Meet our latest 500px Prime Creator and study extra about how Licensing is making a extra inclusive world by means of visible storytelling.
Initially from Russia, Natalie Zotova is at the moment based mostly in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Natalie shoots varied genres of images, starting from marriage ceremony images to meals, product, and life-style content material. With over 18 years of expertise, Natalie’s Licensing content material stands out for its technical and artistic strategy. As a Licensing Contributor and industrial photographer, Natalie understands the significance of speaking to numerous client markets. Her Portfolio illustrates quite a lot of demographics and themes that fill gaps inside industrial promoting.
500px is thrilled to have Natalie as a 500px Prime Creator, and be capable of acknowledge her as an exemplary content material creator for the 500px Licensing Assortment.
Q: Hi there! Are you able to inform us a bit about your self?
A: I’m Natalie. I like to journey, meet new individuals, and, after all, I like images. I take advantage of images as a approach to categorical myself and to create magnificence. In my observe, I do industrial shoots, inventory images, tutorials, and run my very own weblog on Instagram. I like to assist individuals study new images expertise and develop their observe.
Q: We’re excited to have you ever as a 500px Prime Creator. Your Licensing Portfolio has a powerful 2,700+ images. Are you able to share your expertise with 500px Licensing and the way it started?
A: It began when my boyfriend informed me about Grants on 500px. The primary Grant I participated in was the Intersectional Variety Grant. He instructed that I submit a few of my work. The prize was a $1000 Grant to develop a bigger shoot to be a part of the 500px Licensing assortment. I made a decision to provide it a go! At the moment, I already had an account on 500px.com, however simply a few images have been uploaded. It was a pleasing shock once I discovered that I used to be chosen to obtain the Grant cash. Since then, I’ve turn into extra concerned in Grants and Quests, and proceed to submit extra images to Licensing.
Q: You may have produced quite a few beautiful industrial photoshoots for 500px Licensing. Are you able to share with us the place you draw your inspiration on your life-style shoots?
A: Normally, the 500px Quest themes give me inspiration. Typically there are subjects that I’ve by no means thought of capturing earlier than, and it turns into a enjoyable problem for me. I begin planning the appropriate individuals and the appropriate location. Nevertheless, individuals are additionally my inspiration. Typically I simply know when somebody I meet could be excellent for a 500px Quest photoshoot. I get excited, and I hope that, with their participation, I may win the Quest. Then I ask these individuals to be my fashions.
Q: Business promoting is consistently evolving. Shoppers at this time are advocating for content material that promotes variety and authenticity. What are your ideas on these adjustments and the way do they have an effect on you as a photographer?
A: I actually like this type of content material as a result of it’s true, it’s actual, it’s not embellished. We’re who we’re, cease sporting masks and impersonating another person. This idea may be very near me. I like naturalness, actual faces, actual feelings, actual life. However nonetheless, we’re used to magnificence photographs and are drawn to perfection. Subsequently, one should be capable of present variety and authenticity, in a balanced approach, from the sometimes magnificence pushed cinematic aspect.
Q: We really feel that your Portfolio is a superb instance of intentional casting that feels genuine and real. The picture above was submitted as a part of the 500px Intersectional Variety Grant collection you shot. Are you able to inform us about your creative imaginative and prescient for this shoot?
A: The picture is of my pal Julia. I like the style of boudoir images—that is the inventive a part of my work, sometimes non-commercial. I instructed a photoshoot to my pal as a result of her pores and skin is exclusive. She was slightly uncomfortable with the concept at first, however I wished to indicate her how lovely she is. I did this by focusing and drawing consideration to her distinctive options.
Not too long ago, I met with one other pal of mine, and he informed me that the best way I seize individuals in my images is exclusive, and he wished to understand how I do it. My secret is displaying an individual as is, and to not intrude with them being themselves. With my fashions, I discover one thing that I can admire, and I seize it. Each individual is exclusive and delightful—my purpose is to indicate this.
Q: The photographer and mannequin relationship is vital. Are you able to share any recommendations on the way you make your fashions really feel snug whereas on a shoot?
