Interview with Photographer Kelly Czupkiewicz

This week I get to interview another wonderful, and very talented, New Jersey photographer, Kelly Czupkiewicz. I was introduced to Kelly, virtually, by a mutual friend, Dave. You may remember Dave from earlier posts, he is a singer-songwriter friend. One day Dave was telling me about a friend who was working on his social media presence and mentioned that Kelly was also a photographer. Well.... As soon as he told me that I wanted to check out her work and asked for a website. I was blown away by the images I saw and immediately get ahold of Kelly via Facebook DM and asked to interview her. She was kind enough to agree - I should have known she would, she shoots with Canon and we're the best! ;-)

I think the best way to characterize Kelly's style is to use some of her own words - whimsical, honest, candid. Once you take a look at her body of work I think you will agree. You can tell that photography isn't just a job and her subjects, not just clients. She clearly loves her work and nothing is more important than delivering masterful images to her clients. Don't take my word for it, go to her Facebook page (see link below) and read the testimonials yourself. Her studio is in the wide open spaces offering unlimited possibilities and challenges.

I could go on about how impressed I am with her work and commitment to her craft but I think it is still to get out of the way and let Kelly speak for herself. Please keep Kelly in mind when you are looking for a wedding or portrait photographer.

The Interview

Personal questions

What is your favorite childhood memory?

I have so many!! Very difficult to pick. This might be cheating just a little bit, since it's a series of memories and not a specific one, but I was brought up in and around boats, and we always went to this place called Tice's Shoal by boat. I still go there today as much as I can in the summertime, and I've inherited the boat, so I keep the tradition alive as much as possible. It's changed significantly, but those days when there were only a couple people anchored there and it was still kind of a secret are really fond memories for me.

What are the five foods you can’t live without?

• Cheese. I am such a cheese freak. I eat it every day. All kinds.
• Dark chocolate.
• Turkey and cranberry - I'm pretty sure I know every 'Thanksgiving sandwich' that every restaurant offers in the county.
• Sushi.
• Meatball pizza.

What’s the best advice anyone has given you and who gave it to you?

I love reading, and I feel like one of my favorite quotes is also really sound advice. So, from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail."

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren't shooting?

Boating! I hope to be a licensed captain by this February!
(Joe: I'm with you there - I love being out on the water, though it has been years. I hope you get your license!)

If you could spend an hour with any famous person, past or present, who would it be and why?

Freddie Mercury, no contest.
(Joe: I didn't see this one coming! Very interesting choice.)

Professional questions

Why photography?

I have always loved taking photos, for as long as I can remember. I had a film camera, and I used to love shooting film and then having the photos developed and seeing what I'd gotten. When digital camera became more affordable I couldn't wait to get one, and I took it everywhere with me. I have always loved reliving moments through photos, so I love being able to do that for other people. I honestly never thought that I would be able to own a photography business, because taking photos has always been my 'reward' for myself. So to be able to do this, and make a living doing it, is amazing for me - I'm not sure I'll ever get over that.
(Joe: Kelly, I hope you never get over it! I find the same with my photography - just being out and shooting is enough; having others enjoy the images is icing on the cake.)

Can you explain your photography in 10 words or less?

Light, bright, airy, whimsical, authentic, honest, romantic, candid, organic, and consistent! Phew.
(Joe: Looking at your work, I couldn't agree more!)

What is your greatest achievement in photography?

Honestly any time I deliver a gallery I think it's my greatest achievement! This is such a competitive industry to be in, so I consider it an honor any time I get to document a time in someone's life, be it a wedding or a portrait session. I consider myself an artist, but I also know that ultimately I am in this for my clients, and being able to deliver the best possible product to them is the most important thing to me. That being said, I have a photo that will be in the spring print issue of The Knot New Jersey magazine - so I am pretty stoked about that! Getting published is definitely super exciting. I've also been featured in Contemporary Weddings Magazine, Brides & Weddings, and several others.

If you could share a gallery show with anyone past or present, who would it be?

Jose Villa is definitely a favorite photographer of mine and I am super inspired by his work!

Where do you draw inspiration from when you shoot and what’s your favorite part about the process?

I love authentic, real moments. I like to take the seemingly ordinary and find the beauty in it. I did bridal portraits in a Walgreen's parking lot once, and they were amazing! I've enclosed two. I love that I never need what most would consider a beautiful location to make something gorgeous! I love having to think on my feet, and being able to see and take photos of the dynamics of relationships.

What is your favorite location to shoot?

There is this place called Sayen Gardens in Hamilton. In the springtime, there is just nothing better! I am a sucker for blooming flowers.

