Expose Me!
Without further ado, we would like to introduce Stephanie Mohan! This week’s “Expose Me” super star!
Stephanie is a long time CMD client and portrait photographer. Creative and Passionate about her craft, Stephanie has shared with us her photo story and a few of her captivating portraits.
I own a studio in a funky little town called Fairfax CA, where I am happy to say I own a portrait studio called Creative Portraiture. It is a hopping town with a lot of foot traffic and a nice storefront where I display a window full of portraits. It’s great to see people stop, stare and comment on my ‘gallery’. Today in my studio I was flattered to hear someone say to their friend, “she really does take creative portraits”. It makes me feel great that I get this positive exposure, but it has taken me a long time to get to this point. It has been a really long road and I’ve had to figure things out along the way.
I was a late bloomer finally getting my act together. Going to San Francisco State in my late-twenties, I decided my major would be Photojournalism. I saw myself traveling, documenting important historic moments – a different job every day – but I had to come to the ultimate conclusion that I was not really a journalist.
During the “hard news” section of my photo curriculum, I just could not find a news story. I was either uncomfortable shooting someone’s misfortune, or too shy to even ask if it would be ok to document. I remember walking to class, film still in my camera, but nothing to turn and coincidentally an ambulance right outside the hall of my classroom. I stood there trying to shoot, but feeling stifled. A woman was sitting in the back of the ambulance crying and shooting the scene would have easily fulfilled the assignment, but I did nothing. “Take the picture!” I screamed to myself in my head. I could have snapped it and ran, but I was so uncomfortable. It was obvious to me at that moment that I was never going to be good at this…
Everything changed when I attended my first studio lighting class. I loved posing and working with my models. Every time we had a photo assignment from that point on, I somehow turned it into a photo essay. That is when I finally had the beginnings of my photographic identity. That is how I began specializing in portraiture.
When did you begin your business?
I started my business out of an attached barn in West Marin, followed by several years sharing space with a partner – in a cheesy shopping center and what turned out to be a real disaster. Finally, I went solo, opening my Fairfax studio in 2000. I’ve now been at my current studio for over ten years. I have a pretty solid clientele from word of mouth.
Challenges
Running a studio is not always easy. I frequently have clients tell me I have the dream job, but it is sometimes really difficult to please the client and keep artistic integrity. I know some clients want the unnatural look of a Botoxian face, courtesy of Photoshop, and I hate it. I’ve argued more than once with disgruntled clients who want me to rebuild their nose or remove any signs of life from their face, making it completely obvious that I overdosed using the Patch tool. I’ve had to come to some compromises in order to make a living.
I’ve learned a lot since I began shooting in our barn in1989. Besides having to make the switch from film to digital, I’ve had to learn to be a good businessperson. That has probably been the hardest part about being a photographer. I think what helped me the most is having a strong and current website; one that I could constantly change. When I began shooting commissioned portraits, before the world of websites and blogs, I had to meet with each client and show them my portfolio book. I love the ease of having a website that I can let be my voice and my personality. Now, by the time you actually speak to a client on the phone, they already have seen your work, they see in writing your policy, they know your prices AND they can read about your style and work techniques.
I have a section on my site called “Tips” where I can discourage clients from wearing matchy-matchy, khaki pants and white tee shirts. I love when parents come in and tell me they wanted their son to wear a nice sweater, but he insisted on wearing his Led Zeppelin tee shirt. It is a lot more fun for me. I’m not trying to portray perfect people, but rather their relationships and what they look like when they are being natural; anything other than a fake smile.
Where would you like to see your talents take you?
I admit I fantasize about publishing a great big beautiful photo book. One that I don’t have to self-publish and the publishing company says to me, “Make us a book of portraits that you love! Just surprise us, and, oh, by the way, here is your great big fat check!”
Projects
Not only do I photograph people, I’m also notorious for my barnyard studio photos. I really love taking the not-traditional subject and shooting in a traditional way. Included in my barnyard series is a large goat, a pig, chickens and turkeys.
Here is a short documentary called The Art of Fairfax, which included my pig session.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYvWQpTjrZU
Thanks Stephanie for sharing your story with us. Be sure and stop by Stephanie’s websites to view more of her portraits.
