Photographer Interview: Julie Doolittle Of Santa Fe, NM
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: It is an expression, an art form, a way of speaking to every person with a simple frame captured at the right moment.
Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?
A: I took a photo at Christmas time downtown of a shop window…breathtaking!
Q: Do you like to talk about yourself or your pictures? If yes, about what aspects of photography? If no, why?
A: I like to talk about myself ;) and my photos. I like to understand what others see and like about the photos that I take and why or why not.
Q: How would you describe your attention span?
A: Intense but short bursts. :) I like such a broad spectrum of things that I flit about a little bit like a butterfly sometimes. :)
Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?
A: When I realized that I could capture beauty in people that they couldn’t see themselves…about seven years ago or so.
Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?
A: No
Q: How technical is your photography?
A: Not technical at all. I’m all about expressing myself and taking every opportunity, more so than the technical side.
Q: How do you feel about cropping?
A: I try to take photos that don’t need cropping but in those rare instances, I’m not against using crop while editing.
Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?
A: I’ve only lived in Santa Fe…but I would love to try nature photography in the redwoods.
Q: Define the word “beauty”!
A: Triggering an emotion, a reaction, deep within the soul, that takes the breath away. Simply put: beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?
A: I am so eclectic in the realm of my personality, so it comes out through my photos, more so than changes when I take them, though I am more daring in photos than in reality. :)
Q: How do you feel about missed shots which cannot be recreated?
A: Very sad and disheartened, but it inspires me to be more aware and quicker to react in the future.
Q: Ever concerned about failure?
A: I use to be, but I consider it a learning experience that can’t be avoided. That is why I don’t delete ‘bad’ photos…I learn why they are bad and make myself aware of those errors in future shots.
Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?
A: I don’t have the time to go out and take photos on a daily basis, though I’d like to.
Q: What has been the single biggest obstacle against growing as a photographer in whole?
A: Financial limitations in regards to equipment and training
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: Flowers and people
Q: Have you ever thought about or actually stopped doing photography? What were the circumstances?
A: I went through a time in my life when I lost a lot and struggled with my worth in the world…I didn’t take so many photos then.
Q: Do you ever have
photographer’s block and if yes how do you deal with it?
A: I just snap away until something works…or until an idea comes that inspires me for future shoots. I create an opportunity.
Q: What types of assignments are you attracted most?
A: Portraits for special events like senior photos and weddings
Q: Describe what black and white photography means to you?
A: Black and white photography is a chance to express the photo, the emotion, without the distraction and ‘busyness’ of color.
Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?
A: I think of myself as an artist because photography is art, an expression of sight through anothers eyes.
Q: How do you describe your photographic style?
A: Artistic and fun…I let the subject be who they are, shine through the lens.
Q: What has been the most surprising or most predictable reaction to your photographs?
A: Surprising is when they are loved and fawned over…I can be overly critical of my own work.
Q: Tell a little secret about yourself that no-one knows …
A: I like too many things, leaving me with too many options, and so I have nothing I’m completely sold out for.
Q: Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already?
A: I’d like to photograph a moose in Alaska…I like moose. :)
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 pursued it with more single minded determination and passion.
Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?
A: If people stopped paying for the shots of celebrities living their lives, paparazzi would cease to exist. So, who is truly to blame?
Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?
A: I like digital manipulation when it accents the shot, but not when it makes it something it isn’t, and definitely not the way magazine ads use it to create false perfection.
Q: What other thoughts would you like to share?
A: I think that photography should be emphasized more with younger generations.
“Celebrate Beautiful Reasons In Life” with Julie Doolittle Photography, the affordable photography option in Santa Fe and Albuquerque New Mexico.
Check out our MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/juliedoolittlephotography.
