Фотограф Jo-Ann Stokes

—Вы фотогеничны?

—Unfortunately not ....but probably best that I am not because it makes me try extra hard to make my couples feel comfortable in front of the lens and capture beautiful photographs that they will love of themselves.

—Как вы попали в индустрию фотографии?

—Purely by accident to be honest! My trip into photography started by documenting my life, my kids and then into landscape photography. A friend saw my photos, told her friend who was getting married and they contacted me and asked me to do their wedding. I explained that I had never done a wedding but they were fine with that. I loved it ....and the rest ...is history! And my first clients are still one of my biggest fans!

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

—A photograph that touches your soul ...no matter the composition, the editing etc ...that makes for a good photo ...no actually, that makes for a "great" photo ....but if all you want is good ..then good composition, good lighting and good posing would make a good photo .....I continuously strive to take a "great" photo.

—Любите путешествовать?

—Do you seriously have to ask? I "love" to travel ...it feeds my soul, opens my eyes, enriches my life and makes me appreciate everything that God created for us.

—Что в вашей профессии вам нравится больше всего?

—The creativity ...if you can visualise it ....you can photograph it! The continious learning curve....there are new things to learn all the time! I am continiously challenged and excited by my profession.

—Что в вашей профессии вам нравится меньше всего?

—The admin!! Wish we were taking photographs 100% of the time ...unfortunately its only a small portion of our workload. And selling myself ...I find it so hard to do!

—Каким вы видите будущее фотографии?

—There will alwasy be a future for wedding photography ...people will continously fall in love and want to get married and start families of that I have no doubt ....I think how we photograph weddings will stay fundamentally the same ..but the way we grab our image might change. I see change coming in the fact that we will film the wedding and grab our photographs from the video ...and I am excited about that because a hair breadth of a second can make all the difference to an image.

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

—Wedding photography is special because it makes you forget all the bad things in the world for a few brief moments. It makes you believe that the world is all rosy, full of love and that there is bright future ahead and there is truth in fairytales and the "happy ever after"

—Как вы относитесь к критике?

—Well I am a creative ...so lets just say ...it can hurt! But I am also open-minded so I can take a step back and look at it through that persons eyes and see if their criticism is valuable. Good criticism is worth its weight in gold!

—Есть ли в фотографии своя мода?

—There are always trends in photography! The question needs to be asked ..how will your images look in 30 years ...will the trend stand the test of time. Quality, timeless photography will never date.

—По каким критериям клиенты должны выбирать своего фотографа?

—Initially the couple should love the photography ...it should speak to them. But the most important criteria is that you like your photographer and feel comfortable with them....you will spend a large part of your day with this person in your space ..its best that you like them.

—Чего нельзя допускать при съемке?

—Cheesy!

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

—We can see moments that develop and are waiting for them to happen.

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

—The emotion, the impact of the image!

—Кого бы вы назвали символом XXI века?

—The co-founders of google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. And our very own, Nelson Mandela!

—Кого бы вы хотели поснимать?

—My next bride!

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

—One or two ...nudity is not my thing!

—С кем вы хотели бы поснимать?

—Thats a tough one ...Jose Villa, ..I love his pastel, airy, film look but I also love the dark, moody look from Susan Stripling.

—О чем вы беспокоитесь в первую очередь и почему?

—I worry about my children ...I am first and foremost a Mom! From a wedding photographers perspective ..that I lose a wedding due to faulty cards, crashing computers & harddrives. I have made every provision to safeguard my clients weddings but it is natural to worry about their images.

—Расскажите о самом сильном впечатлении в своей жизни.

—The birth of my sons. Everything else pales into insignificance in comparison to those moments.

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

—I am enjoying the character, Elizabeth McCord from Madam Secretary at the moment. She handles problems with intelligence, respect and sensitivity in very fragile situations.

—Кто вдохновляет вас и почему?

—My family inspire me ...they inspire me to be better...they inspire me to prove to them that life is for living and that you make your own destiny with the choices and decisions that you make. Every action has a reaction. Mistakes are not always bad as the experience it teaches you is sometimes more valuable that getting something 100% correct.

—Как вы определяете успех? Можно ли его измерить?

—A successful person is a person who has balance in their life! A happy marriage, family life & career ..is my definition of success! Only having a successful career with money in the bank ...can make for a very lonely/empty life.

—Что для вас важнее: любовь окружающих или уважение?

—Neither ....I would prefer to be loved!

—Расскажите о своей самой большой ошибке в работе.

—When I worked in banking ....I paid a rather large sum of money into the wrong persons account!

