Highlight: 500px Prime Creator Natalie Zotova!
Meet our latest 500px Prime Creator and study extra about how Licensing is making a extra inclusive world by visible storytelling.
Initially from Russia, Natalie Zotova is presently primarily based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Natalie shoots varied genres of pictures, starting from wedding ceremony pictures to meals, product, and life-style content material. With over 18 years of expertise, Natalie’s Licensing content material stands out for its technical and inventive method. As a Licensing Contributor and industrial photographer, Natalie understands the significance of speaking to numerous shopper markets. Her Portfolio illustrates quite a lot of demographics and themes that fill gaps inside industrial promoting.
500px is thrilled to have Natalie as a 500px Prime Creator, and be capable of acknowledge her as an exemplary content material creator for the 500px Licensing Assortment.
Q: Good day! Are you able to inform us a bit about your self?
A: I’m Natalie. I like to journey, meet new individuals, and, in fact, I really like pictures. I exploit pictures as a approach to categorical myself and to create magnificence. In my apply, I do industrial shoots, inventory pictures, tutorials, and run my very own weblog on Instagram. I really like to assist individuals study new pictures abilities and develop their apply.
Q: We’re excited to have you ever as a 500px Prime Creator. Your Licensing Portfolio has a powerful 2,700+ photographs. Are you able to share your expertise with 500px Licensing and the way it started?
A: It began when my boyfriend instructed me about Grants on 500px. The primary Grant I participated in was the Intersectional Variety Grant. He recommended that I submit a few of my work. The prize was a $1000 Grant to develop a bigger shoot to be a part of the 500px Licensing assortment. I made a decision to offer it a go! At the moment, I already had an account on 500px.com, however simply a few photographs had been uploaded. It was a nice shock after I came upon that I used to be chosen to obtain the Grant cash. Since then, I’ve develop into extra concerned in Grants and Quests, and proceed to submit extra photographs to Licensing.
Q: You have got produced quite a few gorgeous industrial photoshoots for 500px Licensing. Are you able to share with us the place you draw your inspiration in your life-style shoots?
A: Normally, the 500px Quest themes give me inspiration. Typically there are matters that I’ve by no means thought of taking pictures earlier than, and it turns into a enjoyable problem for me. I begin planning the fitting individuals and the fitting location. Nevertheless, individuals are additionally my inspiration. Typically I simply know when somebody I meet could be excellent for a 500px Quest photoshoot. I get excited, and I hope that, with their participation, I may win the Quest. Then I ask these individuals to be my fashions.
Q: Business promoting is consistently evolving. Customers right this moment are advocating for content material that promotes variety and authenticity. What are your ideas on these adjustments and the way do they have an effect on you as a photographer?
A: I actually like this type of content material as a result of it’s true, it’s actual, it’s not embellished. We’re who we’re, cease carrying masks and impersonating another person. This idea could be very near me. I really like naturalness, actual faces, actual feelings, actual life. However nonetheless, we’re used to taking a look at magnificence pictures and are interested in perfection. Due to this fact, one should be capable of present variety and authenticity, in a balanced method, from the usually magnificence pushed cinematic aspect.
Q: We really feel that your Portfolio is a superb instance of intentional casting that feels genuine and real. The picture above was submitted as a part of the 500px Intersectional Variety Grant sequence you shot. Are you able to inform us about your creative imaginative and prescient for this shoot?
A: The picture is of my good friend Julia. I really like the style of boudoir pictures—that is the inventive a part of my work, usually non-commercial. I recommended a photoshoot to my good friend as a result of her pores and skin is exclusive. She was slightly uncomfortable with the concept at first, however I needed to indicate her how stunning she is. I did this by focusing and drawing consideration to her distinctive options.
Just lately, I met with one other good friend of mine, and he instructed me that the way in which I seize individuals in my photographs is exclusive, and he needed to know the way I do it. My secret is displaying an individual as is, and to not intervene with them being themselves. With my fashions, I discover one thing that I can admire, and I seize it. Each individual is exclusive and exquisite—my purpose is to indicate this.
