Artist 001: Victoria Carlson

This is a start of the Artistry Series. I will feature a handful of gifted people. Just because I want to show off their craft. Our first artist? She is a lovely lady from the Central Oregon area. I chose her to be part of the series because I love her use of natural light and her surroundings. Her images are also really nostalgic for me, because I grew up in that area. Here is a small interview I did with Tori to inspire and romance you with her beautifully crafted images. Enjoy.

-a.

-Tell me a bit about yourself(Where are you from..what got you started...how long have you been shooting....what makes you?)?
My full name is super fancy, so I just go by Tori. I’m from a small western-themed mountain town in Central Oregon, but moved to the big city of Seattle and lived there for the past five years. I’m an outdoors girl at heart – camping, hiking, lake days, trail runs... Really, practically anything. I bought my first DSLR (“fancy” camera) when I was sixteen. I took photos all the time, completing many “365 photo-a-day” projects. But I didn’t take it seriously until I was nineteen, and my brother graduated from high school. I took his senior photos, and then was asked to shoot many of his friends’ photos for graduation as well. I had been dreaming of becoming a “professional photographer” for a few years before that, so finally I decided to really make my career aspirations come true. I decided to do senior photos that summer as well, and also was blessed to meet a wedding photographer who took me under his wing and let me tag along on a few weddings with him to see how it all worked. After that, I shot a few weddings for free, just trying to get my name out there. Eventually, I began booking weddings, and now, here I am – shooting 17 weddings this summer, with engagements, family, and senior photos all in between. It’s so fun to finally be able to say that I’m making money doing what I love.

-What kind of camera do you shoot with? Favorite lens?
I now shoot with a Canon 5D Mark ii, with an original Mark as a back up. I pretty much stick to two lenses – my 85mm f/1.2 L and 35mm f/1.4 L. They have served me quite well for everything from newborns to families to seniors to weddings.



-Where is your favorite place to shoot?
I love shooting anywhere outside. Shooting in the Northwest, we have tons of awesome places to explore and use as settings – waterfalls, fields, lakes, mountains, forests, rivers, deserts... Honestly, it is such a blessing to live in such a beautiful location. It makes my job easier!

-What inspires you?(people, places, books, films, music)

As far as inspiration goes, it’s honestly all about my clients; I’m inspired by each one individually. It’s so fun to meet someone and quickly be able to understand what makes them them. A groom’s great jokes, a senior’s confident character, a bride’s smile, how great of a mother a woman is to her children. The list goes on. As I shoot, I play off my clients in order to emphasize who they are and really portray that in the shots I get.

-What makes being a photographer fun? What makes it hard?

Being at a wedding every weekend? Shooting seniors who are so excited about the next phase of their lives? A couple who are about to have their first little one? A family reunion after years apart? A newly engaged couple about to embark on a new journey? How could my job not be wonderful?! I’m constantly surrounded by love and joy, and get to share in it with my clients.

However, being a photographer has its hardships. Weddings particularly. Rude guests, time lines that aren’t acknowledged, rain, and exhaustion. However, in the grand scheme of things (and compared to other jobs), it’s not so bad. (;

-Most embarrassing photography moment?
At a recent wedding, I was shooting the bridesmaids and noticed one glance towards my shoulder/arm area. I shrugged it off until I noticed a few more do the same thing as I kept shooting. Suddenly I thought, “Uh, did I shave my armpits this morning?!” Low-and-behold, I checked and – NOPE! So the rest of the day I tried to keep my arms down while I shot, but that probably looked equally as silly. So ALWAYS remember to shave, or don’t plan on wearing a tank top.

-Five pieces of advice for the amateurs out there who want to go professional?
If you’re interested in making photography your career, here are a few things to remember.

1. TAKE PHOTOS CONSTANTLY. Even if it’s just of your daily life, take photos. Ask people to do shoots with you for free. Practice. Click click CLICK. Don’t stop. 
2. Ask a photographer already in the business if you can tag along to a shoot or wedding. Take note of how they handle clients, guests, time lines, posing, etc.
3. Also ask them about the business side of the industry. Surprisingly, that is almost more work than the actually shooting. It takes time to build a business, and there are a lot of details to consider.
4. Do your first wedding for free (or first few). Then there is no pressure. You can figure out how it goes and really start to understand how much time you need for certain photos. Also, this is a way to get your name out there. No one wants to pay a big chunk of change for a photographer they’ve never heard of or who has never done a wedding before. 
5. Stay true to your style. People are going to hire you because they saw what you produced before, and liked it. So don’t surprise clients by shooting with a fish eye if you only shoot with 85mm, or suddenly decide to edit super colorfully, when you previously opted for a more muted tone. Developing a style takes a while to do, but it’s worth the time and effort.

-tori

You can contact Victoria via her website. I'm sure she would love to hear from you.