But, one of the best and coolest things about wedding photography is that I am constantly at new places and I get to see new things and shoot in new places all the time. There are so many spots that I have visited for the first time and just loved.

What is your favorite piece of equipment?

Current obsession is my 1dx Mark II, but my steady always seems to be my 50 1.2L. Such a versatile lens!
(Joe: I wouldn't mind getting my hands on a 1DX Mark II, myself. The 50mm f/1.2L sounds intriguing, I love my old 85mm f/1.2L.)

How did you get your start and what advice would you give to someone looking for a career in photography?

I knew absolutely nothing about photography and taught myself absolutely everything. It was not easy, and it is not for everyone - but I am proof that it's possible!

I have built my business over the course of 6 or 7 years now, and I am still amazed every day. I had literally put an ad on Craigslist around 6 years ago for family portraits, after only ever having done landscape photography. This family ended up responding, and I remember being SHOCKED and also terrified! All I really had going for me was this crazy idea that I was going to have a business, and I was going to take photos of people, and it was going to work out. They ended up being the coolest family ever, and I still do their photos once a year! Honestly I credit so much of my journey to them, because I lucked out with getting amazing people who believed in me from the beginning, and that gave me so much confidence to continue. All of my early clients really took a chance on me - and there are still so many of them that I get to do sessions with regularly to this day. I seriously credit my business to them!

I do as much mentoring as I can to beginner photographers, because I know what it's like to just be starting out and have no clue what to do! The advice that I always give anyone who is just getting started, is that you get what you give to your business. You can absolutely not sit still and think you're going to be successful. You have to work at it every day.
(Joe: Great advice! I love the fact that you also mentor those coming up, I think it is so important to pass along our knowledge and expertise to others.)

Bonus question:

What are your Top 5 "Deserted Island" albums?

• Toys in the Attic - Aerosmith
• Let it Bleed - The Rolling Stones
• Prolonging the Magic - Cake
• Philadelphonic - G Love & Special Sauce
• The Game - Queen

Links

Facebook: facebook.com/kellyseaimages
Instagram: @kellyseaimages
Website: www.kellyseaimages.com

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Engagement and Wedding images are (c) Kelly Sea Images 2016.
Images of Kelly are © Bryan Romeo Photography

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Reflecting on 2017 and Looking Forward

Reflecting on 2017

As the year winds down I am taking some time to reflect upon this past year and think about what the new year may bring. 2017 has been quite an interesting year in many ways - some good, some bad. Though I have been blogging since 2011, it was in March of 2017 that I started writing "Exploring Photography with Joe Valencia" here, on Blogger. I have tried to bring a variety of content to this blog and share my experiences along the way.

The Good

One of the highlights of the year would be the interviews that I have conducted. These have proven to be quite popular with you, my readers, and I am hoping to bring more in the upcoming year. If you haven't been following along, you can search for the "interview" tag, I think you will finde each one to be quite informative and entertaining. I learned something from each interviewee and am always pleasantly surprised by some of the answers I receive. If you have any questions you would like me to ask in upcoming interviews, please feel free to leave them in the comments below.

I am also pleased with the "Improve Your Photography" series with lots more to cover in the coming year. This was the original idea behind my start in blogging, I wanted to share my years of experience with others - I have gotten a lot of help along the way and it is time to "pay it forward" thru my writing. If you have a topic you would like me to cover, please feel free to comment below and I will put it on my list.

2017 also saw me get active on Instagram, @valencia32photo, where I have built a modest but loyal following. It has been an interesting journey and I have discovered many wonderfully talented photographers and artisans along the way. Instagram has actually opened up a whole new world of photography for me - the smartphone. I have always used the camera on my phone but only for "throw-away" and snapshots - never truly thinking of it as a serious tool. I have learned to think differently and now use my phone often, using Lightroom and Photoshop for editing - even creating panoramas! I will list my favorite apps below.

The biggest news for 2017 would have to be the launching of my YouTube channel - Joe Valencia Photography. This is something I had been wanting to do for quite some time but never had the courage to take the leap. I finally jumped in and have found it to be rather fun. I have done some "cross-posting" - writing about something here and also creating a video - but each is somewhat different so I would encourage you to follow both.

The Not-So-Good

As I mentioned, 2017 has had it's ups-and-downs. The "downs" have, in some way, been at the expense of the "ups" that I wrote about above. My writing and YouTube channel take up a lot of time which takes away from my shooting. That's somewhat of a "catch-22" because I need to shoot in order to support the writing and videos but they take away from the time I have to shoot. I also find that my get up and go tends to diminish during the summer months. I have been making up for lost time since autumn arrived and usually remain rather active right up thru spring. I don't know what it is about the summer - you would think living on the Jersey Shore would mean I would love summer but.... I also lost use of my video camera a month or so ago, I don't know what happened but it just stopped working. I have had to use my DSLR and smartphone for my last half-dozen videos.

