New Works - Fireworks

In honor of Independence Day in the United States last week, this week's new works post is dedicated to the amazing fireworks images captured by the Photographers of Etsy team. Check out these stunning fireworks displays, and see more fireworks photography here.

Golden Fireworks by capow


Dandelion Fireworks by dixiedreams

Star Creation by ablaze

Fireworks at the fair by mattallen

Fireworks Display by lbilbs14

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New works is compiled by Jessica Torres. Jessica lives in tiny little Kuna, Idaho with her husband and three rambunctious kids. She tries to ignore housework while taking pictures of whatever is near - her family, the Idaho landscape, random objects collected by her and her family. She loves visitors at her website and her shop.

From the Collaboratory

I wrote last week about exploring the whys and wherefores of successful marketing for photographers on etsy with Taryn Pyle of BornBarefoot. At the end of our last e-mail exchange, right before I posted, she discovered that she had gotten more than 500 hits on her site. She also sold 5 prints, all of the same photo. After much research and discussion, here’s what we’ve discovered: It’s all about visibility.

The more photos you list, the more your work will appear on the etsy homepage under “newly listed.” The more people see your work, the more likely it is to be chosen for a treasury or as a Handpicked Item.






Laughing Out Loud by ara133photography


I took a close look at two etsy photographers, ara133 and ketzelphotography, both of whom have been selling on etsy since 2007 and both of whom have sales figures approaching 8- or 900.

Here’s what they do:
Post several new photos at a time
Do so frequently
Divide their shops into sections, by either subject or style of photography
Purchase Showcase spots
Use all 14 available tags.





Rust Reflections by ketzelphotography


On the other end of the spectrum, I looked at “undiscovered shops looking for their first sale” under Pounce (Home>Buy>Pounce). Almost all of them had listed fewer than a dozen items, though some of them were new to etsy and still building their shops. It takes time to get rolling.




Hummingbird Nest by Teha


Taryn also suggested adding a link to the photo description whenever one is selected for a treasury. As she said, it lets people know that someone else liked the image.

We continue to welcome everyone to this debate. Please share your successes and lessons with us!




After the Storm by Larry 727

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Nakedeye17 (Su) thinks of photography as a wake-up call: "Hey, everybody! Are you seeing this?" She loves to capture humor, too, and anything wondrous strange. Find Nakedeye17's shop here.

Focus On: Firstlight Photo

Rainy Day Flower

Focus.

What comes to mind when you think of “focus”?  For me, it’s usually an image’s sharpness, you know, “tack sharp”, that sort of thing.  But focus can also mean narrowing one’s attention, excluding those things on the periphery and bringing one’s attention to the center.    

We’ve all produced those images, and a lot of photographers even specialize in closing in on the subject, but few do it better than Sue Templin, the proprietor of Firstlight Photography.  I first “met” Sue six months ago, about a month after she opened her shop, and it didn’t take me long to realize she was a talent.   I recently had an opportunity to visit with Sue about her and her photography, and I’d like to share that conversation with you.

Steve:  As a photographer, when I encounter images that grab me, I want to know more about the photographer that created them. Who is this person? Where are they coming from? What inspires them? So, Sue, can you tell us a bit about yourself, your family, your background, where you come from, that sort of thing?

Following in My Father's Footsteps

Sue:  I'm trying to think about why I take the photographs that I do ... hmmm I'm from a "medium-sized" town outside of Chicago and my grandparents came from a small town in Wisconsin. If I had my choice to go to Chicago or to the country it would always be towards the country.  I'm not much for the big city.

My father and his sisters are all very talented. My father was a woodworker (making all the furniture in his Northern Wisconsin cabin) in his spare time and his sisters are artists; one of them does bronze sculptures that are exquisite. My father's hobby was photography when he was young and I believe that's where my interest comes from.

Currently with my daughter taking horseback riding lessons and being out at the barn four times a week, the country is where my interests are.

Amish Hats

Steve:  OK, Midwest values, country sensibilities and creativity in your blood; sure, I can see those things in your work. Tell me, where are you today and what was the path, what were the life experiences, if you will, that brought you there?

