MARIA: Hey Kesha! It's Maria from B&H!
KESHA: Hey! Hi, Maria. How are you?
MARIA: Good! I heard you were here, hanging out, getting ready for a shoot.
And I wanted to ask you 21 questions. Do you have some time?
Sure! I can answer some questions for you. I'm heading out, but why not?
MARIA: I'll make it quick.
So, what type of photography do you do?
I am a wedding and portrait photographer.
I do people work and mostly life events.
So, while I focus on weddings, I also capture maternity portraits and family portraits.
Anything involving human beings.
I do a few commercial projects every now and then too.
MARIA: That's great! And what got you started in photography?
In true cliche form, photography was a hobby.
It was a passion. I have always loved photography.
And it turned into more.
I didn't make this bold decision to make a career change. I'm a lawyer by profession,
but it was just a natural progression of my life opportunities.
There were life changes, and opportunities started to open up for me in photography,
and here I am today.
It was a very natural progression to make this my full-time career.
MARIA: That's amazing! And what was your first camera?
My very first camera--and I'm going to date myself-- [Maria laughs]
But, my very first camera was as a kid.
I was... probably in elementary school, and it was
a 110 film camera, cabbage patch kit camera.
[both laugh]
But, my first I guess semi-serious, kind of serious camera
was a digital camera, was not a DSLR.
And it was a Sony Cyber Shot.
MARIA: And what's your go-to camera and lens now?
My go-to. It depends on what I'm photographing,
but my go-to for portraits is the a7R IV, Sony a7R IV.
And, for weddings, I love the a9 II.
MARIA: That's great.
And you shoot a lot of couples and weddings, as you mentioned.
How have you been adapting through this pandemic?
We have just been you know kind of remaining fluid for our couples.
It's one thing that I've learned about the pandemic in the strange time is that
People will still get married. People are always going to get married and get engaged.
And, it might look a little different than what they originally anticipated,
but, you know, these weddings there's something special about it.
They really are getting to the root of what weddings and marriage is all about,
and it's really about the union and the new chapter that people are beginning together, so.
MARIA: Absolutely and what drew you to portraits and people?
Portraits and people... I would say people are just fascinating.
I am an introvert,
and I just love that photography allows me to be on a side of an experience,
or side of capturing people where I can just observe.
I think it's beautiful to be able to tell a story or to tell something about an individual through portraiture
So I just think it's a an excellent form of conveying a message,
a beautiful art form, and I really love just...
being a part of an individual's personal history.
MARIA: Yeah! And in my opinion your couple images remind me of some sort of high fashion photoshoot.
How did you come to master your own style?
I think that's awesome you say that! [Both laugh]
I started to just think about what I wanted my images to look like
and how I wanted the images to make people feel.
And it's a little bit of the things--
My style is a little mix of the things that interest me and inspire me,
but it's also just things that I find exciting.
Like, I get excited at the site of beautiful shoes.
I love fashion. I love a little drama.
And so I seek to incorporate that into my work.
MARIA: Well, I can tell you love fashion because that hat is amazing! [both laughing]
KESHA: Thank you!
So, you mainly photograph black couples or interracial couples.
As a photographer, why do you think it's important that
we show images that empower different races and different types of people in the world?
Well it absolutely is important, and as you mentioned
I photograph a lot of interracial couples, a lot of large multicultural weddings
and it's just amazing.
I believe, what I...
Representation matters, right?
Seeing yourself in imagery matters.
It helps to debunk myths about what Black love looks like,
about what interracial love looks like,
about what same-sex love looks like.
You know, it helps to make it...
It's important for us to see more than just one homogenous,
uh, example of what love looks like.
Love is diverse. Love is beautiful, and I feel it--
I think it an honor that I get to showcase this in my work.
I feel like that is a beautiful part of my calling in--
And in the couples and the clients that I attract,
I'm very thankful that they entrust me with portraying their love stories in imagery
because it's important for people to see themselves
in these magazines and blogs and any space where wedding stories are being shared
that love is a beautiful and diverse and endless possibilities.
And I think it's just important.
MARIA: You're so right. That's a great answer!
And you're also a Sony Artisan, right?
What does that mean to you?
Yes, I am!
And it's such an honor.
It means--being a Sony Artisan of Imagery means that
I belong to a community of thought leaders and artists
that have a distinct view in a distinct style,
and they use their voice, they use their art to pour back into the community at large,
to inspire and to elevate their peers and the industry.
MARIA: That's great.
And you recently did a shoot for the new Sony a1.
How was that experience? KESHA: I did, I did!
It was surreal.
I am not typically on the other side of the camera,
and so it was a film project.
So it was really cool to be on that side of the experience,
and I got my hands on the a1 early.
And it is just a beast! So it was just exciting to be a part of a project,
something that huge, you know.
This is something that is game changing. Sony has raised the bar,
and I got to be a part of it. So it was just...
It was-- it's to date my favorite project that I've ever been a part of.
