Fotograf Annabelle Agnew

—Za prvé a především – koho můžete jmenovat jako nejlepšího fotografa ve vašem městě? :)

—Excluding myself, I admire the work of a lot of talented photographers globally. In Montreal: Brent Calis, Laura Regev, Ella Mack & Micheal Beaulieu are some of my favorites. In Ottawa: Agatha Rowland, Joel & Justyna, Rubicon and Age of Indie.

—Jste fotogeničtí?

—At the right angles and if I'm not being a goof... yes.

—Jak jste se dostali do fotografického průmyslu?

—My mother is a painter, my step-father a theatrical and architectural lighting designer. I was surrounded by art, artists, and so forth my entire life. My mother's best friend is a professional photographer and I remember taking my first "real" photograph at 8 years old with my mother's Olympus Rangefinder. Even then... it was a very circuitous route, even after I got my BFA in Photography at Concordia. But I am very certain of my path now that I found it.

—Jaké jsou podle vás nedůležitější součásti dobré fotografie?

—Light is the most important — then composition. After that comes artistry and understanding how your settings can capture moments that evoke how they felt. Sharpness and bright lighting are over-rated and feel unnatural to me a lot of the time.

—Cestujete rádi?

—Yes. Adore it. One of my favorite trips that I ever took was to Nicaragua. We go to Ireland (at least prior to the pandemic) yearly because my husband is from there. The last place we traveled to prior to the pandemic was Mexico.

—Co máte nejredši na vaší profesi?

—I love that what I do captures some of the most important moments of a clients' lifetime and that the history of that photo will shift over time to mean different things. I know how valuable my family photo albums have been for me and that's my driving force for every wedding I photograph.

—Co se vám líbí nejméně na vaší profesi?

—I'm a workaholic, it's hard to turn my brain off and find balance, being passionate about my craft verges on obsessive. It's important to hit pause, look back and appreciate work that I have done and so I've learned to do this — rest is equally important to make good work.

—Jaká je budoucnost focení?

—Just like anything else, it will evolve and yet it's essence will remain the same.

—Co je výjimečného na žánru fotografií, na který se specializujete?

—I'm not sure I understand this question.

—Jak zvládáte kritiku?

—I went to art school where our work was critiqued daily — so I am open to it and frankly wish I heard it more often now in my professional life. It's important to get external feedback in order to grow. That said, I am probably my own worst critic.

—Jsou nějaké trendy v oblasti focení?

—Lots of them. A lot of photographers buy presets and apply them to their work – I find this makes their work all look the same. The standouts always have a strong sense of color, light, composition and a connection with their subjects.

—Jaké by měl mít zákazník kritérium při výběru fotografa?

—Connect with the work and the photographer.
Ask for full galleries.

—Co není dovoleno při focení?

—Too much posing, going to "hotspots", shotlists that are formulaic to wedding pinterest boards.

—Jakých detailů, které obvykle projdou bez povšimnutí, si může fotograf všimnout?

—It's the in between stuff. For instance — this summer I photographed a wedding where I did a giant group photo of all that attended. Once the group dispersed the bride & groom each took a big swig of their drinks in hand (which I took a photo of) and then each realized that it was too big (which I also took a photo of) — this sequence brought a lot of joy to all of us later.

—Co ovlivňuje hodnotu fotografie? Jaké jsou její prvky?

—Emotion, Light, Artistry.

—Kdo může být podle vás symbolem 21. století?

—I have no answer for that!

—Co chcete fotit?

—Anyone who wants me to.

—Máte nějaké profesní tabu?

—I don't think so?

—S kým byste chtěli fotit?

—Erik Madigan Heck; Annie Liebovitz; Roger Deacon; Joel & Justyna; Samm Blake; Leann Weston; John Dolan; Cinzia Bruschini; Sarah Falugo; Corbin Gurkin; Danijela Gorley; Thierry Joubert; & Jamie Beck

—Čeho se bojíte a proč?

—Equipment functionality – having something breakdown in a wedding is possible and you need backup strategies in place
Data Storage – you need a lot of storage and backups in place when working on photographs, losing something would be horrible
Money – who doesn't worry about this?
Health – it's very important to my wellbeing and my job

—Jaký byl nejpůsobivější okamžik ve vašem životě?

—Giving birth to my babies

—Pokud byste byli animovaná, literární nebo filmová postava, kdo byste byli a proč?

—A lot people liken me to a cross between Tina Fey, Elaine Benes, Winona Ryder and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

—Kdo vás inspiruje ve vašem životě a proč?

—That's too hard to define. I am inspired by a lot of things – art, comedy, movies, friends, family, landscapes etc.

