Turning Memories Into Everlasting Art With Photographer Louise Agnew - ISSUE 50
This Week We Chat Film, Family and Louise's Photography Biz...
Housekeeping
Hey Love Lucy readers! Today I have an interview with a fellow Aussie film photographer and mum, Louise Agnew, who I have forged a nice little back and forth voice messaging habit with over the last few months.
I swear I could spend my whole day sitting on IG voice messaging people all over the world who share a passion for photography, creativity, and in Louise’s case and many others I speak to, motherhood/parenthood and all that it involves! I love to share the fact that I am a parent and I hope that those of you who juggle the creative/family life can relate and feel part of the conversation.
There are some changes ahead for the YouTube channel including a channel name change and also an announcement, but more on that in the coming weeks. I have been thinking long and hard about where my time and energy is best spent and what direction I can go in that will best serve the community but will also be sustainable for Lux and I moving forward. Stay tuned for more on that!
I have been invited to host a workshop for high school aged students at HOTA Gallery here on the Gold Coast and I am so excited to get planning and share the joy of film photography with all of them. This is my first speaking/workshop gig and I hope it’s not the last. I will keep you posted on how it goes. If you want to stay up to date with all things Lucy Lumen + advice + tips + thoughts + giveaways + more, then be sure to subscribe below!
I also have a cheeky little discount code for you all that will get you 20% off any print on the shop right now! If you love my “cars on film” collection or want to grab one of the fun portraits Lux has snapped of me, then now is the time! Use code LOVELUCY at checkout to snag a discounted print.
Hey Louise, thanks for joining us here at Love Lucy. Can you start by telling us a bit about you and what you do?
Hey insta-pal! Thanks for having me! I live in country South Australia, married to a farmer and I’m a mum to three kids aged 2,3 and 6. I am a retired childrens mental health therapist (studied psychology and social work at uni!) and these days, a full time photographer! I spend most of my days chasing kids around and cramming any spare time in to running my biz.
Take us on the journey of Louise as a photographer! How did you get started and what happened in between to lead you to where you are now? Big question I know!
I have always been creative and artistic, and wanted a career that let me explore that, but my parents said that art is something you do on the side and I needed to focus on getting a “safe job”. As well as art, my other interest has always been, and still is people (how brains tick!)
So after school I applied for Psychology and went on to study that, followed by doing my Masters in Social Work. I then worked as a Childrens mental health therapist for a number of years, while simultaneously painting and photographing.
While I was working as a Mental Health Therapist, my photography bookings just continued to grow and I started to reduce my days working as a therapist. Eventually one of them had to give… and I chose the less stressful, more joyful option, of photography.
I love working with kids, and although I was passionate about my role in mental health, it was emotionally draining. So eventually I resigned from my job and fully committed to running my photography biz full time! Witnessing all facets of life helped me to see how truly important connection and love is to the human race. It really inspires a lot of how I shoot and see the world and my subjects.
We both LOVE film but it can be hard to shoot for clients solely on film. What are the biggest challenges for you working with that medium in your shoots Louise?
Oh man, we do love it so much! My first challenge, is that I live in country SA, in a community that is always a little hesitant to try new things (I know, film is not ‘new’, but it not the ‘norm’ anymore!). So firstly, convincing people to book film sessions has been a slow process. Educating clients about film and how many shots etc. is something I’m working on. I have also been offering my 35mm sessions at a cheaper rate than digital, even though there are tons more out of pocket costs, while I play the game of convincing people.
Then there are the obvious things, like that film can’t give you immediate validation by looking at the back of your camera. Also the finite number of shots means sometimes where I would “spray and pray” on my digital shoots, I am far less trigger hungry and hold back a bit. So I feel like my galleries feel less “loose” than my digital galleries at times, and I’m working on that.
I also find the fixed iso can be a challenge too… if we head inside during a shoot and there isn’t enough light, the slower shutter speed required can be a struggle, where as digital gives me that freedom and flexibility to be always adjusting. I am definitely learning to plan better in this sense.
A lot of people want to break into the industry or just give it a go shooting paid work. What advice do you have for those photogs and what do you wish you had known or done differently looking back?
I think people are really advantaged at the moment, comparatively to when I started really getting deep in to photography 12+ years ago. The access to online courses, academies and education wasn’t there and I would highly recommend that is where you should start. And that is where you should continue to go…. Continue to be curious about your craft, continue to learn and grow! Being stale and believing you know it all will shoot you in the foot.
