Photography Day Confessions

Image Credit: Rosalie Voortman

We’ve asked some of our beloved creatives what being a photographer means to them and how photography has changed their lives. Read more to see what they answered, and don't miss the special 20% discount code at the end of the article. 

Photo by Maike Simon

- Rosalie Voortman

www.rosalievoortman.com - site created with D'Avella

Being a photographer for me means that I can express myself and freeze moments forever, because you think you remember, but you don’t.

It helped me to be alone in my own head and feel completely free of thinking about something else.

The most memorable photo which I’ve taken is a portrait of a little girl, because of the pureness I can see in the little girls eyes. I love capturing kids because they express themselves exactly the way they are. The photograph had the most simple setup ever, many people asked me about what kind of lighting I had used, but it was made with just daylight and 1 black backdrop in the garage of the little girls home.

I wish I could make a series of old couples that are still in love. I have a weakness for old people holding hands and showing their love for each other, still after so many years.
For me that’s the ultimate level of love.

My four girls are my muse, I love to watch them and to freeze the moment. But I also like to pose them to show their pureness. I want to see and remember their childhood, because it’s like a return ticket in time for me.

- Jasmin Jade

www.jasminjade.com - site created with Porto

Photography heals my soul. It’s an addiction and I get a bit nervous when I do not photograph for a few weeks. I’m sure lots of photographers can relate. Through photography I also find myself and the constant learning is what keeps me challenged and motivated. The need to take my “next best picture” is what keeps me going. It’s soul healing and I do not know how I could ever live without photography. 

- The Road to Hannah

www.theroadtohannah.com - site created with Black Onyx

To me, being a photographer means being a storyteller. As a photographer, your job is to take narratives (often of people), and tell them in a compelling way that not only captures the hearts of an audience, but also resonates within the soul of your client. It’s a delicate, daunting, and beautiful task, and it’s an incredible feeling to be handed a story and be told, “Okay, run with it. See what you can create.” That to me is what makes photography so exciting. And that thrill, that excitement, is what I hope would be at the heart of every photographer’s work.

Photography helped me become a better writer. Writing, or storytelling, was my first passion, long before photography came along. But one thing I didn’t realize, getting into the field, was that photography forces you to tell stories in an entirely different way. It gets you up close and personal with your subjects, and makes you look at things from an entirely different perspective. It’s that perspective that has resonated with me so deeply, and has helped shape me into the writer I am today. 

The most memorable photo which I’ve taken is definitely the photo of my friend Alexia Roditis of Destroy Boys. It was the first time I had ever photographed a concert, and I was scared sh*tless. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I was going to make it work. Someone how or another, I figured it out, and I’ll never forget the feeling of popping my memory card into Lightroom and seeing this photo appear. It was that moment of knowing that I just did the impossible, and conquered a huge challenge. I have this photo hanging on my wall for that reason. It’s a reminder that when we put our mind towards something and give it all we’ve got, the universe will meet us halfway and surprise us with something even better than we thought we could have created before.
 

I wish I could take a photo of.... There are so many amazing people I would love to photograph, so this question is kind of a “Catch 22” for me. But if I had to pick just one, I would love to take portraits of Gabby Bernstein. I greatly admire her and her work, and would love the opportunity to photograph her.

And in terms of music, I would love to get the boys of SWMRS in front of my lens.

I find my muse in people and places the emanate love. Whether that means a DIY venue with years of rich history, or a person with a soul as bright as the stars, I draw my inspiration from people and places that intuitively feel lovely to me. They don’t have to be pretty on the outside (i.e. a busy city sidewalk), but if they feel good on the inside, that’s where I’ll go.

Vein and Vessel Photography

www.veinandvessel.com - site built with Osaka

To me, being a photographer means... honestly my answer to this will probably be pretty cliche. What I really love most about being a photographer is not only documenting people’s most important moments, but also those that may not seem important at the time, yet will mean everything years down the road. Being a photographer isn’t always about creating perfect images, but suspending moments in time. And I try my best to do this in an honest, yet beautiful way.

Photography helped me to see the world differently. To find beauty in places I normally would have overlooked. After 10 years of being a photographer, I now have this habit where I constantly scan my surroundings imagining what kind of images I could create. Its this thing in my brain that I just can’t turn off.

The most memorable photograph which I’ve taken is an image of my son when he was about 3 years old. He’s sitting on our ottoman hugging his favorite little stuffed animal (that he still clings to at night even at 6-years-old). The light and his sweet expression make this image one that I will truly treasure forever.

I wish I could take a photo of... I really don’t have a good answer for this! I can’t think of a specific person, but I do love photographing in new places, so more travel would be awesome. Eventually I would love to photograph a wedding or couple somewhere in Europe :)

I find my muse firstly in light. Amazing light is something that I’m just drawn to like a moth to a flame. I get giddy over it. And secondly, in human connection. While I love beautiful locations, the background doesn’t speak as much to me as the subjects do when they are open to being vulnerable and honest in front of the camera. Pretty things are great, but human connection inspires me more.

On behalf of our whole team, we hope you will celebrate World Photography Day this weekend doing what you love most. Don't miss the opportunity to praise yourself with a professional looking website. Get your favorite design kit with a 20% discount sale! Code: HAPPYMUSE20.