A few weeks ago I said I would do a Question and Answer video blog as part of my Promoting Passion series, and here it is! Well, part one, anyway. I decided to leave out the more technical questions for this version, but will be posting a part two eventually. I tried to pick out the most frequently asked questions and the ones I found to be really interesting, too.

What’s your biggest regret in your photography?

Worrying too much about people copying my work to realize that if we all help one another, everyone can be elevated. I try to correct that way of thinking every day.

When you started with artistic photography, what motivated you and what made you keep going at the beginning when you had few skills with photoshop or with your camera?

There is one simple thought that has motivated me more than any other, and it is understanding that everyone starts with nothing. It is the one thing that can connect us all. We all begin with an imagination, and the tools we use to express that imagination are the building blocks to our future. I used to get frustrated and still do when it comes to technique, but I always come back to that valuable reminder that even the best started with nothing, and I can persevere.

Very few people see my pics and I don’t want to be annoying. Any advice on how to spread them or get more likes on Facebook?

I hear that! I struggle with the same thing, as I think most people do who are trying to put their passion into the world. My Facebook advice is this: Post pictures directly to FB as they are more likely to engage an audience. Respond to people when you can in a personal manner. And post valuable information either about your images or about your philosophies and opinions.

How does one make a living off fine art? Is it all about trying to get gallery shows and sales through galleries? Is is a constant marketing issue? Do you market to galleries or someone else?

There are a lot of ways to make a living as a fine art photographer, especially since “fine art” simply refers to someone who creates for him or herself first and foremost and then sells the resulting product for money. I personally sell through galleries and that is how I do a lot of my marketing. I allow the galleries to place ads in magazines and take my work to art fairs which is how the majority of the sales are made. I also license my images online for album art and book covers, and do an occasional commissioned portrait. I also host artist retreats to feed my creative soul. I “market” on social media, so I spend most of my energy writing blog posts that will be relevant and entertaining to my specific audience while posting on Facebook and Twitter. I’ve never done any in-person marketing, aside from submitting to magazines and galleries.

I have a Canon 1000D, not best out there, and I’m always intimidated by photographers with better equipment. Do you have any advice on how to be more confident in your work?

I used to be intimidated too. Just a couple months ago I was at a photography convention and someone asked me to help them set up lights for a class they were teaching. I absolutely froze and then spouted out how I had no idea how to set up lights. A soft box? Oh no…I felt completely inadequate, just the same as I felt when I had no idea how to work my Nikon D80. But the most important thing to remember is that art can be created with anything at all. A point and shoot, a pinhole camera, the highest-end DSLR or my old Nikon D80. It doesn’t matter what is capturing the image as long as your imagination is at work. The equipment and technique will come, and a better quality product can result, but never believe that your equipment is letting you down.

I will never forget once when I did an interview and the question was: What is your favorite tool in Photoshop? I answered by saying “the erasure tool”, and the magazine wrote back asking me to choose something else because hardly anyone uses that tool. I refused, because in my opinion it is not the technique that makes the art, it is the individual.

When did you decide that you should submit to galleries? I have been thinking about submitting for a while, but I’m scared and I’m not sure if my work is “worthy”. Did you feel the same way or am I just doubting my work?

I still feel that way ALL THE TIME! There is not a gallery that I’ve submitted to where I haven’t felt inadequate in some way. The mere feeling of inadequacy, however, should not be what is stopping you from submitting. In my opinion, an artist should have a solid body of work before submitting. I believe that should be at least 10 images that you feel are strong and can back up with good information either about how it was created, why you created it, and so on. Further, you should have a website, even if it is a template or blog, that cohesively shows your work in an easy-to-digest manner. The last tip I have is to understand, at least roughly, how you want to size, edition and price your work. From there, you’re good to submit as long as you are smart about who you are submitting to!

