Q&A With Michael Miller Of Denim To Lace Custom Glamour Photography
Q: Do you like to talk about yourself or your pictures? If yes, about what aspects of photography? If no, why?
A: Love to talk “shop”…not so much about myself. I’m not really that interesting.
Q: How would you describe your attention span?
A: A tad bit better than a 5 year old.
Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?
A: 1972
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: Creation.
Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?
A: Yes. A Red Rose I placed in a snow-covered Fir tree
Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?
A: Seminars.
Q: How technical is your photography?
A: I understand all technical aspects of photography and I like trying new things.
Q: How do you feel about cropping?
A: Fine. We can’t always shoot the exact composition we’d like to.
Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?
A: United States. There is so much to photograph.
Q: Define the word “beauty”!
A: Inner…Caring, good ethics, and optimistic. Outer…Everyone is beautiful in their own way.
Q: What is your most favorite and least favorite word in photography or life? How do they make you feel?
A: Best…Creativity. Least…Can’t.
Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?
A: It doesn’t.
Q: How do you feel about missed shots which cannot be recreated?
A: Darn it!!!
Q: Ever concerned about failure?
A: Sometimes. Mostly, I do my best and know I’ve done my best.
Q: Who are your influences?
A: Adept photographers.
Q: What is your favorite image, either your own or someone else’s or both? Describe its creation or meaning to you?
A: I have no favorites. I love seeing all creativity.
Q: Describe a day in your personal or professional life.
A: Working in the office, shooting, and marketing.
Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?
A: Acquiring new assignments.
Q: What has been the single biggest obstacle against growing as a photographer in whole?
A: Convincing the public there’s a difference between “professional” photography and “Soccer Mom” pictures.
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: People and old barns and buildings.
Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photoshoot!
A: I’m an affiliate photographer for the nowilaymedowntosleep.org and I was asked to photograph a 10 year old girl who was in a death coma from smoke inhalation. I knew when I was finished photographing her, they were going to take her off life-support.
Q: Have you ever thought about or actually stopped doing photography? What were the circumstances?
A: No. It’s my life and full-time career.
Q: Do you ever have photographer’s block and if yes how do you deal with it?
A: If I get a block, I choose a subject and do a theme on it.
Q: What types of assignments are you attracted most?
A: Photographing for a cause.
Q: Describe what black and white photography means to you?
A: Dramatic.
Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?
A: I like to think of myself as “artistic” not as an artist.
Q: How do you describe your photographic style?
A: Hopefully, as original and artistic.
Q: What has been the most surprising or most predictable reaction to your photographs?
A: When told, “I never knew I could look so good!”
Q: Tell a little secret about yourself that no-one knows …
A: I have none.
Q: Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already?
A: Would love to do a series on the aged and time-worn faces of senior citizens.
Q: What would you have done differently during your photography career so far and could this be an advice to others?
A: I would have liked to have promoted my niche (Glamour) sooner.
Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?
A: I don’t think photographs should be taken against someone’s wishes or be the cause of any hurtful events. However, isn’t a wedding photographer a paparazzi of a sort?
Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?
A: It’s fine if that’s what you want to do. I “enhance” my work…not manipulate it.
Q: What other thoughts would you like to share?
A: Photography is a tough business and there’s a lot more to it than just taking photos.
Connect with Michael via his Denim To Lace Custom Glamour Photography website.