Sue:  Well, let's see ... I went to SIU-C (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) with a major in Photography and proceeded to not do anything with it.

I had a number of jobs and ended up working for a friend who owned her own little ad agency. There I learned desktop publishing and the like.

I had my daughter and then I wanted a job with the school district so I could be there for her. I loved my little job with a middle school; I had it for seven years, but then the economy fell, I lost my job and then I got to thinking...photography.

My cousin, a portrait photographer, told me about Etsy and here I am.

I love the images I’m creating; it’s a learning process, and I have so many fellow POE friends to thank. They've helped with their insights, helpful hints, opinions and referrals to different links to help create a broader base from which to work.

The Back Door

Steve:  Leaving photography and returning to it later seems to be a recurring theme among many photographers' narratives, myself included. I'm sure many folks would be curious, as am I; with so many programs to choose from, what was it that made you decide on photography as your major, and once you had your degree, what were the circumstances surrounding your decision to pursue a path other than a photographic one?

Sue:  You know I had an “a-ha” moment a while back. I had brought home some of my father's old photography equipment which included two cameras. I photographed it all and in doing so realized that he was the reason why I got into photography.

Growing up, there were many photos that my dad took of my mom when they were dating. They are beautiful, not the typical stuff you tend to see. I also don't remember my parents arguing with me on my choice of major at college.

Anyway, at college all the teachers talked about how we needed to go "knocking on doors" to find ourselves a job. Well for me that meant in Chicago. I did spend one day in the city with my portfolio and doing just that, going to photographers' studios, kind of out of the blue, looking for employment. I did get one interview, but in the end, Chicago wasn't for me. Neither did I want to do wedding photography in my home town. Thusly, various jobs led me to my friend's advertising agency.  And now, you know the rest of the story.

Spring Thaw

Steve:  I know what that's like! "Knocking on doors", asking for work, is never easy, especially in such a specialized field as this one. How did you feel when you set photography aside? How does it feel to once again be looking at the world through the viewfinder?

Sue:  In setting my photography aside I think I felt guilty for not doing something with my degree. My parents had paid for my education, and while nothing came of it, I don't remember any harsh words or recriminations from them.

Now, even though it’s 28 years later, it feels wonderful to be back at it again. It does something to the psyche knowing that you're doing something you love. This photography thing is a tough field, but I'm not letting it get me down ... yet.

Steve:  You know, Sue, your images are very easy to look at, the lighting, perspective, composition, they're all very pleasing to the eye. What's your approach? Are there certain themes or subjects you find yourself drawn to? Do you go out with a plan, or do you take it as it comes?

Old Country Door

Sue:  I guess I'm just a simple person who likes simple things. For whatever that's worth, I hope it shows in my work. I usually don't have a plan; I just know what appeals to me.

Steve:  I guess that's what I'm getting at; what is it that appeals to you? From a visual and thematic standpoint, what inspires you to create the images you create?

Sue:  Hmmm, that one made me think for a while. I guess just the simple beauty of the subject, whether it's a flower, an old and falling apart barn or building or anything out there in nature. I tend to see things in a close up way. I don't look at a whole entire "scene," instead I focus on one thing in the scene and do my best to capture it.

Steve:  Turning our attention to look inside ourselves is not the easiest of tasks, to be sure.

Here's an easier one, the answer to which I always find interesting: What's in your bag? What tools do you use to create your images? And, setting cost aside, what one thing would you like to add?

Aged Wall

Sue:  My bag ... ha! I don't have one, shocking isn't it? I only have my Canon XTi with the lens that came with, an 18-55 mm. But, I'm pretty happy with the photographs I've been taking, so it can't be too bad. I do, however, have a wish list. I'd love a Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens. I just ordered another less expensive one to get the ball rolling. It will have to do for now.

Steve:  Which just goes to show that photography is less about equipment and more about vision, perspective, imagination and creativity. A truckload of expensive gadgetry may be nice to have and fun to play with, but strictly speaking, it's not required. It makes me appreciate your work all the more knowing that you capture it with a relatively basic digital outfit.

Every photographer I know enjoys not only creating photographs, but viewing them as well, so, what sort of images are you attracted to? What grabs your attention, what draws you in?