Q: The photographer and mannequin relationship is essential. Are you able to share any recommendations on the way you make your fashions really feel comfy whereas on a shoot?
A: Sure, I do know just a few tips.
1. You must reward your fashions. Think about saying “tremendous, effectively achieved, superb” These phrases will give them confidence.
2. You must give validation. Say issues like “you might be very stunning / you might be very photogenic / you might be such an exquisite couple / you progress very effectively within the body” This can assist the individual chill out and loosen up.
3. Clearly talk what you need your fashions to do. Do not forget that not all of your fashions will likely be comfy in entrance of the digicam and instinctively know what to do and the place to place their arms or the best way to pose. Provide you with a shot record and a plan upfront—write down in your notes the actions that you’ll ask your mannequin to do and show it if want be.
4. Discover reference photographs to indicate your fashions—level out particular poses and what facial expressions to make.
5. Specify the temper that you really want evoked in your shoots. For instance, in my previous couple photoshoots, I requested the girl to think about that she was a princess main her prince by her backyard of roses. She instantly modified her facial features, turned extra assured, extra stunning, straightened her posture and walked with an exquisite gait.
6. If you’re filming a household, I discover that it’s higher to solely intervene when crucial. Direct the overarching concept and state what you need them to do, however then watch their relationship by the digicam.
Q: We respect what number of of your Licensing photoshoots function varied industries and office settings. This kind of content material is tough to plan and execute. Are you able to describe the method of planning and discovering these places and fashions?
A: These sorts of photoshoots are greatest achieved if you end up acquaintances with somebody in a sure area. Companies normally want photographs for his or her web sites and social media accounts. Usually it’s potential to cooperate on a barter foundation. I simply give them photographs.
I shot a marijuana plantation not too long ago. I discover that it’s harder for a foreigner to get entry to this manufacturing kind the place I’m situated in Thailand. Due to this fact, I requested my Thai good friend to assist me discover this plantation. I paid her for her work, and I additionally paid the farmer.
Q: How do you go about scheduling and dealing round a enterprise’ schedule?
A: It’s usually totally different each time. Within the case of taking pictures the plantation, my good friend, as an agent, organized every thing.
For a cosmetology shoot I did not too long ago, the cosmetologist first looked for a consumer to be the mannequin. She then adjusted her schedule in order that it was handy for each of us and her.
Q: When you affirm a enterprise/service to shoot, are there any necessities or restrictions you require?
A: My necessities are that I can erase any recognized branding throughout the body. Normally, I stick the inscriptions myself or take away them in Photoshop. The enterprise usually asks for the photographs as-is, with no branding erased, and perhaps some additional footage they want for promoting.
Q: How do you method the topic of Licensing together with your fashions?
A: How do I discover fashions? The strategies are totally different. Typically I textual content a sure individual, and generally I search for individuals in chats or teams.
First, I textual content somebody who matches what I’m in search of. Then I clarify the logistics such because the photographs being taken for 500px. I clarify every thing intimately—the place these photographs will likely be positioned, and the place they can be utilized sooner or later. It does occur that folks refuse—they don’t need their photographs to be publicly accessible on the Web.
Then, I simply search for different individuals. Typically I ask my acquaintances what they’re most involved about and their purpose for refusal. I discuss them by their fears and considerations and assist them perceive the character of Licensing higher.
Q: How do you method storytelling as a photographer?
A: Telling a narrative can not occur with no script. Due to this fact, I at all times work off of a script. I make certain it’s logical and sensible. I positively use totally different angles—vast, medium, and close-up pictures. My fashions will not be actors, so these situations are so simple as potential.
Q: What’s the strangest factor you’ve ever needed to do to get the right shot?
A: I didn’t do something notably unusual. After I {photograph} landscapes and nature pictures, I typically climb excessive rocks to get the perfect angle. I typically stroll into the water or into the mud, so, I guarantee that I’m carrying work garments. I had a case after I was taking pictures a lady on a destroyed dam and the stones on which I stood started to maneuver down—I fell and hit myself and hit the digicam. However every thing labored out. Now I stroll extra rigorously on the stones.
Sustain with extra work by Natalie Zotova:
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