and being able to swing from brief domestic stints to big extended road trips, camping all over the country while driving to and from jobs with my dog. I love seeing the west and being out in it. I also like being independent; being self-employed feels more natural. Going from feast to famine, living close to the bone when necessary, and looking at my financial life like that of a farmer who know’s that any year may bring drought or locusts. It’s not easy being independent but the benefits of having that bit of liberty outweigh its costs, especially as a creative person.

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently)
When I am not on the road for work, I move between work-related marketing and admin tasks and going outside to build, fix, BBQ or just re-focus.

Who were your biggest influences?
Growing up within sight of the Sierra Nevadas and a couple hours from Yosemite my original photographic influences came from landscape photographers like Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell; later on, architectural photographers, landscape painters and writers.

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
I don’t know that I have ever been ‘given’ any big advice. But one thing that motivated me to make the decision to do this for a living was realizing that professional photographers weren’t these super photographers, and that you didn’t need to attain ‘super photographer’ status in order to become one. Having the belief that the growth and development really happens after one becomes a photographer is what gave me a pathway into the field.

What are the current challenges that you face as a photographer?
I think I am facing the same challenges as any photographer or artist- the ongoing challenge of connecting to the market while also trying to focus on creating.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far? 
I would say that for me, the highlights have also been the challenges- the art of photography involves trade-offs and the practice of photography has also had its trade-offs. When it’s raining and I’m busy it’s great, but I tend to focus my all energy on one thing at a time and that means that the busier I get the less energy I am putting into the business of actually getting more work.  

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
What wasn’t I doing!?  When I look back on everything I did before finally going into this full-time it’s almost like I was coming up with anything I could to not be a photographer- even though that’s all I ever wanted to be. I have been a wildland firefighter, a restaurant worker, a laborer, a pre-law student, a graphic designer, a commodities trader, a real estate developer, a 7/11 cashier, a restoration project manager even an environmental analyst. All a waste of my time in one sense, and yet everything I else I have done has added a depth of perspective and value to my photography career.

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
If I weren’t a photographer I would need to be involving myself in creating a living off the land or I’d just sit around sulking. I could never go back to something that wasn’t creative or something that was under someone else’s control.  

What do you do when you get stuck?
I don’t worry about it. It happens. If something isn’t turning me on I try not to sit on it, I just move to another interest and follow what’s giving me energy. The inspiration follows.

What is your best advice for your peers?
I don’t know if I’m old and wise enough to answer that, but I guess I would say to just pursue whatever is motivating you and don’t get too attached to anything.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
I would tell myself to go for it, stop beating around the bush doing things you know that you don’t want to do.

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
Technology and accessibility haven’t changed the photographers true role of visual story teller any more than cheap paint has changed the painter’s role or online publishing has changed that of the writer’s. Expression through visual communication is both innate and learned, there are always people who are doing it well and people who aren’t. If anything, technology and accessibility have just added a longer list of tasks to the job that take away from the creative experience side of being a professional photographer.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
In five years time I hope to be doing more or less what I am doing now, but for more clients with whom I have been nurturing mutually beneficial relationships that help us both grow creatively and financially.

Check out more work from Scott Lorenzen.

Meet photographer and APA member, Michael Larsen of Larsen & Talbert, a husband and wife duo specializing in portraiture and lifestyle photography for over 20 years, working and creating for clients such as Hallmark Channel, Warner Brothers, San Diego Zoo, HGTV, InStyle, Entertainment Weekly and more.

Who are your top 5 favorites that you’re following on Instagram?
@two3 Frank Ockenfels 3
@victoriagranof Food Stylist, Artist, Director
@shittyrigs
@brianmayforreal
@thomasallemanphoto

What 3 words describe your photography style?
Clean, simple, happy

What do you listen to when you’re shooting? 
Fleetwood Mac

What inspires you?
Great photography, Dramatic Skies, Well Told Stories 

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
1. Travel 2. Satisfying clients 100%

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
Cooking, Travel, Family, Friends

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently)
Non-Shoot Days: Sit in front of computer and work on business, Pre-Production, Post-Production and explore social media. Shoot Days: Shoot

Who were your biggest influences?
Annie Leibovitz
Mathew Rolston
Mark Seliger

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
“You’ll never make it. It’s too hard.”