Sue:  Well, first of all, thank you for the kudos in regards to my work. What images do I like, hmmm ... photography's roots are in black and white and that's where we all started in school. I'd say I still love an orchestrated black and white photo. They can be so much more powerful when all the color is removed and we're left with the beauty of all the grey tones and deep blacks. I've turned a few of my photos into a sepia tone because the color wasn't working for me. Since being involved with Etsy my eyes have been opened to all the different works out there, but black and white still tops the list.

Starburst

Steve:  Are there any photographers that you admire or that may have inspired you? What influences, if any, have they had on your work?

Sue:  Well, with this one I'm going to go back to my photographic roots and say those who I first learned about in college and whose images remain in my head. Photographers like Ansel Adams, the hard-core environmentalist and his images of Yosemite; Dorothea Lange and her haunting images of the Depression; Annie Leibovitz and her wonderful portraits. I remember sitting and looking and looking at those images by Ansel Adams; I have never seen better.

Steve:  What influences, if any, have they had on your work?

Sue:  Okay, now that's kind of hard. With Ansel Adams I would say it's how he found the right order in nature and created an image that stands the test of time. With Dorothea Lange and Annie Leibovitz I guess I've have to say the same ... their images can stand up to all others in their detail. I like detail in my photographs, I usually seem to stick with the close up. Though I don't do portrait work, there's still that quality of detail in Dorothea's and Annie's work.

Back in the Day ...

Steve:  Where is photography taking you, or where are you taking it? What do you see down your photographic path?

Sue:  I think I can more easily say what's not down the path. I don't want to do weddings or portrait work. Other than that, I'm just taking life as it’s thrown at me. I didn't expect to lose my job, but that ultimately led me to Etsy and all the work I've created. I want to focus more locally and see if I can get into any galleries and the like. I'm doing a couple fine art shows this summer, hopefully something will become of them. I can be disgustingly cliché and quote Forrest Gump, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." I do try to be positive though.

Steve:  Thank you Sue, I enjoy your images, and I've enjoyed this opportunity to get to know you better!

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PhotoGrunt is Steve Raley, a photographic documentarian from Seattle, Washington.  He captures images wherever he goes, and he  frequently even uses a camera.  His work can be seen on his website, blog and his Etsy shop.

Mosaic Monday: Summer Fun

I'm fortunate to live in a part of the world where I can enjoy all four seasons.  Each one brings different ways to spend my day, a new dress style, yummy foods, and of course....different photo shoots!  Summer is my most favorite time to just relax & chill out!  I don't clean my house much, I hardly wear any clothes, grill everyday and eat lots of fresh fruits & veggies.  Oh, and I chase bugs & critters around the yard trying to capture that special moment.

What do you love about summer? 

 Enjoy the lazy days of summer from the POE Team.....

Weathered  by squidart
Morning Coffee by Kristybee
Can we go again?  by lisaVAUGHN
Lizzie by  rsully2sphotography
River Stones by Mylittleeye
There's no place like home by eringarrisondesign
Lily Pond by october54gallery
Lemons on Blue by JenniferAitchison
Monkey by talis

Pat of photogenicgallery lives in the Northeast USA with her husband,  2 great dogs and the newest addition to her family "Rocky".  She will will chasing that tabby for the next months with camera in tow.  She loves visitors to stop by and visit through her open window.

Mind's Eye - Manipulated Memories

Photography is the ultimate tool for preserving memories.  For many it’s also a wonderful tool for creating the feel of memories.  What a powerful ability a photographer has to make that feeling.  It takes a thoughtful technique and a great sense of imagination to intentionally create an image that makes another person respond personally.  With manipulated photography an artist can evoke a sentimental quality that whispers something of our own past. A deliberate twist of contrast, a particular use of lighting, sandwiching images, a selective use of focus, added text - these manipulations can propel the viewer into something powerfully nostalgic.  Now, there are images, for example, of beaches that make me think of my own times at the beach.  There are cityscapes that remind me of my own experiences too.  But what I am referring to now are images that are unrelated to my human experience and yet somehow feel familiar.  The images feel like the past.  Here are a few images with the ability to do just that.

