Interview with Amanda McNaughton - Tips from Photographer

Q You seem to have a knack for creating a captivating image without showing the whole picture. How do you achieve this?

That type of style with cutting things off and extreme cropping and playing with focus, I really developed during my bachelor degree. I do what people generally suggest not to do. Laughs. They tell you to stand back and give yourself some wiggle roomÑI donÕt give myself wiggle room. I look at the viewfinder and I do a full-framed shot É I always shoot so tight that there is no cropping after. I guess I could add that itÕs always good to include a sort of trigger for a story that you have to provide some context for. With extreme cropping, you need to pair photos together to get a sense of what the story is. But it seems to get people to gravitate more towards the photos. I guess itÕs really about a confidence in your movements and abilities to extrapolate something.

Q Do you prefer to set up your photographs, or are you more of a fly on the wall?

A IÕm definitely a fly on the wall. I like to respond to what I see. I always have my camera on me. Light captures my eye just the way it hits sometimes, and IÕm photographing immediately. I just take out my camera; I rarely ever set up shots. Some photographers have a knack for doing that, but not me. I just always respond to whatÕs happening and play with those conditions rather than create something thatÕs not there.

Q What kind of equipment do you think is best to bring for shooting outdoors?

AI always have a 24-70mm lens, which shoots wide to portraits. ThatÕs my standard lens. ItÕs also always really nice to have a zoom lens, like an IS Ñ something with stabilization on it Ñ something that enables you to get closer. When you see something on camera, itÕs never as close as it seems, so itÕs nice to shoot as close as possible. Also, OP/TECH makes rain sleeves and they are amazing. ItÕs pretty much a piece of plastic that wraps around your camera and your entire hand and it sort of acts like a windbreaker. I actually used one for the Canadian Geographic shoot and it took a lot of stress off.

Also, I donÕt have a neck strap. I find theyÕre cumbersome and get in the way. I just have a hand strap and itÕs just like an extension of my body, and I can shoot faster É I find itÕs quicker. Hand straps are always a must, I always tell people to get one.

Q You seem partial to colour photosÑ what do you think they offer (aside from colour) that black and white photos donÕt?

AI think that both colour and black and white photos offer different things. ItÕs really about the purpose you serve. I normally shoot in colour, but I used to do black and white in school. For me, thereÕs something about the supple sensuality of colour, especially when itÕs not super overstated. Again, for my thesis project on horses, there are a lot of colours that are subdued, and IÕm kind of drawn to that. For reenactments, the colour just adds vibrancy. I like playing with colour and monochromacyÑ like a green glass bottle in a green field with white tents in the background. Black and white has amazing qualities, but I think for me I like capturing an experience or moment, and since we see those things in colour, thatÕs how I think itÕs best translated.

Q Landscape or vertical? Why?

AItÕs really whatever the photo calls for. Whatever works for whatever youÕre doing in the moment. The only exception is if youÕre sent out to shoot a cover, or youÕre told itÕs for an editorial spread. I guess always shoot both to be safe, but if youÕre shooting a cover you should play with that ratio and make sure you have what you need. I donÕt want to have to do cropping afterwards for a cover shot because that would upset me. I respect that I may have to, but IÕd rather do full frame. But, whichever is best; when in doubt, try both.

Q What is the biggest piece of advice you could offer to an aspiring photographer?

AThis is advice that I constantly strive to take, and itÕs a constant shift in attempt to accomplish this: to work constantly, to always be photographing. I know itÕs unrealistic to always be taking your camera with you while doing other things, like working a nine to five jobÑbut if youÕre not photographing, youÕre treading water. YouÕre not learning anything. Get a new piece of equipment and learn how to incorporate it. Work constantly, and enjoy workingÑdonÕt do it out of force.