What are the current challenges that you face as a photographer?
Staying fresh. Getting more work.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far? 
Shooting in Iceland, London, Rome, Hawaii, Mexico, Belgium, Belize, Puerto Rico and all over the US. 

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
Film and Photo-Assisting

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
Chef or Surgeon

What do you do when you get stuck?
Search for inspiration 

What is your best advice for your peers?
Do your best. Ask for more.  

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years?
Relax. It’ll be fine. Keep Promoting
20 years?
Relax. It’ll be fine. Keep Promoting

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
Providing a consistent product and meeting diverse needs of the client with professionalism and confidence. 

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
Photography, Videography, Drone

Check out more work from Michael Larsen.

© Rob Hammer

Meet San Diego-based advertising and documentary photographer, Rob Hammer.

Do you have a favorite podcast?
If we’re strictly focusing on photography-related podcasts then I’d have to say The Candid Frame and Visual Revolutionary. Both of them are very educational. 

Who are your top 5 favorites that you’re following on Instagram?
I hate Instagram in a lot of ways. It’s a gift and a curse. As far as living photographers, I’m currently getting a lot of inspiration from people like Walter Iooss Jr., Kurt Markus, and Andy Anderson. The rest of the inspiration comes from gallery accounts that share a lot of iconic photography that they represent. 

What 3 words describe your photography style?
No idea. Never think about that and don’t plan it. 

What do you listen to when you’re shooting? 
It all depends on the client and the type of shoot. If it’s a commercial fitness client then it would probably be some type of Spotify hip-hop playlist or something else that would provide energy. When I’m on the road shooting, it’s a mix of audiobooks, podcasts, country, rap, and rock. If I’m home editing then it’ll be a Spotify ‘Focus’ or ‘Calm’ playlist. I love them for editing because it’s relaxing background noise without any words that keeps you entertained but is never distracting. 

What inspires you?
Can I just say everything? Photo books are probably the biggest source of inspiration and my collection is starting to get out of control. I can pinpoint a drastic positive change in my own photography/career to when I started incessantly digesting photo books. I also travel a lot and try to visit photo/art galleries whenever possible. They have been great. Seeing different styles of art is so informative. Movies/documentaries are great too. They give me so many visual ideas. Reading has also been an amazing tool for learning different ways to tell a story. Sounds weird to type that, but it’s true. Travel, in general, is inspirational. People are inspirational. You can find inspiration anywhere as long as you’re open to it.  

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
That’s changed so much over the years and hopefully it continues to change. Early on I photographed a lot of famous athletes and thought that was so cool and figured it was the way you built a name/career for yourself. Then after a few years, I realized it was all bullshit. Now I could care less about photographing anyone famous. The important thing for me is the final result. If a client wants to make interesting images that happen to involve a famous person, then great. Otherwise, I’m just as happy to shoot a no-name that’s into collaborating and making great images. I love making images. I really do. It’s an obsession more than it’s a profession and my favorite place to do that is on the road wandering around America. Not sure what I’d do without the camera. Making photographs of anything is pleasing to me. Whether that’s for a client or images that will never be seen, it doesn’t matter. 

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
Backcountry snowboarding, fly fishing, hunting, backpacking, food, and travel. Most of those still involve making photographs though. There isn’t much separation for me, which is a gift. The only activity I ever put the camera down for is snowboarding. That’s a full checkout. Otherwise, I’ll have anxiety about missing a photo during all of the others. The thing I most recently got into is learning to ride horses. 

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently)
A disorganized wreck. 