 Shade by saranorris

Amish House Doorway by firstlightphoto

mkendall's Pewter Angles and Silent Butterscotch

Waiting by violetbellaphoto

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Mind's Eye is a monthly post by Anika Toro.  Anika lives in TN with her new baby, husband, and two naughty cats.  She loves taking photos every moment of every day.  She shares her photography in her shop, on her blog, and invites you to collaborate.

From the Collaboratory

All photos by Taryn Pyle of BornBarefoot

I Saved You a Seat

During the course of my submitting a photo for the July poe team slideshow, Taryn Pyle of BornBarefoot raised some intriguing issues for discussion. Here, with her permission, is the essence of our exchange:

Taryn: I have been wondering about watermarks. I have noticed that photographers that add watermarks and price their photos much higher than I do tend to have a higher number of sales and views by customers. I was wondering what your thoughts are on that? Do you think people are downloading photos without paying the artist?

Summer Time and the Living is Easy

Su: It seems like a 72 dpi photo isn't going to look like much unless it's printed really small. You raise a good point, though. I suppose if someone printed the zoomed image, then scanned it at a really high resolution, they could re-print it at a decent size. Are people going to all that trouble to steal our photos? I don't know.

Still, I think the slideshow's pretty safe. As for the higher sales, it may be that either the sellers have been on etsy longer, or that their photos are tapping into a trend or style that others aren't. Or, they may just be reeeeally good. Important to consider - and maybe act upon, eh?

Shell Seekers

Taryn: Well, I have been looking at the other photographers who get their sites up on the treasury. I go in, look at the photos, the sizes, what they do differently, etc. And this is what I have learned.

1) Most of them begin their pricing at about $30 for an 8 X 10. Much higher than what I charge.
2) About 80% use a watermark
3) Many of them show the picture with a frame
4) Many of them offer something else which puts them in other categories. For example: photo cards, digital painting, frames, etc.
5) The body of copy is short, clear and concise.
6) If listed in a treasury, they promote that somewhere on their site with a link to the treasury.
7) They offer sets of pictures

There are a few other anomalies, like if the person is in Canada or taking pictures of France, they are selling more. {There is} something about the French, which might be a certain theme going on right now.

But, their pictures aren't {necessarily} better. There are some where I look at them and go wow! And they have high sales, sure, but many are just as good as mine.

I am in marketing so I am thinking about redesigning my shop and so I have been looking and watching and asking questions. Some have unique themes or their own genre, but not many.

The one question I can't seem to find the answer to is if they are using other means of promotion. How are they getting so many hits? I have looked at the tags. Most of them aren't much different then my own. Are they involved with ETSY in another way? Do they utilize GOOGLE analytics? I am using that, but haven't even begun to utilize its capabilities.

One other thing I am considering is how to get those that mark my shop as a favorite to come back. I am thinking about some sort of promotion just to that group, but haven't thought it out yet.

I am just trying how to incorporate it all. It's time consuming putting on a frame, listing a separate photo with the frame, adding the watermark, etc. I am seriously thinking about raising my prices; there is a great article about pricing on the ETSY resource center that got me to thinking about that.

Su and Taryn would love to expand the conversation about any or all of these topics, from watermarks to pricing and promotion. Please join us with your comments and questions.

Nest To Be

But wait! There’s a twist! Stop back next Saturday to read what happened next.

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Nakedeye17 (Su) thinks of photography as a wake-up call: "Hey, everybody! Are you seeing this?" She loves to capture humor, too, and anything wondrous strange. Find Nakedeye17's shop here.

Featured Seller: ellemoss

Congratulations to POE Team member elle moss. She is the newest Featured Seller on Etsy. Here is a small preview of the interview. To read the full interview click here.

Wanderings: World Cup Teams

In honor of teams who are still in the running to win the World Cup, today we will be traveling to Argentina, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Brazil. We need to get some POE photographers to Uruguay, Paraguay, and Ghana to round out the rest of the final 8!