How do you manage to keep on shining as bright as you do? How do you manage to keep going against all odds? I’m pretty confident in my work & who I am as an artist but at times I feel overwhelmed with the negativity I receive from it. I’m not one to apologize for my work but at times it does get me down. Especially when it’s from local “established” photographers from my area. I know there is no right or wrong when it comes to how you express yourself with your art & imagination, but they do not seem to know that.

Whew trust me I hear that. I have been torn down quite a few times about what I do, why I do it, and I’ve listened to opinions about if I should be doing the work that I do. There are two points that I want to make about this. Just because you hear negativity doesn’t mean there aren’t people out there who feel just the opposite. If you don’t hear it, it may be that you aren’t sharing your work in the right places. Join groups that cater to your style or your vision or opinions. Join a meetup where other creatives who are more open-minded can be a support group for you. I have my own support group that I rely on all the time. If someone says something that hurts me, I tell my husband. We always work through it. My next point is to realize that you have no idea, most of the time, why someone is saying what they are saying. If someone spreads negativity, keep in mind that you don’t know them and they don’t know you. It is good to spark debate, but it doesn’t always feel good to be the target of hate. Be respectful of people even if you don’t feel it is deserved. You never know how your kindness can change the life of someone in need. Hate is very often a cry for help.

What is the funniest or craziest story from a shoot?

There was that one time I filled my car with maggots from the elk spine I picked up in the forest…
That other time when a park ranger found me halfway in the creek with my model half-undressed as I was shooting underwater, and we got wayyyy kicked out of that park.
Then the other time when I ironically got kicked out of another park while shooting underneath a SHERIFF sign.
There was that time when I tried to sink a wooden bed in a pool, and 6 hours later decided to just take a nap on it while floating in the water.
There was also that time in Scotland when I was trying to climb a fence to get into some old ruins and got scared right at the top, got my butt hooked on some barbed wire, got seen from the road, and then, 10 minutes later, realized the door was open the whole time.

I have a current list of about 25-30 scenes I would love to shoot. The inspiration comes easy to me, it’s the applying it/getting it done is the hard part. My questions are, how do I go about getting a model for them when I have $0 for them and I am by no means photo material myself. 

Whenever I am organizing a shoot, I try to be as transparent as possible about the process. I will send sketches, a description of the photo that I hope to achieve, and my terms in very plain words. If I can’t pay, I let them know that. I also let them know exactly what I can give – maybe I pay for transportation or dinner. Maybe I offer a small print in return, or a high-res file. Maybe it is simply about the collaborative process. Maybe I offer them a blog post dedicated to the shoot. I look on model mayhem and ask around on Facebook, and I always try to make the first time I work with a model a shoot that will result in at least one image for them, while also not being a shoot that is very important. I try to build up trust with a model before we collaborate on something that I need to work.

I am working on 52 week self portrait and last week I shot the first one outside. I always shoot inside my home because I’m too nervous about what people will think and even some times I worry about publishing my photos online. A couple of times people have asked questions like, “what are you even trying to do with taking pictures of yourself”? How do you overcome this?

I did the same thing when I started – I always shot indoors because I was too nervous of people judging me should I shoot outside. I did self-portraits for ease because I was too nervous to ask anyone to model…so I identify with you completely. However, I have learned something so powerful, I think everyone should adopt it as their mantra: No stranger cares that much about me. Seriously though…am I right?! No one does. If you were to see someone that you don’t know doing something strange in public, what would you think? Chances are it would be a funny story to share with your friends and that’s it. It would be entertaining. So if you are that person doing something a bit weird, does it really matter? No one cares! I started thinking that way and have overcome so much in terms of my shyness and insecurities. I photograph myself all the time now wherever I am inspired, because I know that at worst someone will laugh at me, and at best I will inspire someone else to pursue their passion.

Those who create self-portraits do so for personal reasons – we all have our reasons. Mine personally though is to put myself in the worlds that I wish I lived in. And if someone doesn’t like that, they don’t have to look. Stand up for what you believe in and do so kindly, and the rest will fall into place.