Who were your biggest influencers?
That’s a really long list of which I’ll certainly forget a few names. William Eggleston, William Albert Allard, Fred Herzog, Bresson, Saul Liter, Martin Parr, Alex Webb, Joel Sternfeld, Joel Meyerowitz, Ernst Hass, Andy Anderson, Walter Iooss Jr, Harry Benson, William Klien, Yousuf Karsh, Kurt Markus, John Langmore, David Allen Harvey, Stephen Shore, Frank Hurley, Annie Leibovitz, Dennis Hopper, Wyatt McSpaden, Darius Kinsey, and on and on and on. In order to be good at anything, you have to be a student first and never stop your education. And I don’t mean that in the traditional sense. “School” is a very flawed system that needs a massive change. 

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
One thing I regret about starting out was that I didn’t do much assisting. At the time I was arrogant and thought I could do it all on my own, young and dumb, so I was never really around other photographers to get that advice from. I never learned much about photography or the business, which held me back a lot. Even now after doing this full time for however many years, I still think about asking people if I can assist. My desire for knowledge is greater than anything right now. 

What are the current challenges that you face as a photographer?
I’ve always hated marketing so the business side of photography is the biggest challenge for me. And the “business” is always changing. For instance, mailers used to be a way of reaching new clients, but who knows if clients are even in an office anymore so where would you send a mailer? What is the best way to get your work in front of people these days?? Instagram? I have no idea. Setting aside time and energy for advertising has never been a strong point for me but that needs to change.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far? 
Any photographer that is honest will tell you that their career is full of peaks and valleys with really high highs and really low lows. Mine has certainly been that but I’m so grateful for all of the lows, no’s, and downtimes because that’s where you learn the most. In the past, there have been stretches of months and months at a time where the phone just stopped ringing and that’s never good for your head. There are certainly some extremely fun commercial projects I’ve worked on in the past, but the things that stand out the most are the personal projects, simply because of the experiences I had during them and what they lead to afterward. My “Barbershops of America” project was and continues to be really special to me. It started ten years ago documenting traditional barbershops in all 50 states and is still going today. “American Backcourts” has also been a lot of fun and connected me with so many like-minded people. One thing I always find myself grateful for though is the ability to just document things I do with friends and later turn that into a paycheck somehow. This goes back to what I said earlier about not really having a separation between my life and my photography. I photograph what I’m interested/active in and worry about everything else later. I don’t shoot things because I think it will make me money. Clients tend to be drawn to the images because they are real so they’ll end up licensing them. That’s really rewarding. 

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
Had a long string of jobs from private investigator, to carpenter, to bartender, and everything in between. 

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
If I were born a couple hundred years ago it would have been a blast to be a pirate. 

What do you do when you get stuck?
Exercise. 

What is your best advice for your peers?
Personal projects. Personal projects. Personal projects. I can’t stress enough how important, in my opinion, personal projects are. Anything of note that’s been gained in my career has been the result of a personal project. They organically connect you with like-minded people/clients. They are incredibly satisfying and take away the need to ‘sell’ yourself.  People know you’re genuinely interested because they see the passion in the work. And on top of all that, it’s yours. It’s not just something you did for a one-time, soul-suckin’ paycheck. They are photographs that give you the ability to earn from them for the rest of your life. I try to think about my career in the long run and it’s never been about money. The photographs come first. Money comes later. And when it’s all over I’d rather have built something of my own than look back on a body of work that was only created for big companies to profit from. I’ve been lucky to have a handful of really fun commercial clients that have also brought about great relationships. Most companies don’t give a shit about you though. They just want to get as much from you for as little as possible. So why not create something that’s your own that will cause people/clients to come to you instead of the other way around??? 

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
1) Don’t be an arrogant prick
2) Don’t go to college. Instead, spend those 4 years assisting and soaking up every bit of real-life knowledge about photography and the business as you possibly can. 

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
Photography has changed so much because of technology but the goal/role of a photographer shouldn’t change in my opinion. Whether you’re shooting for a client or yourself, you should always be striving to make the best images possible and then do whatever you can to get them out in the world and seen by the people that matter. 

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
Working on my own projects with select commercial projects peppered in along the way. Telling stories. I love telling stories, especially about people/professions that are often overlooked.