Buenos Aires Blues by mariterecr

Fairy tale castles by DreambyDay

8x8 Holga Photo Print of Amsterdam by futurowoman

The Balconies of Diversity by newamsterdam

Colorful Shutters by MarissaObscura

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Lucie Wicker is a Boston, Massachusetts-based photographer who enjoys taking pictures wherever she goes. She is particularly interested in nature, landscape, and travel photography. Her work can be viewed on her website, blog or in her Etsy shop. She can also be found writing about Boston photography happenings as the Boston Neighborhood Photography Examiner.

From the Collaboratory

Those of us who are of a certain age remember a candidate for President who loved to say, "The Devil is in the details." Maybe so. But if that is true, either the Devil is a very interesting personage, or he has some competition for inner space.

Wet Threads by PhotoGrunt

Graceful Hand by Aztek721



Flames by flandersfield



Dandelion Wishes by houseofsixcats

One of the best bits of advice I've heard in a photography class is to experiment with distance. These images demonstrate quite clearly that the details can be beautiful.

Nakedeye17 (Su) thinks of photography as a wake-up call: "Hey, everybody! Are you seeing this?" She loves to capture humor, too, and anything wondrous strange. Find Nakedeye17's shop here

New Works - Looking up Through the Trees

Enjoy the view into the trees in these new photographs from the Photographers of Etsy team. Many more tree photos can be found here.

Vintage Blossoms by gallogirlphotos


Golden by elr104


Le Ginko Biloba by MarcoLeGrenouille


Red Bird Red Berries by Ketzelphotography


Kissed by Pink by UrbanDesign

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New works is compiled by Jessica Torres. Jessica lives in tiny little Kuna, Idaho with her husband and three rambunctious kids. She tries to ignore housework while taking pictures of whatever is near - her family, the Idaho landscape, random objects collected by her and her family. She loves visitors at her website and her shop.

Help Etsy improve it's art catagory...

Do you ist in the Art category? Amy DeCicco would love to hear your feedback. If you don't list in the Art category and have some general input, that would be great, too! Your feedback will shape the direction the category takes.

Amy is Etsy's taxonomist, here to improve the categories and subcategories on the site to make shopping on Etsy more user-friendly. Taxonomy is just a fancy word for classifying and organizing information, and taxonomists often play a key role in organizing web content, especially in e-commerce settings.

She has been working on drafting new and revising categories for each of the 31 main categories. The goal of these revisions is to make browsing the categories and subcategories more intuitive and accessible to shoppers, eliminate redundancy, clarify vocabulary, and add categories that will aid in the shopping experience. She would be so happy to get feedback on the proposed changes as an important step in validating this work.

If you would be interested in viewing her pdf file and provide feedback on the proposed changes, please contact Bill and he can send it out to you.

Please keep this in mind when viewing it...

• On the left, you'll see the Art category as it currently appears on the web site.
• On the right, you'll see the proposed future category organization.
• The middle column contains reasoning behind term deletion.

And then please let Amy know what you think by replying to amyd@etsy.com

Focus On: Andrea Despot

Make a Wish

If you’ve spent any time at all looking at the work of the POE team, you’ve seen her work.  She describes her shop as Clean, Bold, Simple and Colorful, and that’s a pretty fair description of her work.  She doesn’t just take photographs, she creates images.  Andrea Despot has been an Etsian for going on 2 years, and during a recent conversation I had an opportunity to get to know a bit more about her. 

Steve:  When I come across an interesting photograph, one that grabs my attention, I not only want to know more about the photograph, you know, where is it? what is it?, that sort of thing, but I also want to know more about the person behind the image. Who are they? What's their background? What drives them to express themselves photographically? So, Andrea, with that in mind, what can you tell us about yourself, your family, your background, where you come from, you know, who is this Andrea Despot person?

Andrea:  Wow, this is a really intimidating question; without getting all deep and philosophical about who I am and how I came to be this way, I'll try to keep it short and sweet.

Eggs 

I was born 23 years ago to an artist mom and a physical therapist dad. I have a twin brother and a younger sister.  When I was three we moved from North Carolina to Virginia, where I grew up.  We’re a very close family, the kind of that sits down every night to eat dinner together.  No craziness, no drama; for the most part we all got along extremely well.  We're all fairly quiet; I get my shyness from both my parents, although they say I wasn't nearly as shy as they were at my age.  I've struggled with being quiet and shy my whole life; I've definitely opened up more and am loads more confident now than I ever have been. 

