Фотограф Annabelle Agnew

—Перше і найважливіше - кого ви можете назвати найкращим фотографом у вашому місті? :)

—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.

—Чи ви фотогенічні?

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

—Як ви опинилися у галузі фотографії?

—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.

—Якими, на вашу думку, є найголовніші складові гарної фотографії?

—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.

—Чи любите ви подорожувати?

—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.

—Що вам більш за все подобається у вашій професії?

—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.

—Що вам менш за все подобається у вашій професії?

—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.

—Яким буде майбутнє фотографії?

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

—Що робить жанр фотографії, в якому ви знімаєте, особливим?

—I'm not sure I understand this question.

—Як ви справляєтеся з критикою?

—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.

—Чи є якісь тренди у фотографії?

—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.

—Якими для клієнта повинні бути критерії вибору фотографа?

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

—Чого слід уникати при фотозйомці?

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

—Які деталі, що, зазвичай, проходять непоміченими, може «зловити» фотограф?

—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.

—Що впливає на цінність фотографії? Якими є елементи цього?

—Emotion, Light, Artistry.

—Яка людина, на вашу думку, може бути символом 21-го століття?

—I have no answer for that!

—Кого ви бажаєте сфотографувати?

—Anyone who wants me to.

—Чи маєте ви якісь професійні табу?

—I don't think so?

—З ким ви хотіли б пофотографувати?

—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

—Про що ви хвилюєтесь і чому?

—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

—Який момент є найбільш вражаючим у вашому житті?

—Giving birth to my babies

—Якщо ви були б персонажем мультика, книги або фільму, ким саме ви були б і чому?

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

—Хто надихає вас у вашому житті і чому?

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

—Як ви визначаєте успіх? Як ви його вимірюєте?

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

—Ви надали б перевагу тому, щоб вас любили чи все-таки поважали?

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

—Якою була найбільша помилка, якої ви припустилися на роботі?

—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".

—Коли ви збираєтесь у подорож, що ви берете з собою і чому?

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

—Чи є щось серед гаджетів, які вам належать, що ви воліли б краще не купувати? Чому?

—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.

—Як ви вчитесь робити гарніші знімки?

—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.

—Чиї роботи найбільше вплинули на вас, як на фотографа?

—Showing up everyday to do it.

—Про яку одну річ ви хотіли б знати, коли розпочинали знімати фотографії?

—Patience.

—Що ви хочете сказати за допомогою ваших фотографій?

—I want them to be evocative of the moment.

—Що мотивує вас продовжувати робити знімки?

—My pleasure in taking them.

—Чи вашим батькам варто було б бути більш чи менш суворими?

—Less strict.

—Якщо ви могли б повернутися назад у часі, що б ви зробили інакше?

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

—А як щодо життя на інших планетах?

—It's there probably?

—Хто є вашими героями?

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

—Кого ви не поважаєте?

—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.

—Чим ви займаєтесь у свій вільній час?

—Improv; Kitchen Dancing; Reading; Running

—Який ваш бік публіка ніколи не бачить?

—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

—Коли ви повністю задоволені своєю роботою?

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

—Чи ви вірите у традиційні ролі чоловіків та жінок?

—No

—Чи ви легко заводите друзів?

—Yes

—Де ви хотіли б жити?

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

—Який найбезглуздіший вчинок ви коли-небудь погодилися вчинити?

—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.

—Чи є життя після укладення шлюбу?

—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.

—Чи є у вас улюблений жарт? Розкажіть нам.

—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.

—Ви любите собак чи котів?

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

—Кого або що ви ненавидите?

—Too complicated to answer.

—Найкраща річ у житті - це:

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

—Те, що найбільш дратує в житті:

—noises like chewing?

—Чи є щось таке навколо вас, що б ви хотіли змінити?

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

—Що б ви хотіли змінити в собі?

—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.

—Що б ви хотіли змінити у світі?

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

—Чи могли б ви дати кілька порад фотографам, які тільки починають свій шлях?

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

—Якщо іншопланетяни завітають на Землю, і ви будете першою людиною, яку вони зустрінуть, що ви їм розповісте?

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

—Якщо вас запросять знімати кіно, якого жанру воно буде?

—Romantic Drama (think The English Patient)

—Завтра я піду і...

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