Check out more work from Rob Hammer.

© Paula Watts

Meet Southern California based photographer and APA member, Paula Watts.

Do you have a favorite podcast?
I love podcasts and am always on the lookout for new ones. I’m probably the only person who hasn’t gotten into podcasts but I’ve been devouring audiobooks though. Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones is a must for any woman!

Who are your top 5 favorites that you’re following on Instagram?
I am loving London based photographer Desiree Mattsson’s work. I love Lindsey Adler and her photo breakdowns, Comedian Celeste Barber for a great laugh, The Female Hustlers for some extra motivation, and AskSternRep because they give so many helpful Q/A’s on the business side of photography.

What 3 words describe your photography style?
Clean, elevated, bright

What do you listen to when you’re shooting?
It usually ranges anywhere from 90’s hiphop or Beyonce.

What inspires you?
A team without egos, collaboration of the minds, artists of all mediums, kindness.  

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
I love bringing a vision to life with a creative team who all played a role. It truly takes a village and it’s so satisfying to see a campaign come together.

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
I love to workout and have family time with my husband and 5 year old daughter.

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently)
I work from home mostly (pre covid and currently) unless I’m on set. Since my work is project-based, I have weeks where I’m doing a lot of marketing and the business work and then I have weeks where I’m in pre-pro meetings and scheduling plus I also have weeks on set or dealing with post-production. It varies depending on the job and deadlines. I wish I could tell you there was any sort of routine, and it’s not a negative or unorganized answer, it’s just the nature of the industry. 

Who were your biggest influencers?
I was and still am influenced by a lot of the greats… Richard Avedon, Annie Leibowitz, Herb Ritts, Irving Penn. I studied under Michael Thompson who directly studied under Irving Penn and there was such a refinement in everything they did. Yes, deadlines are deadlines and we all feel rushed in certain aspects, but attention to detail, interaction with your subject, lighting, it was all so flawless. 

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
Shoot often. Shoot personal projects and constantly refine your work.

What are the current challenges that you face as a photographer?
Marketing feels like a moving target a lot of times.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far?
Highlights: One of my first years in business, I was hired to travel around Norway for 3 weeks to photograph some of their top chefs and dishes and learn all about Norwegian cuisine for a television show. It was even more remarkable of an experience than I can describe, and just starting out at the time, I don’t think I even realized how amazing the gig was. It set the bar and expectations of future projects really high 😉 Challenges: I need to get better at realizing the ebbs and flows of my industry. When things are slow for a couple weeks, I need to learn to enjoy that time so that when things are really busy, I have had some restful and rejuvenating time in there too. Learning balance is easier said than done.

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
Studying advertising photography and assisting photographers. 🙂

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
Well some options I’ve considered have been: scuba diving instructor in the GBR, surgeon with Doctors without Borders or skydiving instructor. I still think I could do all 3 in this lifetime, right? 😉

What do you do when you get stuck?
I’m a verbal processor so I usually talk with my husband or family or a close friend. 

What is your best advice for your peers?
This industry is 90% business and 10% photography. The best photographer in the world won’t get hired if no one knows about them. Market yourself even when you’re too busy. (I’m speaking to myself here too!)

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
Buy as much property in Southern California as you can possibly afford and outsource all the things you aren’t great at!   

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
A great photographer is so much more than a button-clicker to a piece of equipment. We are communicators. We are a creative voice. We help strategize, give input in the creative ideation, we are experts in lighting and understand a vision and help interpret it. There’s a whole process that the masses who buy a camera won’t hone in on. 

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
I still see myself as an advertising photographer. I’m always striving for quality projects over quantity and more time with my family, so I hope I’m heading in that direction year by year. 

Thank you APA. You’re such a support to the photographic community and I am honored to be interviewed by you!

To view more of Paula’s beautiful work you can follow along here.

© Jermaine Beckley

Meet San Diego based landscape and nature photographer and APA member, Jermaine Beckley.

