The Afternoon Light
COVER STORY FEATURED IN STAYCATION | VOL.2 | ISSUE.17
Q. We love the mood you create when shooting! Tell us how you strive to capture these raw moments!
A lot of the mood I create when shooting is done by establishing a clear narrative between the model and myself. Every portrait photographer tells you that you have to make the model feel “comfortable”, however, to establish a good mood it must go beyond that. When I shoot I aim to have a clear understanding between us of what our end goal is. I also walk the model through my vision so they can give input as well.
Q. When you started growing on social media, what did you do to stand out from other content creators?
Social media can be tough to gain some traction on. When I started I was posting very frequently and was part of a niche photography community on Instagram. Those people helped give me some of the initial numbers needed to grow organically through Instagram, and I got traffic from outside sources such as magazines and websites as well.
Q. Tell us about your presets and how they can help beginner photographers with getting started?
My presets can definitely be a great learning tool for beginners, they can use them to quickly get a good look on their photos but more importantly, they can dissect them to learn how a color grade was achieved. My style has always evolved quickly, my first preset pack does not reflect my current work much anymore, but I am in the process of creating a second pack that is what I use for my current editing style.
Q. We adore your editing style, how did you figure out what colors and style best suited you?
My editing style has been all over the place but certain things have always stuck with me. I have always loved the look of contrast and punchy images, and most of my pictures I would say follow that trend.
Q. Where do you find inspiration for upcoming photoshoots?
I find inspiration everywhere. My main sources currently are magazines and fashion ads, but I also have a select group of photographers I follow whose work inspires me.
Q. What is your go-to setup for portrait work?
My go-to setup currently is a Sony a7riii and Sigma 50mm lens. Gear is only important to an extent, and I am finding that my style is slowly evolving away from being a technical photographer and gear is mattering less and less.
Q. Do you ever feel unmotivated to create? If so how do you get back to your passion?
I definitely have gone through periods where I feel unmotivated to create. My best advice would be to take a break from it all. I recently took a few month breaks and upon coming back it really helped me look at my work from a different perspective and change my style for the better.
Q. Working as a creator means that you are your own boss. How do you balance your work life and personal life?
Luckily for me, I absolutely love creating, it is my hobby and my job. I am also a full-time student in my senior year of college. It can definitely be hard to split time between photography and my personal life, and there are times where I want to shut everything else out and just shoot and edit, but having a girlfriend who is my number one model helps a ton and allows for a bridge.
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Photographer: Reed Walchle @rwpho
Model: Vannah Blair @vannah_blair
📍Orlando, Florida
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