—Jak byste definovali úspěch? Jak ho měříte?

—Good sleep, peace of mind. Someday living by the ocean.

—Byli byste raději oblíbení nebo respektovaní?

—Respected. Too hard to make everyone like you – and I am not sure I'd want everyone to like me.

—Jaká je největší chyba, kterou jste kdy v práci udělali?

—Underselling myself. Doing a lot of work for too little. Not noticing "red flag" clients — I've learned the signs and avoid these types now. A word of advice: don't go into meetings with photographers assuming we're trying to "rip you off".

—Když cestujete, co si berete s sebou a proč?

—My camera, my kindle, and a lot of earrings and shoes.

—Existuje něco, co byste si byli raději nekoupili z vašich pomůcek, které vlastníte? A proč?

—That's a constant thing — right now I am considering selling the only zoom lens I have. I never use it. I also have too much lighting equipment I never use.

—Jak se vzděláváte, abyste pořidili lepší fotografie?

—I have a degree in film photography, but now I take online courses through Creative Live; Masterclass; Youtube and so on — sometimes it's photography or business related, but other times it's just something I am interested in. I'm convinced that external interests influence your work in a lot of beneficial ways.

—Čí práce vás ovlivnila nejvíce jako fotografa?

—Showing up everyday to do it.

—Jedna věc, kterou byste si přáli vědět, když jste začínali s focením?

—Patience.

—Co byste rádi řekli skrze vaše fotografie?

—I want them to be evocative of the moment.

—Co vás motivuje v dalším focení?

—My pleasure in taking them.

—Měli vaši rodiče být méně nebo více přísní?

—Less strict.

—Pokud byste se mohli vrátit v čase, co byste udělali jinak?

—I would not have strapped some lighting equipment with a bungee cord. It's a very long story.

—Co o životě na ostatních planetách?

—It's there probably?

—Kdo jsou vaši hrdinové?

—My Mom; My husband & kids; and then a lot of other artists, writers, comedians, politicians, scientists and so forth.

—Pro koho nemáte žádný respekt?

—I don't think it's a Who, but rather personality traits: those who feel entitled; who are not open to listening/do no ask questions; choose fear.

—Co děláte ve svém volném čase?

—Improv; Kitchen Dancing; Reading; Running

—Jakou vaši tvář nikdy neuvidí veřejnost?

—I can be hyper-focused in a way that's detrimental to life balance; I talk to my cat like he's a real person; I need hugs

—Kdy jste zcela spokojeni s vaší prací?

—Generally right after shooting and the initial edit. Before my critical brain starts to micro-inspect and take over in the edit.

—Věříte v tradiční role mužů a žen?

—No

—Získáváte snadno nové přátele?

—Yes

—Kde byste rádi žili?

—I'm going to retire someday and live along some rough coastline either in Eastern Canada, Ireland, or the South of France.

—Co je ta nejhloupější věc, na kterou jste kdy přistoupili?

—A coffee drinking challenge one night when I was a waitress in a diner in Banff. There was a snow storm and we were young, stupid and bored. I ended up calling poison control because "I won" the competition and boy did that feel bad.

—Existuje život po svatbě?

—Yes, it's pretty good too. I won't lie — it's work — but I would take this over a lot of connections without depth.

—Máte oblíbený vtip? Povězte nám ho.

—Too many. I am a comedy nerd/junkie. My best friend is a standup comedian and in school I used to drop in to the club on Open Mic nights to watch my friends tell jokes.

—Máte rádi psy a kočky?

—I like both, but I have a cat named Steve.

—Koho nebo co nenávidíte?

—Too complicated to answer.

—Nejlepší věc v životě je:

—good food, laughter, sleep, the water, sunsets, fresh air, snuggles.

—Nejotravnější věc v životě je:

—noises like chewing?

—Existuje něco, co byste chtěli změnit?

—I mean, yes. But hey, life is a process.

—Co byste chtěli změnit na sobě?

—A lot of things, like I said, life is a process — and I have learned recently that accepting myself is just as important to changing.

—Co byste chtěli změnit ve světě?

—Fast fashion; greed; hustle culture; the direction of the climate

—Máte nějaké tipy pro začínající fotografy?

—Show up everyday, take a lot of photographs and edit them. Rinse and repeat. And look at other Art, not just other photographs.

—Kdyby přišli na naši planetu mimozemšťané a vy byste byli první osobou, se kterou se potkají, co byste jim řekli?

—Hello? I haven't given this much thought.

—Pokud byste měli natočit film, jakého žánru by byl?

—Romantic Drama (think The English Patient)

—Zítra půjdu a udělám...

—Website editing; run; laundry; help my kids with online school