Фотограф Annabelle Agnew

—Самый волнующий нас вопрос – кто лучший фотограф в вашем городе? :)

—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.

—Вы фотогеничны?

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

—Как вы попали в индустрию фотографии?

—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.

—Как вы считаете, каковы самые важные составляющие хорошей фотографии?

—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.

—Любите путешествовать?

—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.

—Что в вашей профессии вам нравится больше всего?

—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.

—Что в вашей профессии вам нравится меньше всего?

—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.

—Каким вы видите будущее фотографии?

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

—Что делает жанр фотографии, в котором вы снимаете, особенным?

—I'm not sure I understand this question.

—Как вы относитесь к критике?

—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.

—Есть ли в фотографии своя мода?

—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.

—По каким критериям клиенты должны выбирать своего фотографа?

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

—Чего нельзя допускать при съемке?

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

—Что обычные люди упускают из виду, в то время как фотограф может увидеть?

—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.

—Что влияет на ценность фотографии? Из чего она складывается?

—Emotion, Light, Artistry.

—Кого бы вы назвали символом XXI века?

—I have no answer for that!

—Кого бы вы хотели поснимать?

—Anyone who wants me to.

—Есть ли у вас какие-то табу в работе?

—I don't think so?

—С кем вы хотели бы поснимать?

—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

—О чем вы беспокоитесь в первую очередь и почему?

—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

—Расскажите о самом сильном впечатлении в своей жизни.

—Giving birth to my babies

—Каким персонажем из мультфильма, книги или кино вы были бы и почему?

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

—Кто вдохновляет вас и почему?

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

—Как вы определяете успех? Можно ли его измерить?

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

—Что для вас важнее: любовь окружающих или уважение?

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

—Расскажите о своей самой большой ошибке в работе.

—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".

—Что вы берете с собой в путешествие и почему?

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

—Есть ли среди вашей техники что-то, чего покупать не следовало бы? Почему вы так считаете?

—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.

—Расскажите о своем самообучении: что вы делаете, чтобы стать лучше как фотограф?

—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.

—Чья работа больше всего повлияла на ваше становление как фотографа?

—Showing up everyday to do it.

—Как вы считаете, что вам следовало бы знать в первую очередь, когда вы начинали фотографировать?

—Patience.

—Что вы хотите донести до людей с помощью фотографии?

—I want them to be evocative of the moment.

—Что побуждает вас продолжать заниматься фотографией?

—My pleasure in taking them.

—Следовало ли вашим родителям быть более (менее) строгими?

—Less strict.

—Если бы можно было вернуться в прошлое, что бы вы сделали иначе?

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

—Есть ли жизнь на других планетах?

—It's there probably?

—Кто для вас — пример для подражания?

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

—Кого вы считаете недостойным уважения?

—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.

—Чем вы занимаетесь в свободное время?

—Improv; Kitchen Dancing; Reading; Running

—Какая часть вашей личности скрыта от окружающих?

—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

—В каких случаях вы бываете полностью довольны своей работой?

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

—Придаете ли вы значение традиционным ролям мужчин и женщин?

—No

—Легко ли вы заводите друзей?

—Yes

—Где вы хотели бы жить?

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

—Расскажите о самой большой глупости, которую вы согласились сделать.

—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.

—Есть ли жизнь после свадьбы?

—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.

—У вас есть любимая шутка? Поделитесь с нами!

—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.

—Вы любите собак? А кошек?

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

—Что или кого вы очень не любите?

—Too complicated to answer.

—Самое лучшее в жизни — это:

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

—Самое неприятное в жизни — это:

—noises like chewing?

—Есть ли что-то вокруг вас, что вы хотели бы изменить?

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

—Что вы хотели бы изменить в себе?

—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.

—Что вы хотели бы изменить в мире?

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

—Что бы вы посоветовали начинающим фотографам?

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

—Если бы на Землю прилетели инопланетяне и вы оказались первым человеком, которого они встретили, что бы вы сказали им?

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

—Если бы вам пришлось снимать фильм, в каком жанре он был бы?

—Romantic Drama (think The English Patient)

—Завтра я пойду и сделаю…

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