Photographer Sees Self as Storyteller

Marie Still recently moved to New Tampa from Northern Virginia with her family, which she said includes "three energetic girls, my husband who by day is in IT, by night races motorcycles, a boy and two dogs." We recently caught up with her about her business, Marie Still Photography. 

Patch: How did you become interested in photography, and is it a full-time career?

Still: I’ve always been interested in photography. Ever since I can remember I’ve had a camera of some sort stuck to my face. I have boxes and boxes of photographs that I love to look through. I feel like photographs and songs are very much alike. They are so nostalgic you can smell the smells, feel the feelings, hear the sounds; it’s like traveling back in time. I was more of a memory keeper than anything up until my children were born, though. That’s when I started getting serious, taking classes, investing in equipment and then eventually opening my business. Right now it is just a part-time gig, as part-time as owning a business can be.

Patch: What kinds of photography do you specialize in?

Still: Up until this point my core business has been maternity, newborns and families. I have also done some boudoir photography (tastefully revealing photos of women that are traditionally gifted to spouses) and headshot work and just this year have started taking on weddings. Weddings are a whole new challenge and I have really enjoyed the experience. In the future I’d love to continue to improve on my core business but also explore other types of photography: conceptual, fashion and who knows what else. But I know I will always come back to people. People are amazing to me and I love to capture individuality, uniqueness and emotion. Helping people tell their story through photographs — I really have the coolest job! 

Patch: Is boudoir photography making a comeback?

Still: Absolutely, and I think that the rise in popularity of custom boudoir photography is just great. Boudoir is such a fun type of photography because you take these amazing women who are so busy with their everyday lives. Maybe they are a mom who spends all day taking care of her little ones, or a business woman who is constantly on the go, and for those couple of hours you get to make it all about her. You get to make her feel as beautiful as she is.  

Patch: How do you make someone feel comfortable during a boudoir session?

Still: The same way I make any of my clients feel comfortable, whether they are pregnant, a shy 2-year-old or women in a boudoir session: I become friends with them first, find common ground, and if it comes down to it I’ll start cracking terrible jokes that if they aren’t laughing at the punch line at least they are laughing at how ridiculous I am.

Patch: When taking someone's portrait, what do you try to achieve as a photographer (capture their essence, make them simply look their best, or something else)?

Still: I think when you capture someone’s essence that is when they look their best. I really mix my sessions up with some posed and more candid captures. I strive for fresh, modern and natural poses, I try to show people just living and enjoying the moment or each other. That’s when the magic happens.

Patch: What is the most difficult part of the job?

Still: Right now I have to re-build my business from scratch. Word of mouth has been a huge driver of new clients for me, so moving just recently to Florida it’s almost like starting all over again. But thanks to social media, the Internet and just old-fashioned beating the streets and meeting people, I’m starting to build my Florida client base. Even though it is tough it is still a ton of fun, it’s a whole new set of faces to photograph and a whole new set of locations. And Florida is a photographer’s heaven, lush greenery, historical backdrops and white sand beaches, we have it all! Also as an artist I’m my own worst critic, I’m learning, always learning. Every session I have I do a self-review and sometimes reach out to my circle of photographer friends for critique. I never want to be satisfied with where I’m at with my photography, I always want to be better and grow as an artist.

Patch: What was the biggest compliment you have received?

Still: I think the biggest motivator I ever got was in my first photography class. After our first assignment my teacher pulled me aside after class. I was so nervous thinking this would be just like the time I was 8 and my tennis instructor told my mom and me after lessons one day that she should stop wasting her money. But, he looked at me and said, “Marie, you are good, really good. I’ve only had a few students over the years that I can say this to, and you are one of them, this could be your living.” ... Also this weekend I got a gift from a client whose engagement portraits I recently shot. It was a huge box of Omaha steaks. While I would never expect my clients to send gifts, it was definitely one me, and my family, were very excited about!

Patch: Thanks to advances with digital cameras, it's possible for the average person to take decent photos without even knowing what an F stop is. Is it harder for photographers to get work when compared with the days when film was used?

Still: I think anyone can take amazing photos because no matter what, a photograph is a memory; some of my favorite photos of my kids are iPhone pictures! ... (But) I don’t think the rise in popularity of consumer grade DSLRs is harmful to business; in fact I think they are a huge benefit. I think more and more people today recognize the value of professional photography, and while a consumer-grade camera can take a great picture today, professionals invest tens of thousands of dollars in equipment, even more on training and spend hours editing. They also understand lighting, angles and composition. So while I encourage everyone to be a photographer to capture those everyday moments that are so easily forgotten, I also think it is very important to invest in professional photography to get high-quality portraits you would have a hard time reproducing on your own.

Patch: How can people get more information about your work and hiring you?

Still: My website is http://mariestillphotography.com (I’m currently building a new website in between diaper changes and photo shoots, so stay tuned for an all new look and feel here soon!). My email is marie@mariestillphotoraphy.com. And “like” me over at Facebook to follow my latest work, htt://facebook.com/mariestillphotography.com.