Sunday was a lazy day for everyone in the house and Simone decided to take up my spot on the bed. She loves it under the covers and it was a good thing I checked before jumping back into bed at 3 in the afternoon. It has been a quiet November for me shooting wise and with no gigs or editing work to be done, I find myself doing the usual maintenance with equipment and upkeep of administrative tasks. Always, at this time of year, I start to evaluate my blog, websites and general on line presence and make changes if necessary in order to attract more visitors and give them a more satisfying viewing experience. It is also a time to review the year and to start preparing for 2012, determining expectations and establishing goals on which to focus. As tedious as this might sound, it is extremely important to work on the business side of photography in order to continually improve and be successful. But on this lazy day, Simone had the right idea and I spent most of it in my pyjamas, lying in bed with my iPad while I played a stack of cd’s that I bought during the week. Best cd this week is Kate Bush’s new album 50 Words for Snow.

Starting this month of November, I will do a monthly post focusing on photographers. Over the years I have been lucky enough to meet and work with amazing photographers working in many genres. I also find or read about fantastic photographers on the internet that I would love to know a little more about. I guess you can say that this is a small token of my appreciation for their inspiration. These posts will always have the same 9 questions and can be viewed in the Photographer In Focus category displayed in the right widget. So, without further ado, our first Photographer In Focus is Colette Stevenson.

WHAT  TYPE OF PHOTOGRAPHY ARE YOU CURRENTLY FOCUSING ON AND WHY?

I am currently working on portrait photography. People’s faces. Its something I avoided for a time, perhaps because I was intimidated by the intimacy of it but now I’m learning to embrace that intimacy.

TELL ME ABOUT A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO INSPIRES YOU

I love Diane Arbus. She doesn’t shy away from her subjects. Her work is direct and honest.

FOR YOU, WHAT ARE THE BEST AND WORST PARTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY?

The best part would be when the picture I saw in my mind becomes a reality. The first time I look at it and say “yes that’s what I saw” is thrilling. The worst part? Easy, lugging equipment.

WHAT IS THE LATEST PIECE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT THAT YOU HAVE ACQUIRED AND HOW IS IT USED FOR THE TYPE OF PHOTOGRAPHY YOU DO?

A macro lens. I like to get right in close to the subject and this lens helps me do that. Of course I am not using it for portrait photography…yet.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY AND WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAMERA?

I’ve always had a camera and I’ve always loved photography although I seem to have spent a lot of my life on the other side of the camera. My first camera was a Nikon F-601. You can still get film so maybe soon I’ll dust it off and take it out for a spin.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LENS IN YOUR BAG?

Nikon 50mm 1.4G. Great portrait lens.

WHAT, WHO OR WHERE WAS YOUR ULTIMATE PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERIENCE?

I think the ultimate so far was wandering through the streets of Havana very early in the morning when the city was just waking up and some folks were just going home.

WHAT, WHO OR WHERE WOULD BE YOUR ULTIMATE PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERIENCE?

That’s a tough one! I would like to go back to Dublin. Its a beautiful city. I love Dublin.

WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU CURRENTLY LISTENING TO?

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and Vic Chesnutt. There’s a constant stream of new music into my home and into my life and these are the latest discoveries for me.

THANK YOU AND KEEP SHOOTING!

www.colettestevensonphotography.com