From a young age my mom encouraged the whole art thing.  She didn't push it, but we always had paints, markers, crayons, pencils and scrap paper lying around.  I definitely grabbed onto being an artist and always knew that's what I wanted to do.  In high school I took a bunch of art classes, and in my freshman year I decided to buy a camera with my babysitting money.  I took a lot of pictures of places and things, hardly ever any of people.  I hate saying this because it doesn't sound very humble, but I was pretty talented.  Composition came very naturally to me; I blame it on my mom: it's in my blood! 

Drinks for Two

So I took pictures.  I think I enjoyed that more than painting and drawing because if I messed up, I could just take another shot, whereas with pen and paint, if I messed up I'd get frustrated that I'd have to start all over. 

Photography definitely suited me and there was no doubt that I wanted to make a living doing it, so I applied to The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.  Two weeks after graduating high school, I fulfilled two dreams at once: getting far from the small town where I grew up, and pursuing a life in photography.  

I spent the next two years in Florida and graduated in 2007 with an Associate's Degree in Photography.  I wish I could say I never looked back, but as it happened, what with the economy and all, I ended up back in my hometown, living at home with my parents, looking for a job.  

After a few months I got a job assisting a wedding photographer, but I didn’t really want to weddings.  I kept looking and found a job as a photographer at a printing company.  I've been there for the past two years, working full-time while still living at home, saving money. I do freelance on the side; sell my work on Etsy as well as in local galleries. 

I guess that wasn't really short and sweet, was it?!

One in Three

S:  I've always liked your work, and looking at it one can see you're putting your training to use. Your use of lighting, focus, composition, perspective, etc. shows you've got a "deep toolbox" and you're not letting your tools get rusty. You said you didn't want to shoot weddings, a sentiment shared by many, but in a small town, if you take weddings off the table, it seems to me there wouldn't be a lot left for a young photographer just starting out to sink her teeth into. There must be established photographers in the area to compete with; are you getting freelance commissions, and if so, what sort of jobs are you getting?

A:  Truthfully, you're right. The small town I'm living in isn't the best place to start out as a photographer. I could probably make a lot of money doing weddings, but you know what? I don't want to. I hate doing it. I admit I did do one wedding, after being talked into it by the client, and it reconfirmed for me why I don't want to do them! And who would want to hire someone to do something they blatantly admit hating to do?  Unfortunately I don't have much freelance work at the moment. I've done some portraits, some photographs of other artists' exhibits, and that's really about it. I need to look further, find a new job. I've always known I'm not staying here forever. Just for now.

All We Are, Are Shadows

S:  If your heart isn't in it, that will definitely come through in your work. I really believe it takes a certain kind of individual to shoot weddings; I'm not one of them either. 

So, what DO you like to photograph? Do you put a lot of planning into your shoots, or do you take it as it comes? Structure or serendipity, which do you prefer?

A:  Structure, structure, structure!  I love working in the studio where I can control everything!  I love making everything perfect, controlling everything from the lighting to choosing the pretty objects to the color and scale and depth-of-field.  If you look at the product section on my website, you'll see what I mean.  That said, I've also been shooting a lot of "pretty" pictures lately and that usually involves chance; I'm loving photographs that have an extremely shallow depth-of-field.

S:  Somehow I thought you were going to say that! Most of the images of yours that I've seen seem to be studio shots, and the fact that you like studio work comes through. This studio you use, is it yours, or do you have access to one belonging to someone else? What's the setup like; what resources do you have at your disposal?

Study in Blue

A:  I don't own my own studio but I still have access to the wedding photographer’s studio where I used to work.  He let's me use it whenever I want, but that won’t last much longer; he’s going out of business and moving, so I will have to use the studio where I work during the day.  

It has an infinitely better setup, except since it's basically warehouse-style at the printing company, the ambient lighting isn’t the best, but I try to make do.  I have a LOT of equipment at my disposal: strobe lights, large and small soft-boxes, grids, barn doors, booms, knuckles, snoots, seamless paper, etc.  I shoot stuff during my lunch break or when I have nothing else to do at work.  But now I'll have to look into getting a key for after hours.