The biggest "bad" thing to happen this year came in October during a visit to Gambrill State Park in Frederick, Maryland. It was my first day of vacation and I was at the park with my wife, my daughter and her boyfriend. We arrived at the park at about 1:00 PM and I decided to take a hike while the other three (3) had lunch. I have been on a diet since May and, at that time, was only eating breakfast and dinner. It was a warm day, about 75°, and I didn't take water with me. I had hiked for about 40 minutes, stopping along the way for some shooting, and covered just under 1.5 miles. When I got back to the car I drank some water, walked over to where the overlook was to take a couple pictures with my wife and headed back to the car. I wasn't feeling well so I suggested we sit on a picnic bench for a few minutes - the next thing I know I wake up to find my daughter on the phone with 911, I had passed out. I had become quite dehydrated and ended up spending the night in the hospital. I did get a couple nice shots, including the self-portrait and image of my wife & I shown here.

Looking forward

I am excited to think about what the future holds. I have "met" a lot of people over the past year, mostly thru social media, and hope to get together with some to do a bit of collaborating. I've always been somewhat of a loner when it comes to my photography and very seldom shoot with others. My wife sometimes accompanies me on an outing but not often. I have tried to get together with others a couple times in 2017 but schedules didn't allow. I also don't really plan trips in advance, I typically look out the window and decide if, and where, I am going to shoot. That isn't exactly a good formula for collaboration. I am going to work on that.

I have a long list of images and videos to shoot, some related to my writing and vlogging, and some that are just personal projects I have been wanting to get to. I am determined that 2018 will be the year that has me shooting from atop Mt. Tammany at the Delaware Water Gap. I have attempted this feat twice and both times had to turn back due to sickness of a companion or an injury to myself.

I am going to work harder at putting aside time to write and get back to posting on a more regular basis, as well as refining my skills as a photographer. If the past several years have taught me anything it would be that there is always something to learn or improve upon.

One of my biggest goals for the upcoming year is a financial one. I have created a Patreon account and am seeking support from my community. Patreon allows the public to support someone in their endeavors, in this case my photography, and in return they are offered "rewards." I am hoping to raise money to fund some photography trips, equipment rentals/purchases, and possibly creating books and calendars. Please check out my page and consider becoming a Patron. It isn't easy for me to do something like this but I look upon it as a part-time job with my patrons as my employer. Some of the benefits of becoming a patron are the ability to email questions for one-on-one help, patron-only content, advance access for some content and discounts on any future publications.

In Summary

Overall 2017 has been a terrific year and I am energized by the possibilities that exist for 2018! I owe a lot to my followers for encouraging me to continue on this photographic quest I am on; your kind words and praise have gotten me through some rather difficult times and I am forever grateful. I have formed some relationships that I hope to grow and know there will be more coming. I am always looking for new ideas and new techniques, the beauty of this wonderful craft is it is always evolving. Landscape photography has taught me that you can go to the same location many times and see it differently each time. How can that NOT be exciting?

I am also hoping to secure some sponsorships for my YouTube channel and Instagram work. I am making myself available hire and assignment work, as-well-as making my images available for sale. Who knows, maybe 2018 will even see my work in a gallery somewhere?

I mentioned collaborations - if you would like to propose a project or shoot, please leave a comment or send me an email at valencia32photo@gmail.com. I would love to get together. I am also looking for photographers and other creatives to interview for 2018 - I am open to suggestions and volunteers.

In closing, I would like to thank you for your continuing support - without you there is no blog. Most of all, I would like to thank my wife and family for supporting this crazy idea and putting up with all the time I spend shooting, writing and editing. We are often in the same place yet light years apart....

Apps, Equipment and Software

Here is a list of apps that I have used throughout the year, as well as my equipment and software.

• Bimostitch (app) - for stitching panoramas shot with my phone
• Photoshop Express (app)
• Lightroom for Mobile (app)
• Open Camera (app)
• Exsate Golden Hour (app)
• SunCalc.org (app)
• MapMyHike (app)
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• MeFOTO RoadTrip tripod (green)
• Tamrac Hoodoo 20 Camera Daypack
• Canon EOS Rebel T3i (T7i)
• Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
• Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
• Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III
• Canon RS-60 E3 remote switch
• Formatt-Hitech 85mm filter system