If you feel confident in your work and want to charge, that means you should! And believe in what you charge, because if there is demand and love for what you’re doing, then you have worth. I think a newer photographer who has committed to educating themselves can fast track their career and what they charge tenfold. I can pick them out on insta from a mile away - its a real positive.
Looking back on my own career, I wish I had believed in the way I saw the world more, and focused less on what I THOUGHT others expectations of a shoot would be. I had mums asking me to photograph babies in baskets etc. and it was never my vibe… I wish I had been more confident in shooting from my heart and less from someone else’s Pinterest board. Its a tricky balance though, because you need to get clients in the door and meet their needs in some way too. I guess, being clear about expectations is really important.
Talk to me about the remote shoots you do? I find that so fascinating and the results look gorgeous. Tell us more?!?
Oh they’re so cool right! So a remote shoot is when someone in a completely different location (and often, time zone!) books me for a shoot and we connect up through our mobiles via an app. The app gives me full control of their camera in RAW format and I art direct where the phone should be on their end, as well as prompt / pose as I shoot (I click their shutter, but at my end!) It really shows that the tool, being the camera, that you use is not the be all and end all to taking a good photograph. A deep understanding of light, composition, working with people and post processing all matter a lot in this respect. Remote shooting gives me an opportunity to be like a fly on the wall and get some really deep and true to life shots and the quality is so impressive. I think people who are nervous about in home shoots feel less vulnerable when the photographer is on the other side of a screen. Having access to shoot in RAW gives me so much freedom when editing afterwards (and of course, always with the aim to imitate the look of film!). Some examples of my remote shoots can be found in the highlights tabs on my Instagram: @louiseagnew. If anyone reading this is interested in booking a remote shoot, I would love to hear from you!
Who or what do you gain inspiration from when you are feeling a bit flat creatively?
I think the best thing to do when you are feeling like that, is to just pick up your camera and start shooting. Let whatever is happening around you inspire you and let that be. Sometimes the overplanning and overthinking that can go in to shooting can be a deterrent. I’ll often set myself a little challenge too. Like one day I decided to shoot an entire roll of film and only focus on colour, how it intertwined with the environment. You could focus on shadow, macro, double exposure, shapes and lines, water, street photography, make it simple!
Also following people on insta who inspire you and who’s work you love helps too (like Lucy!), but also I am wary of the overwhelm I can feel when my self esteem is down.
I would love to hear your tips for better results when shooting kids? They move so much and I feel like a bad mum because I only shoot my son on film if I know it’s a sure thing due to how expensive it is and how unpredictable he is!
First of all, that does not make you a bad mum!
Secondly, I challenge you to consider what makes a photograph great? I think shooting film has taught me a whole new perspective on what defines a great photograph. A fast moving kid is a challenge to photograph indeed, but it could make magic! If you catch a moment, that becomes a memory and its a bit blurry, that photograph could still mean the world to you (and your kiddo when they’re older!) A moment that elicits a memory is super important to capture, not just the camera technicalities.
An example here of me meeting my besties 3 day old baby, with bubs intensely curious, a little jealous and very busy toddler. I had a film in that was rated at 50 and it was not light, but these photographs speak 1000 words about what was happening for them in their lives at that time. They’re still precious photographs.
All that aside, being on the same level as them, finding interest and interacting with them (not just forcing them to sit and smile!) Will bring the genuine personality we love to remember and they’ll be less resistant to the camera. Being outside in more light and space certainly helps, then you can have a faster shutter! 35mm lens is my friend with fast moving kiddos too… and if your camera has the option to shoot in aperture priority, you can save time fiddling with settings.
Lastly, what is coming up for you in the future Louise and where can people come say hi or book you for a fab film or remote shoot!?
I am keen to start selling some fine art prints - especially those taken on film! You an find me over on insta at @louiseagnew where I hang out most. I am also on Facebook - Louise Agnew Photography, but I don’t show up there much! To make bookings, head to my website www.louiseagnewphotography.com and head to the contact section. I would love to do more remote sessions and show the world how amazing they are! Thanks for having me Lucy!
A huge thank you and shout out to Louise Agnew for taking the time out of her busy life/work schedule to chat with all of us!
Go say hi and give her some love!
See you next week for another Love Lucy installment. Thanks for reading guys :)