S:  Wow! That’s pretty cool! If I had access to that kind of set up, I'd shoot more in the studio too!

Let's talk about your equipment for a moment; what's in your bag? And if money weren't a concern, what would you like to add to it?

Fat Bastard

A:  I don't have a lot of camera equipment, just a Canon 30D, a Canon 28-135mm lens, a Sigma 17-70mm lens, and my absolute favorite: a Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens.  I also have a Canon 580 EX II flash and a Sekonic light meter, both of which I barely use.  I would love to own the Canon 50mm f/1.2 lens, but it's extremely expensive.  Other than that, there's nothing I can think of that I'm dying to have.  I really just want a room in my house with my own studio equipment!

S:  Yeah, finding that "extra" room for your work can be a problem!

I'm sure you look at the work of other photographers; we all do, don't we?  What images do you like to look at; what attracts you, what draws you in?  Are there any photographers that have inspired you or influenced your work?  And regarding your work, is there an underlying message or theme...what draws you to take the photographs you do?

A:  I always hate this question because I never have an answer!  I love so many photographers from Man Ray to Annie Liebovitz to Mario Testino to Sally Mann to all the professional photographers whose names I don't know and all the talented photographers on flickr and Etsy whose names aren't known yet to the world. There are so many talented people out there; it can be overwhelming to choose a favorite photographer or even favorite photograph. I love dark black & white, grainy nude portraits, and I love fresh, clean, new, colorful magazine advertisements!  I love mysterious, strange photographs as well as ones that are just pretty to look at!  It really depends on the photograph: if the colors and composition are attractive to me, or if I get a wonderful feeling from them. 

Whisked

I feel like my work hasn't evolved to the point of having any message other than just looking good.  I hope someday I can take such photographs, but it's no use in forcing it right now.

S:  That's not the kind of thing you can force anyway. It either is or it is not. Gosh, that sounds almost Yodda-esque!

Toward the beginning of our conversation, you talked about moving back home after college, "but not forever, just for now".  Where do you want to go? What do you want to do?  You're 23, the road to your entire career is at your feet and every step you take is a step in that direction; where do you see this photography thing taking you, or where will you take it?  Where does that road go?

A:  Honestly, I don't really know!  It might take me an hour away to North Carolina; it might take me to California.  It depends on where I apply and where I get a job.  Though, I personally hope it's California or somewhere far away from here!  I don't really care about becoming an incredibly famous, well-known photographer who lands the magazine covers.  I just want to have an honest job, doing the kind of work I love to do, working with talented and passionate people.  I just want to be happy.  If that means living in a small, cozy apartment instead of a large mansion, I'd still be just as happy as long as I was proud of my photography.

Medusa

S:  That sounds like a fine plan to me; focus on the journey and the destination will reveal itself.  I like it.  Andrea, thank you for this opportunity to get to know you better; I wish you nothing but success.

A:  And thank you! I really appreciate your interest in me and my photography! 

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PhotoGrunt is Steve Raley, a photographic documentarian from Seattle, Washington.  He captures images wherever he goes, and he  frequently even uses a camera.  His work can be seen on his website, blog and his Etsy shop.

Our June slide show is LIVE!

Created by Taryn of BornBarefoot.

The theme is TTV images (Through The Viewfinder) Here is a selection of beautiful images from our very talented team of photographers on Etsy! Visit Etsy and search POE team for more great photography!

Mosaic Monday

Dark, quirky, mysterious, eerie & downright scary selections from the POE Team....

close up of dragonfly  by forestlight
angel ice winter vintage  by gothicrow
pretty as a picture  by mkendall
very cold blue fairy with frozen wings  by matchstickgirl
grimm path  by missquitecontrary
ephemeral light  by xenya
a wicked wind will blow the ribbons from your curls  by DreambyDay
haunted  by ScooyouPhotography
bozo brothers clowns  by HeyHarriet
statue of thought  by zMacPhotography

Pat of photogenicgallery lives in the northeast United States with her sweetheart husband, two doting dogs & about ten different cameras.  She has been known to capture at least one dose of happy moments per day.