MARIA: That's so cool! I'm so jealous.
[Both laugh]
MARIA: So, after photographing so many weddings, what is your favorite moment?
My favorite moment. That's so hard
because you know, I think most would expect the ceremony somewhere,
something in the ceremony, but for me,
my absolute favorite part of the day is the getting ready, the pre-ceremony,
when everyone is kind of getting...
When everyone's getting dressed and prepped,
the emotions are on high.
It's like this buildup and the butterflies and the bustling excitement.
It's just a really beautiful time of day.
I feel like it's really raw, emotional, full-of-feeling part of the day.
And you get some amazing moments that happen at that part of the day.
MARIA: Yeah.
And, as you mentioned, you aren't just a photographer, right?
You're a lawyer and educator.
Tell me about it. KESHA: Yes, I am a lawyer!
No longer practicing full-time, but I do keep my license and my skills fresh,
and I dabble.
And I am an educator,
so I teach at workshops and conferences.
I mentor. I love, you know.
I love that-- I love sharing information.
I love sharing experiences
because if I can help someone take a shortcut
or bypass making a mistake that I might have made,
I think that's just really great.
People have done that for me and continue to do that for me,
So education is just a beautiful part of my career
that I really enjoy.
MARIA: That's awesome.
And speaking of workshops, I heard that you're speaking at this year's B&H's Depth of Field.
I am! That's the next exciting thing coming up.
I'll be at Depth of Field this year in just a few weeks.
MARIA: That's awesome.
And okay switching it up a little bit:
what are some tips for somebody who is working with some shy couples?
Tips for working with shy couples...
There are a couple of things that I like to do.
One... you start by gathering lots of information from your couples,
and I preach about questionnaires all the time.
You ask them lots of nosy little curious questions about themselves,
and so that gives you something to pull from when you're working with them.
But in terms of shyness and being awkward in front of the lens,
I like to use distraction as a form of getting them
warmed up and getting them to forget about the fact that they're having their photos taken.
And make it experiential.
Allow them to be just distracted by the experience
so that they can be present and really just enjoy themselves.
MARIA: Yeah, that's great!
And you may have already answered this, but what's the coolest shoot you've ever done?
The coolest shoot I've ever done.
Well, I have to say the Hunters of Light!
[both laugh]
because it is to date the coolest shoot i've ever done.
I got to photograph these incredibly talented dancers
using the beast that is the Alpha 1.
So yeah that's definitely top of the list for me.
MARIA: And what has been one of the most challenging shoots you've ever done?
Also an easy one to answer because I can never forget this.
[both laugh]
The most challenging shoot I've ever done--well, it wasn't a shoot, it was a wedding--
and it was in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
and at this fort.
And the ceremony was at night, and it was pitch black.
And literally no light.
And outdoor. A fort.
MARIA: Oh my... Sitting in the ocean
And so it was just a really challenging, tricky situation to like--
but I worked it out, and I figured it out.
[Kesha chuckles] MARIA: That's great.
And if you could only use one lens forever which would it be?
[Kesha sighs] That's hard because...
I wouldn't want two lenses. [both laugh]
But if i had to choose one it would be the 85mm GM.
[mumbles] Sony 85mm GM
because I'm a portrait person! I love portraits.
MARIA: And if you weren't a photographer what would you be?
[speaking softly] If I weren't a photographer, I would be a master Lego builder.
[both laugh]
MARIA: And what's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
The best piece of advice I-- well...
I have, since the beginning of starting this journey,
struggled with imposter syndrome.
And I know that many of my peers also struggle with it.
There's been a lot of discussion in photography community during the pandemic about just that.
The best piece of advice I got was from one of my closest friends,
and she told me that you belong at any table that
you've been invited to take a seat at.
And it's, you know, that impostor syndrome creeps up
whenever you accomplish something and you achieve something new.
and you feel like [gasps]
"Wait a minute, do I-- how do-- do I even deserve this?"
But that was the best piece of advice that I've ever received.
It just was like an "aha" moment for me.
MARIA: Yeah that's amazing!
And aside from your camera what's your favorite piece of gear?
Aside from my camera...
Can it be a lens?
MARIA: No! [both laugh]
That's cheating? All right, so...
Aside from my camera, my favorite piece of gear would be my A1X, my Profoto A1X.
Uh, I could...
All I need is one light, and so if I have that flash,
I'm good to go in almost any situation.
MARIA: That's great.
And if there were to be a movie about your life who would play you?
Hmm...
A movie about my life? Well I'd have to go with one of my favorite actresses:
Lupita [laughs]
That's who I would want to play me.
MARIA: Perfect and last question who should we interview next?
You should interview Audrey Willard of Kids in the City Photography.
She is just an incredible human being. Get to know her.
MARIA: All right, so we'll call her right up!
I'll let you get back to it.
Thank you so much for answering all of my questions!
Thank you, bye! MARIA: Alrighty!