—Что вы берете с собой в путешествие и почему?

—My camera and a lens ...do I need anything more?

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

—a few items ...too numerous to mention

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

—I attend workshops, watch videos, practice, practice, practice!

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

—Many of my photographer friends have in their own small way influenced me. Each one has at some stage dropped a pearl of wisdom on my eager ears.

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

—I initially started to play around with a camera when i was a teenager ...I wish I had figured out then, that this was the career that I loved.

—Что вы хотите донести до людей с помощью фотографии?

—I am not big into props ....I prefer the people in my photographs to be the focal point. It is their essence, emotions that tell the story.

—Что побуждает вас продолжать заниматься фотографией?

—I dont think there is anything that motivates me to continue to take photos ....I think it is an extension of who I am ...even when I dont have my camera with me ...I am still framing photos in my eye and taking a mental photo of a scene.

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

—They were perfect. I like the way I turned out ...lol!

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

—Nothing ...if i went back in time to change anything ...then my outcome might be very different to where I am now ....and I kind of like where I am now. And if I had actually done photography from a teenager then my people skills would not have been developed. I believe there was a reason for only discovering my love for photography later on.

—Есть ли жизнь на других планетах?

—Possible ...but have no interest in finding out ...its bad enough controlling the human race that we have here ...we sure as heck dont need the headache of another race somewhere else.

—Кто для вас — пример для подражания?

—There are no heroes ....everyone is only human ...we all err on this road we call life. There are people who I respect i.e Nelson Mandela, FW De Klerk, Mother Theresa, Pope Francis, Thuli Madonsela

—Кого вы считаете недостойным уважения?

—Dictators, bad politicians, criminals, children and animal abusers! Our president, Jacob Zuma, Stupidity, Robert Mugabe.

—Чем вы занимаетесь в свободное время?

—My hubby has a Harley Davidson motorbike and we often will go on road trips around the Cape and needless to say ...I take photos. I enjoy socialising with fellow photographers. I walk in a farm close to my house with my dogs.

—Какая часть вашей личности скрыта от окружающих?

—They dont see me stressed or worried. I show a calm face to the outside world and behind the scenes I make a plan. I also have a wicked sense of humour that I try to keep in check.

—В каких случаях вы бываете полностью довольны своей работой?

—I wish I knew the answer ...then i would create a formula and stick to it ..but there again then I might end up being bored!

—Придаете ли вы значение традиционным ролям мужчин и женщин?

—Yes and no ....I believe women can do anything they put their minds too ...but I also believe that men are traditionally the hunters and do not enjoy being the hunted. Let them enjoy the chase.

—Легко ли вы заводите друзей?

—Very easily. I can chat to complete strangers wherever I am.

—Где вы хотели бы жить?

—If I couldnt live in Cape Town for whatever reason ...then I would go to the next extreme and live in London ...but only if I had a lot of money ;)

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

—A nude shoot

—Есть ли жизнь после свадьбы?

—lol ...yes, definitely! I have done more and had more fun with my husband than with any other human being. He is the one who has my back, who I rely on, who I can be real with, who accepts me for who I am ...who will look after me when I am sick or sad ....to lend a Greys Anatomy line ..."he is my person" ...but yes there were times when I could have lovingly strangled his neck..he definitely still knows how to push my buttons!

—У вас есть любимая шутка? Поделитесь с нами!

—Yes ..I do ...but I think it might be a bit too dirty for a wedding blog ...especially for people considering getting married ...lol! Only old married couples would find it amusing!

—Вы любите собак? А кошек?

—Dogs ...grew up with them all my life! My dad was allergic to cats ..so was never allowed to have one ....so not too sure if I would have loved cats more!

—Что или кого вы очень не любите?

—People who are rigid and the world is black and white and do not see outside the box.

—Самое лучшее в жизни — это:

—free!

—Самое неприятное в жизни — это:

—People who do not listen

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

—Yes, our incompetent government!

—Что вы хотели бы изменить в себе?

—I wish I had more time!

—Что вы хотели бы изменить в мире?

—Evil

—Что бы вы посоветовали начинающим фотографам?

—Be unique ...find your own style ....do not be like sheep and copy everyone else! Trust in the way you see the world ..you will develop!

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

—If you know whats good for you ...turn around and run in the opposite direction

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

—A romance or a drama

—Завтра я пойду и сделаю…

—some food shopping, a maternity shoot, some editing ...watch our national rugby team , the Springboks play their first game at the Rugby World Cup 15 in England against Japan!