Do you have a favorite podcast?
I don’t consistently listen to podcasts, but during lockdown I would listen to a lot of Jim Kwik during my walks outdoors.

Who are your top 5 favorites that you’re following on Instagram?
I follow Dan Winters because I’ve always enjoyed his work, but I get my inspiration from @Kodak, @Ilfordphoto, and other hashtags I follow mostly.

What do you listen to when you’re shooting?
I don’t usually listen to music while shooting, but I’ll listen to mellow sounds to get me in the mood while driving to where I want to shoot.

What inspires you?
Nature inspires me. The more I learn about it the more fascinated I am about how similar everything is. 

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
Seeing a potential image everywhere I go.

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
Music, bowling, working on my vehicle, however most of the time if I’m not making a photograph, I’m thinking about how to make the next photograph. I can’t turn it off.

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently)
I honestly think Pre-Covid my routine was all over the place. Now it’s more scheduled and I’m more focused and not taking things for granted.

Who were your biggest influencers?
In life, it’s my dad. In photography and I know it’s cliche, but Ansel Adams, Gordon Parks, and Vivian Maier. I love their stories and storytelling.

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
Study art and not just photography.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far?
Having one of my photographs sold at an auction was a pretty cool experience. The challenges were trying to shoot everything instead of focusing on one genre.

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
I served in the US Navy for 20 years, however photography was picked up during that time.

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
I probably would have been a musician as I played music most of my childhood.

What do you do when you get stuck?
I’m always learning and sometimes I go back and look at some of my images I didn’t think too highly of with a fresh set of eyes.

What is your best advice for your peers?
Learn your gear! Great photographs are still being made with old technology. You can’t buy your way into getting better at seeing light.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
I wish I had found a mentor when I first started in the 90s to help me learn how to see. I’m still fascinated by photographers back in the day who have produced incredible imagery without things like YouTube and online courses.

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
I still believe the still image is incredible and I still believe teaching others about composition helps to tell the story.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
I hope to have an exhibition within the next five years. It will take hard work, but I’m up for the challenge.

To view more of Jermaine’s work you can follow along here.

© Samantha Schwann

Meet underwater photographer and APA member Samantha Schwann.

Do you have a favorite podcast?
I’m not a podcaster but right now I’m trying a learn to speak Spanish one.

Who are your top 5 favorites that you’re following on Instagram?
@spacex
@hiroshisugimoto
@missionblue
And a couple of dog accounts because they bring me joy 🙂 

What do you listen to when you’re shooting?
I can’t listen underwater, but there is nothing better than getting lost in creative flow while editing with good music. A lot of indie electronic.

What inspires you?
That we still have a shred of a chance to preserve our oceans, but it’s a global call to action.  

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
I get to invite viewers to join me in experiences, and share my passion for our ocean planet.  

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
I’m deeply engulfed in a project (which is my happy place) so it’s pretty all-consuming. That being said, I love what yoga does for me mentally and physically, so I try to keep that balance.  

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently)
I’m a very early riser and find mornings are when I’m at my creative best. Currently it is a lot of writing and preparation for a project. Covid meant no travel, but time in quarantine allowed for concentrated work in other areas. I’m usually traveling every couple of months, so it’s a cycle of developing, preparation, and then editing.

Who were your biggest influencers?
Nick Brandt
Edward Burtynski
Laurent Ballesta

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
“Hard work beats talent any day of the week” – Joel Grimes.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far?
Highlight is happening right now, working on my dream project. The challenges have been learning how to navigate my way to where I want to be, and in funding my work.

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
I was an investment advisor. It was interesting and I was ok at it but I knew it wasn’t what I was meant to be doing. I saw a lot of people who worked and saved their whole lives, for moments which never came. That stuck with me – while it’s important to plan and be responsible, I want to do things now, while I can.

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
Perhaps an oceanographer, or a submarine pilot – but I require a creative outlet. I feel I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing.

What do you do when you get stuck?
I’ve learned to trust the creative process, and stopped freaking out a while ago. Step back, hit a yoga class, go for a swim or lose myself in a movie. The less I stress about it the smoother the wave.

