Canon Vs Nikon (1 per day!)

Let us know who you are and what camera you use! And, if you’re up for it, 3 random facts about you.

Let the discussion rage on like a wildfire…

Have an idea for a challenge? Feel up for some creative competition? Post your ideas and suggestions here! Any info on challenges will also be posted here.

I was lucky enough to interview Jessica Walker so here it is! I’ve put the interview in a forum so you can give feedback on her answers and her work!

1. What equipment do you use?

I use a Canon EOS digital rebel xti camera
I rarely ever use any special lenses, just the lens my camera came with.
I use soft boxes and Tungsten lights usually for my studio lighting.

2. Where do you get your inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from everything really. Music, books, movies, dreams, life experiences, other artists as well.

3. What is your favorite image of yours, and why?

I really can’t pick out a favorite image because I fall in and out of interest with my photos. Some become my favorites for a short while and I lost interest in them. My newest work is usually my favorite work, but I have classics that I always like as well. I think it’s a matter of what my best work is in my eyes and the reason it’s usually my newest work is because it’s a measure of how far I’ve improved over the years.

4. Do you use Photoshop & to what extent?

I do use photo shop and it depends on the photo how much I use it. For some images I only do minor editing and touch ups. Like the color hues, softening the skin of the model, adjusting the contrast or brightness, fixing the saturation and adjusting levels, etc. Those are all basic things that digital photographers usually do in photo shop. Occasionally I’ll spend 20-30 minutes on one photo messing with the coloring and lighting of the photo to produce a completely different outcome. I rarely ever actually photo manipulate my images however as I like the image to remain a photograph.

5. How many shots does it take you to get that perfect one?

I always take up to at least 100 or 200 photos in a set. With models I usually take more.
This is just because it’s easy for me take a lot of photos in a short amount of time, which is something you can easily do with digital photography. But out of say 300 or 400 photos, there’s often only one perfect shot. The rest I could usually care less about. But as far as I’m concerned, the hours spent on an entire shoot is worth that one perfect shot.

6. Do any of your images have a looong story behind them – if so, what?

None of my images really have a long story about them. However I do have some really fascinating and/or hilarious stories about some of my photo shoots. And they usually involve the set ups I’ve done with models. Some examples are using live worms as a prop, using animal guts as a prop and allowing a model to put alka seltzer in her mouth for effect. These are just a few of many great stories I could share

7. Do you prefer self-portraits of shooting models?

That’s a very hard question. I think I prefer both equally. When working with myself as the model it’s both easier and more difficult. I know myself well and I know what angles I photograph well at. I also know exactly what kind of photos I’m going for when I work with myself so it’s somewhat easier to obtain the “perfect” shot. But it’s more challenging trying to get the right shot because I don’t use a tripod. Nearly every self portrait you see of me was obtained by holding the camera in one hand. This is a difficult thing to do but I seem to have mastered it over the years. Working with models is easier because I have way more room to move around and capture them however I want. They are my canvas and I can pretty much convey them however I want, which isn’t something I can easily do with self portraits. Working with models can be an art within itself.

8. What’s been your worst photographic experience?

Worst photographic experience? Paying to be a part of photo get together, in which several models and photographers are able to network with each other for a day by rotations. I did this a few times to try and get some more experience and it didn’t end well either of the times. The problem was I didn’t get to choose the models I wanted to photograph. Instead I got whoever I was paired with. I didn’t get my moneys worth because if a model isn’t what you’re looking to put in your portfolio, the shots are pretty much worthless regardless of the quality of them. I wont do this again.
As a photographer you’re allowed to be a little picky in deciding what you want to portray with your work.

9. ...And your best?

Best photographic experience? I have multiple favorites. A few of them are the ones in which the crazy stuff happens as I mentioned before. (Worms, guts, alka seltzer. Even paint, fake blood and sometimes even nudity.) I just don’t think a photo shoot is very fun without some craziness. What’s considered the “Norm” in the photography world doesn’t often interest me. That’s part of being a controversial and edgy photographer. It comes with the territory.

10. If you could have anything in the world at all, what would it be?

If I could have anything in the world…. such a broad question. I guess this is totally unrelated to photography, but for some reason the classic Beauty Queen phrase comes to mind. “World Peace”. Because honestly, despite that I’m often a dark artist, the inner me is truly a peaceful person. And like most people, deep down all I want is for everyone to get along. My dark art is a reflection of the inner turmoil and the hardship that we all experience as human beings. Some people are just too afraid to tread there where as I’m not afraid to show it.

A big thanks to Jessica for this, her answers are superb and really inspiring!