Tuesday, February 22, 2011

BEHIND THE LENS: WITH SUE MORGAN


When I worked with Sue in our high tech jobs, I had no idea what a talented photographer she was.   Sue travels extensively, and one of the wonderful things she does for herself is take a trip to a great destination at least once a year.  She ends up with some of the most amazing photos you've ever seen.  The composition, colors and intensity of what she captures is truly beautiful.  Herewith is our interview with Sue Morgan.

Your Name:  Sue Morgan
Your studio/business name:  SueMorganCards


Your Style

·   In 50 words or less, how would your clients describe your photography?  “Sue has an amazing
     photographic eye and her photos of the beautiful places she's been to sometimes take my breath away.”
  • Are you self-taught or classroom trained? I’m self-taught through exploration and continue to learn from friends who I consider great photographers.
  • How many years have you been a professional photographer? 5 years
  • Where do you want to take your photography business in 5 years?  I started applying my photography in my consulting practice and would love to find a way to truly meld my two careers into one. 
  • Is there a photographer who inspires your style?  Who would that be?  Photography: Ansel Adams for his perseverance to capture the very best in nature.  Cinematography: Ken Burns whose gorgeous shots inspired me to get up early to catch the dawn and wait for the right lighting.
  • Favorite location to take photos? On my travels to Europe and across the US, basically everywhere I go I see composition I want to capture. I travel to Europe once a year solo and spend a week taking photos – heaven.
  • Favorite vacation spot?  I love to go somewhere I’ve never been. I pick a European country each
    year to visit to capture its unique architecture, art, culture, and landscape.



Your Business
  • What was the pivotal moment when you decided to become a photographer? I was in Paris and found myself giving fellow wanderers tips on how to get a more interesting angle of Sacre-Coeur.
  • What’s the most surprising thing a customer has asked you? Take professional head-shots. I’ve done a little model/catalog work but don’t see myself as a “people photographer”.
  • Favorite print lab? I’m 100% digital.



Your Gear
  • Are you Canon or Nikon (or – gasp--“other”):  Nikon D5000 which I nicknamed “the big boy” with a Sunpak Pro 523PX tripod.  For stealth and ease, I also use a Canon DF900 Elph – amazingly good “pocket camera” for hikes and to avoid looking like a ‘conspicuous tourist’.  Kudos to my husband who does all the research and purchasing of my gear.
  • If you could only have one lens on a photo shoot, what would it be? Nikon 55-200mm zoom, incredibly versatile.
  • What brand bag do you carry your camera in? Mountain Smith Quickfire M – it does what the name implies, allows you to quickly grab the camera (with zoom lens on).
  • What gear would we find in your camera bag? Nikon D5000, 55-200mm zoom lens, extra battery, extra memory card, battery charger, selection of filters, mobile phone, protein bar, and bottle of water.
  • Are you a natural light fan or strobe fan? Definitely natural.
  • Are you PC or Mac? Unfortunately still a PC.


Your Tips and Tricks

  • Do you shoot in Raw or Jpeg? Jpeg.
  • Best advice you would give your 20-year old self? Start earlier and capture as much as you can.
  • Best advice you would give a new photographer? Explore.  Digital makes it so easy to take a bunch of photos with different settings, filters, lenses, and discover what works best for you.
  • What site do you use for your photography and why? I like Google Picasa. It’s easy, flexible, and free.



What Else Should We Know?
  • What was your worst photography experience? When I first started out, the more I learned about the technical aspects of photography with my Canon (film) camera, the worse my photos turned out. I had to learn to think first of what I wanted to capture, the composition and lighting, then think of the camera settings I needed to get that image.
  • What would surprise people most about you, whether it is photography related or not? I’m an honorary Boy Scout.  My first job out of school I managed the volunteer programs for the Western Region Boy Scouts of America. My motto is “be prepared and leave only footprints behind”.
  • Tell us something else you’d like us to know: The only moments in my life I am truly patient is when capturing a special scene I want to share with others.
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