Feature Friday with Twenty-Nine Photography!

The talented Laura Beth Davidson is the face behind Twenty-Nine Photography, and the winner of last week's 'unplugged' challenge.  Read on to see more of her beautiful work, and get a peek into her camera bag too!

 

1. Please tell us about yourself...

Hi! I'm Laura Beth Davidson. I'm a stay-at-home mom who lives in the northeast corner of Tennessee with my husband, our two girls, and a black lab. I took up photography as a hobby about three years ago, and it has changed my life. It gives me something to do for myself with the added benefit of giving me a way to document the seemingly endless hours of entertaining, feeding, bathing, soothing, and generally keeping everyone alive that I know will be over all too soon. 

2. Can you describe your style in 3 words? Why those words?

Quiet, Nostalgic, Simple

I take pleasure in mundane things like a good glass of sweet tea, the smell of cut grass, or a nice new pen, and I'm also quite materialistic in that I like to hold on to things--mementos of trips and special times, so I think it follows that I enjoy shooting everyday objects and my girls doing everyday things in a way that elevates them to art.  I've always considered myself a bit of an old soul, and I believe my photography reflects that aspect of my personality. I want my work to look timeless. I just stepped into the world of film photography, and I think it's going to be a beautiful relationship.

3. What sparked your passion for photography?

I've always had a creative itch, and like so many new moms I wanted a beautiful record of my daughter's life, but I was so intimidated by my fancy camera that I was just using on Auto. I came across Clickin' Moms in the fall of 2012 and immediately fell in love with everything about photography and the amazing online communities that center around it. But I'm not sure I really called my hobby a "passion" until I was in the middle of my first 365, which I shot the year leading up to my 30th birthday and documented on a simple blog, www.29andcounting.com (thus the origin of 29 Photography). Shooting every day was not easy, but I grew so much as a photographer, and I realized that my life would not be complete without photography.

4. What's in your camera bag right now?

Cameras: Canon 5D Mark iii DSLR, Canon 7N Elan 35mm SLR, iPhone 5s
Lenses: Canon 50mm/1.4, Canon 100mm/2.8L, Canon 24-105mm/4.0L, Sigma 35mm/1.4Art, Lensbaby Composer, Sigma 28-70mm/2.8

Film: Portra 400

5. What is your dream shoot or project?

I am actually so fortunate to be right in the middle of my dream project! My sweet friend Jayne Cho and I are collaborating on a project we've named 37° North because we both live on that line of longitude, even though she's on the other side of the globe in South Korea. We each take photos of the world around us and then blend them into composite images in an effort to show that life in Korea and Tennessee is really not that different. You can follow us on Instagram @37degreesnorth or check out our blog at www.37degreesnorthproject.tumblr.com

I love this project not only because it has strengthened my friendship with Jayne (even though we've never met in person!) and because it gives me an excuse to take photos of beautiful random buildings and doors and other street scenes that I might otherwise have no reason to photograph.

6. What are some of the misconceptions you had about photography and photographers at the beginning of your photography journey? Have they changed, and how?

For a long time, I thought the only "real" photographers were the ones who made money from clients. Since I don't have any intention of going into business any time soon, I still don't feel completely comfortable calling myself a photographer, but I'm getting there. And I'm also working on honing my own voice and speaking it clearly through my work instead of getting distracted by pursuing the "right" way to shoot or edit.

7. What advice would you give to newbie photographers? What advice do you wish you'd been given at the very beginning?

Be patient with yourself, but never stop learning. Upgrade your gear only when you've truly pushed it to its limitations. Challenge yourself to shooting as often as your can without getting burned out. Find a group of photographers who are encouraging and supportive. Learn about light and become obsessed with it.

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