Kate Densmore of
Kate Densmore Photography is returning to us this week with a special feature. She's asked you to share "stories of home", and has prepared some of her own. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about her, and preview her new book which just came out yesterday!
- Though
we at Snap Maven already know you Kate, can you tell us a little about
yourself for those are new to your work?
Yes! It’s so wonderful to be back
after all these years, and I’m super honored to be working with the Snap Maven
team again! So for those who don’t know me, I’m Kate. I’m a family documentary
photographer, mentor, and workshop instructor, with clientele worldwide. I
currently live at the Grand Canyon, in northern Arizona, but because my husband
is a national park ranger, we really have made our home in the National Park
Service itself. I have two young daughters, and we lead a simple, though
unconventional, life together.
- Can
you give us a brief overview of what your new book “Stories of Home” is
about?
It’s about the art of
photographing family, whatever that means to you. I talk about my techniques
for emotional storytelling, crafting personal themes and intent, exploring
vision, creating mood and drama, working with natural and artificial light, and
seeing the art in the everyday. But it isn’t just a book that shows you how to
do what I do; it’s a book that will encourage you to find your own vision for
family photography. I’ve never before sat down and attempted to put what I do,
and WHY, down in words quite like this. I think I was waiting for the right
place to do so, and Craft & Vision, with its stellar reputation and legacy
of world class photographers generously sharing their best techniques at an
affordable price, fits with so much of my personal philosophies when it comes
to photography education. It feels like I’ve come home, and I couldn’t ask for
a better platform with which to share the things I am most passionate about.
- Who
would you say is the intended audience for this book?
This book is for anyone who is
looking to find a deeper sense of emotion in their family driven work. I wrote
it with the more intermediate to advanced photographer in mind, but I think we
can all benefit from seeking to make more emotional photographs. So really,
it’s meant for anyone who wants to capture more meaningful photographs of
family, whether that is personal work or for a client, or if you are an amateur
or a professional.
- What
can readers expect to take away from this book?
Solid techniques for
strengthening composition and working in a variety of conditions. A more
emotional sense of storytelling photography. And permission to find their own
vision for daily family life, and to make it something that reflects not just
how family life looks, but how it feels.
- What
was the biggest obstacle you faced in the writing of this book?
Myself. I first heard about Craft
& Vision three and a half years ago, and I remember thinking to myself “I
wonder what it takes to be one of their authors?” They are legendary for a
reason. It’s a publication company headed by David duChemin, and if you are
reading this and don’t know who he is, stop right now and go find his blog. I
never actually thought I would have the chance to write for them, it was much
more of a dream than a goal. So early this year, when the opportunity came my
way, it was a literal dream come true. And I know that is cheesy, but it’s the
truth. And when a dream that you always thought would be a dream, finally comes
true? Well, I have to admit that I didn’t really know what to do. Just because
you are given a green light to do something, doesn’t mean that the actual doing
of that thing is any easier. And for me, it was far harder. I got in my own
head too much, and while it wasn’t a confidence thing exactly, it was something
that I had to overcome myself. Luckily I got great advice from some caring
people, and just got to work and it all started coming together as soon as I
started writing. It still took many months, but once I got out of my own way,
it happened.
- If
you had to pick only one, what would you say is the single best thing a
photographer can do to become a better artist?
One thing… Well, without a doubt
it’s to take lots of photographs. There aren’t any shortcuts, and even if you
find the best mentor, the best workshops, or the best gear or books, they only
work if you do. And our work is to make photographs. Over and over and
constantly and with as much open-mindedness as you can muster.
- Interviews
with several other photographers are included in this book, why did you
feel they were the best contributors?
They each represent how diverse
something so labeled can be. Saying you are a “family documentary photographer”
can come with some expectations, and I liked how each of those three
photographers rose above those biases, and found their own way of expressing
how they see family life. They are also individuals I have been following for
years, and I’ve been continually impressed with how they’ve stuck to their own
route. If you are aware of the Helsinki Bus Theory, then that comment makes
even more sense. They have each stayed on their bus route, and their work is so
much better for it.
- What
would you say is the quintessential “must-read” book for all
photographers?
If I had to pick only one book, I
would pick David duChemin’s Photographically
Speaking. There is nothing else out there like it in terms of really
getting at the heart of what photography is all about – a medium for
communication. But, if you were generous enough to let me choose two books, I’d
quickly follow it up with Magnum Magnum,
edited by Brigitte Lardinois. There is nothing quite like the inspiration
present in that book, and I love reading how each world-class photographer is
viewed by a peer.
- What
has been your greatest struggle as an artist overall in getting from where
you began to where you are now?
Patience. Or maybe time –
experience? How ever you want to look at it – the biggest struggle for me has
been waiting. I am a huge believer in doing the work, but there is this
intangible bit of developing that work that simply takes time. You can’t rush
experience or maturity or wisdom, and art needs time to develop those things at
it’s own pace. And I am not a patient person, so waiting for my work to develop
that depth of experience and glean of maturity has not been easy. And even as I
write those words, I can acknowledge that I still don’t have nearly the
experience or maturity I want for my work, but I do think the years have taught
me that the wait is not just worth it, but important in and of itself.
- What
can we look forward to from you in the future? More books, maybe?
Possibly! I do really enjoy
writing, although a book of this magnitude takes some serious time and effort,
and I don’t know that I will have that in me again for a little while at least!
I want to focus more on my photography, and figure out what comes next. I don’t
know yet if that will be commercial work, or humanitarian work, or even just
continuing to do what I am doing now, on a bigger scale. Craft & Vision has
been my dream for the last three years, and as wonderful as it is to see that
dream realized, it takes some reflection and time to figure out what the next
dream will be. I want to enjoy this time of “in between” and get some
professional advice as to what my next steps may be.
- When, where, and how can we get a copy?
Stories of Home: The Art of Photographing Family will be available via Craft & Vision (www.craftandvision) on November 16, 2016. (direct link –
www.storiesofhome.net)
