One of my artistic influences is world renowned fashion and celebrity photographer, Mario Testino. He does amazing work and recently had the extreme honor of photographing the official engagement portraits of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. In this months issue of Vogue magazine, he talks about photographing them, and shares a little bit about his processes and ideas on photography. Several things he said reminded me of what I love about photography. "Conveying the real feelings of the sitters is more important to my images than their stateliness or grandeur." Even though I don't photograph celebrities or members of the royal family, I still aspire to make the best images that I can which convey pure, true emotions and capture the essence of that particular moment in time.
Another thing that he said was, "the images I am sometimes more touched by are candid snapshots - that captured moment is what I strive for." I love the idea that every moment is special and an opportunity for a great photograph, which is why I always carry my snapshot camera with me, even when my husband sometimes wonders why.
Today is a beautiful day, spend it with someone you love and remember that every moment is precious!
