Congratulations to Gina Yeo who is the June 2016 Click Pro of the Month! Gina has graced us with her presence for a quick interview and to share some of her work. You can find her online on Facebook and Instagram.
What’s the best photography advice you’ve ever received?
Photography is a journey. There is no elevator to the top, you have to take the stairs.
What do you love about photography?
Besides the fact that I get to capture my children and document their little lives in a beautiful way, ultimately photography feeds my creative soul. Photography is something I do for myself that fills me with a sense of pride and joy. I love the challenge of always learning and growing in this art and well as the ability to see and be rewarded by my work in various ways. I also love teaching, sharing and helping others find and develop their passion within photography and there is so much opportunity to do this as a photographer.
Tell us a little about yourself and how you got into photography?
I’ve had a camera in hand since I was a little girl. My father is a hobbyist photographer and I remember summers of camping and chasing trains through the Canadian Rocky mountains, cameras in hand, with my childhood family. Throughout my childhood I’d capture my family, friends and vacations with my film camera. At some point during university I put down my camera. After I was married I picked up a digital point-and-shoot, a wedding gift, but didn’t capture much other than a vacation here and there. However, like many others, the casual use of my camera changed once I had my first baby. I began to snap away documenting her little life frame after frame after frame. I had a second child and as my passion for capturing my children grew, so did my interest in taking better images. I sought out some local courses which helped me move into shooting in manual, although I continued to long for more information. Following the birth of my third child I luckily stumbled upon Clickin Moms. Since joining, my passion for learning and growing has been fueled and fed by the incredible talent and knowledge base within the community. I’m truly grateful for Clickin Moms, not only for the knowledge I’ve had the opportunity to devour but also the incredible support and friendships that have enriched my life.
What has been your biggest photography challenge and how did you overcome it?
Learning to listen to and allow my heart to lead me in this journey. I’m a technical person. I love learning and executing technique so when I first ventured into photography I did just that. I learned the rules because I thought creating technically good images was what would bring me joy. I found, however, there was an emptiness in shooting like that. I felt unfulfilled and fell into rut after rut. When I finally changed direction and started to listen to how and what my heart wanted to capture rather than what I thought I should capture everything changed for me. I found an incredible passion for my photography that’s filled me with enormous joy.
When and how do you like to edit?
I try to edit daily. I find most of my editing is done when my house is quiet and everyone is in bed. I like to edit in my office with music playing in the background. I first cull my images in Bridge, then import into Lightroom where the majority of my editing is done. I sometimes pull my images into Photoshop to add creative editing techniques such as textures or overlays.
Favorite music to listen to when editing?
I have a montage of songs in my iTunes collection. I listen to a selection of everything from R&B, alternative, pop, dance, hip-hop, and rock.
How has photography influenced you?
Photography has helped me notice and enjoy the simple moments in my daily life. It’s helped me slow down and savor the beauty in my everyday environment that can be so easily missed during a busy day.
Gina’s tools:
- Nikon D610
- Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art
- Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 (glued open for freelensing)
- Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Micro
- Nikkor 16-35mm f/4
- Nikkor 70-300 f/3.5-4
- Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35 optic
- SpiderPro Hand Strap
- Kelly Moore 2 Sues
- F-Stop Guru
- MEFOTO GlobeTrotter
- Various landscape filters
- 27 inch iMac
- Photoshop and Lightroom CC