What is your best advice for your peers?
Keep going.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
All of the experiences you will go through, especially the difficult ones, will be catalysts for growth. Be fearless in your pursuit, observe and listen to learn as much as you can, and trust your instincts.

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
I think it’s great that technology has made it easier for people to become interested in photography and take better pictures! I don’t see it as a threat, as I find it can foster a deeper appreciation. While advances have made things easier, at the end of the day you still have to put in the work if you want to pursue photography seriously. What separates a photographer from the masses is a cohesive body of work, personal style, and vision, and there are no shortcuts for that.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
Contributing to ocean conservation in a meaningful, tangible way, and ocean exploration.

To view more of Samantha’s work you can follow along here.

Meet Houston based commercial and editorial photographer Amy Scott.

Do you have a favorite podcast?
Dear Art Producer by Heather Elder, Focus on Women with Traci Terrick, and I love listening to the “Daily Wellness” every day on Spotify.

What do you listen to when you’re shooting?
I let my clients choose, otherwise I like to constantly mix it up depending on my mood. In the afternoons when energy is a little low on set after lunch I like to pump things up with pop and R&B from the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s because they make folks laugh and sing along.

What inspires you?
People who see the world differently than I do. I love coming across artists and authors and other creators that explore the whole range of humanity through their work! Whether it be playful, heavy, or poignant, people doing work that reflects the insane, wonderful, and inspiring stories around or inside of them fill me with joy and help me think about my life and work from new perspectives.  

What’s your favorite thing about being a photographer?
Making images that really convey the feeling of a moment. Working with incredible inspirational teams to make something I could never create on my own. And problem solving! Every day is full of surprises and I love it.  

When you aren’t making photographs, what other pastimes do you have?
I love cooking, travelling, wandering through forests, growing food, writing, making weird wines and vermouths.  

Describe your daily or weekly work habits. (Pre-Covid and currently)
Every day that I’m not on a shoot, I work out or take a walk before I start my day. I try to make sure I start the day with a clear idea of what my goals are so I have a daily to do list and highlight the things that are essential. Each week I spend time researching and connecting with new prospective clients, planning out marking emails or social media posts, brainstorming new projects, and teaching myself new skills. I have trouble unplugging at the end of the day and will often work late, but I’ve been getting better about it and try to just work 9-6 if I’m not on a shoot.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career so far?
It was hard to get consistent assisting jobs when I was just starting out and trying to learn. I was even told once that I wouldn’t be considered for an assisting job because I was a woman. Many (male) photographers told me that I would have to prove myself because male photographers wouldn’t believe I was strong enough to do the job. I just had to persevere and continue to look for the folks who would hire me and mentor me regardless of my gender. 

One of the biggest highlights of my career so far was being awarded a grant to pursue a photo documentary project of Houston farmers. That work then led to work with a national rice brand, and many more opportunities.

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
Do not give up. This is a hard business, but you will make it if you don’t give up – let everyone else be the quitters.

What were you doing before you became a Photographer?
I was the manager of a 26 acre vegetable farm!

If you weren’t a Photographer, what would you be doing?
I’d be a writer, an advocate for small scale farmers, or I’d pursue my weird dream of going back to school to study ancient Greek papyrology.

What do you do when you get stuck?
Take a break, get outside, try something new, do something active.

What is your best advice for your peers?
Connect with each other! I would not be where I am without the support of other photographers and I am so grateful to not feel alone in this sometimes very challenging, lonely business! Community is what makes everything worthwhile.

What advice would you give to yourself if you could go back 10 years? 20 years?
Always be yourself and make no apologies. You got this.

What is a photographer’s role now that technology has made it so much more accessible to the masses?
I still see us as storytellers first and foremost. Anyone can take a picture, but I see us as creative partners who work alongside our clients to make their story or campaign come to life.

What do you see yourself doing in five years?
I would love to get larger grants to tell more photo documentary style stories about US farmers through stills and motion!

To view more of Amy’s work you can follow along here.