A: Sure, I do know a couple of tips.
1. You want to reward your fashions. Contemplate saying “tremendous, properly executed, superb” These phrases will give them confidence.
2. You want to give validation. Say issues like “you might be very lovely / you might be very photogenic / you might be such an attractive couple / you progress very properly within the body” This may assist the individual chill out and loosen up.
3. Clearly talk what you need your fashions to do. Keep in mind that not all of your fashions can be snug in entrance of the digital camera and instinctively know what to do and the place to place their palms or tips on how to pose. Provide you with a shot record and a plan upfront—write down in your notes the actions that you’ll ask your mannequin to do and exhibit it if want be.
4. Discover reference images to indicate your fashions—level out particular poses and what facial expressions to make.
5. Specify the temper that you really want evoked in your shoots. For instance, in my previous couple photoshoots, I requested the girl to think about that she was a princess main her prince by means of her backyard of roses. She instantly modified her facial features, grew to become extra assured, extra lovely, straightened her posture and walked with an attractive gait.
6. If you’re filming a household, I discover that it’s higher to solely intrude when needed. Direct the overarching concept and state what you need them to do, however then watch their relationship by means of the digital camera.
Q: We admire what number of of your Licensing photoshoots characteristic varied industries and office settings. Any such content material is tough to plan and execute. Are you able to describe the method of planning and discovering these areas and fashions?
A: These sorts of photoshoots are finest executed when you find yourself acquaintances with somebody in a sure area. Companies often want images for his or her web sites and social media accounts. Usually it’s potential to cooperate on a barter foundation. I simply give them images.
I shot a marijuana plantation lately. I discover that it’s harder for a foreigner to get entry to this manufacturing kind the place I’m positioned in Thailand. Subsequently, I requested my Thai pal to assist me discover this plantation. I paid her for her work, and I additionally paid the farmer.
Q: How do you go about scheduling and dealing round a enterprise’ schedule?
A: It’s sometimes completely different each time. Within the case of capturing the plantation, my pal, as an agent, organized every thing.
For a cosmetology shoot I did lately, the cosmetologist first looked for a shopper to be the mannequin. She then adjusted her schedule in order that it was handy for each of us and her.
Q: When you affirm a enterprise/service to shoot, are there any necessities or restrictions you require?
A: My necessities are that I can erase any recognized branding throughout the body. Normally, I stick the inscriptions myself or take away them in Photoshop. The enterprise sometimes asks for the images as-is, with no branding erased, and perhaps some additional footage they want for promoting.
Q: How do you strategy the topic of Licensing together with your fashions?
A: How do I discover fashions? The strategies are completely different. Typically I textual content a sure individual, and typically I search for individuals in chats or teams.
First, I textual content somebody who matches what I’m searching for. Then I clarify the logistics such because the images being taken for 500px. I clarify every thing intimately—the place these images can be positioned, and the place they can be utilized sooner or later. It does occur that folks refuse—they don’t want their images to be publicly out there on the Web.
Then, I simply search for different individuals. Typically I ask my acquaintances what they’re most involved about and their cause for refusal. I discuss them by means of their fears and considerations and assist them perceive the character of Licensing higher.
Q: How do you strategy storytelling as a photographer?
A: Telling a narrative can’t occur with out a script. Subsequently, I all the time work off of a script. I make sure that it’s logical and lifelike. I undoubtedly use completely different angles—vast, medium, and close-up photographs. My fashions will not be actors, so these eventualities are so simple as potential.
Q: What’s the strangest factor you’ve ever needed to do to get the right shot?
A: I didn’t do something significantly unusual. After I {photograph} landscapes and nature images, I usually climb excessive rocks to get the perfect angle. I usually stroll into the water or into the mud, so, I guarantee that I’m sporting work garments. I had a case once I was capturing a woman on a destroyed dam and the stones on which I stood started to maneuver down—I fell and hit myself and hit the digital camera. However every thing labored out. Now I stroll extra fastidiously on the stones.
Sustain with extra work by Natalie Zotova:
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