BUT you can still register for the evening program on February 7th. Only $49 for non-members!

http://issuu.com/mtppa/docs/mtppa_december_news?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222

Check out our video from Help Portrait last year.

I am 40 years old and have been shooting and retouching for 22 years. Born in New Zealand, I now live and work in beautiful Sydney Australia. I specialize is Contemporary Fashion style portraits originally from the 90′s ‘Glamour’ genre.  With lots of change in our industry, I evolved my brand over the years to stay current and to stay true to what I love to do. This year I won Australian Portrait Photographer of the Year and New Zealand Overseas Photographer of the Year. I have a boutique studio in Sydney Australia and am lucky enough to speak & shoot internationally.

 2. How did you get into photography?

I thought it was glamorous. At the age of 18 I started my Masters in Photographic Retouching and shot part time, when that was complete 4 years later I started working for New Zealand’s best Glamour Studio.  It was 1993 I was 22 years old.  By the time I was 25 I was shooting full-time & managing the retouching for the studio. Then Glamour died, film went out of fashion, digital came in and Photoshop took over. Everything I knew about my industry changed in a few short years.
My career has been all about continual education, adaptation and reconnecting to what it is I love to do. I do not imagine myself doing anything else.

 3. How do you prepare your clients for their Glamour Sessions?

The more prepared, educated and excited they are the more invested they are in buying their images. This is something I am constantly teaching to Photographers.
Take the time to educate your client and most of all listen to what they want so you can create it for them. Clothes they need to bring, prepare their hair, nails etc
How they truly dream of being photographed.

4. What do you do to get your clients to relax during their shoots?

Its hard not to relax in my studio. I take control. I don’t leave them out on a limb where they can start to feel self conscious I take charge and make them look good, help them to feel good
and I get that momentum throughout the shoot. I’m giving them too much direction to feel uncomfortable.

5. How are you integrating video into your work? Has it changed your perspective on stills?

Behind the scenes is now a studio product, so is Fusion. Advertising and education, from the moment I saw this medium I knew it would be the NEXT BIG THING in our lives as Photographers.

6. When posing a client, what are things you always look for before taking the image?

Posing is my specialty. I don’t think its really taught anymore. I love teaching Posing over anything else. Its more about direction and body language than posing. For me its about
connecting and femininity and when you know your client looks relaxed and gorgeous.

7. Do you retouch every image before the client views their images for the first time?

Yes I do. 2 minutes every image I show. No one wants to see shadows under the eyes etc. To quote Carson everybody gets just a little ‘Joosh’

8. How do you keep from getting bored? What inspires you?

Every time I have waned in my career or stopped making money or struggled to get work. I’ve had to stop and readjust my attitude. Its always about attitude for me. When I stop ‘CONNECTING’ to what it is I do. Which is the magical journey I take my client on to see themselves in the most beautiful way inside and out. When I stop believing in that and working from the heart I FAIL. When I’m connected and working with great passion I perpetuate on every level. I believe it’s not WHAT you do but HOW you do it.

 9. When you are not working, teaching or creating images….what do you do for fun?

I like to walk, run or ride a bike. Dine out with friends ( I don’t cook) and watch movies. Hundreds of movies.

10. Your blog for photographers is so informative. What other things do you have to help photographers better their skills and their business?

I do a Posing Manual, A makeup manual so people can learn proper natural light and modern makeup techniques and I’m just about finished a Behind the scenes section in my website so you can be a fly on the wall and watch me shooting. Including a full section on Shooting Women with Curves. Whats the point of teaching photographers with skinny models when 90 percent of our clients have ‘real’ bodies. I really enjoy my blog, sharing is important.  The more training we can give our industry the better.  We are as a body of professionals.

Thank you so much Sue!  You are truly an inspiration!

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