Facebook  and I have a love hate relationship.  I hate how many upgrades there seems to be, and how its always on a day that I need to upload photos, or when I just seem to get the hang of where everything is and than its all changed again.  However I love facebook for creating a site where is very easy to keep in touch with family and friends, as well as getting to know other photographers. Which is how I ‘met’ Sarah from Capturing Fireflies Photography (check out her  Facebook fan page) .  I loved her work immediately!   She seems to always capture the true beauty of the subject that she is photographing(whether that be a baby, family, wedding, cat or a beautiful landscape.) 

So go grab your cup of coffee(or tea!) and enjoy my coffee date with Capturing Fireflies Photography =)  (maybe even grab some left over Easter candy, you know you want to ….)

Name:   Sarah King
Business Name:  Capturing Fireflies Photography
Website:  www.capturingfireflies.com
Blog:   same as website (blogsite)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/capturingfireflies

Equipment? Canon 5d mark ii – Xsi (backup) – 35mm f2.0 – 50mm f1.4 – 85mm f1.8 – and a 75-300mm f4-5.6

What’s in your camera bag besides your lenses and camera? Batteries, cards, card reader, cords, point and shoot, and reflector – I don’t carry my bag with me on a shoot. I typically pick a lens for a shoot and stick with it. The bag stays in the car.

Favorite Lens? This is so tough. I really adore my 50mm and I use it the most but I would have to say the 85mm is my favorite. Yummmy bokeh.
What you’ve learned the most since you started (photog. related): I’ve learned to take it slow. It takes time to learn, to gain experience. I can read all I want, and go to workshops and watch videos, but there is no better teacher then experience. Get out there and shoot. I learn every time the camera is in my hand. And that’s what I love the most and what keeps me coming back for more.

What are your strengths? I do my best work, on location, unscripted. Capturing real life moments – taking inspiration from the pockets of beautiful light, textures, and the colors around us. Nature is my favorite backdrop. Candid captures emotion.

Weaknesses? Photoshop. I have been using Photoshop for many years but I used the graphic side of things more than the photo editing side. Thank goodness for lightroom, but I do have goals of learning to utilize PS better. 

What is your typical work timetable? I shoot on weekends and edit on weeknights after my day job.

Why did you get into photography? Because I love to take pictures. To capture beautiful scenes I see before my eyes. To capture moments in time forever. When I was little I remember wishing my eyes were a camera and that I could take a picture with the blink of my eye. I have always been fascinated with the world around me and the interesting textures and lines I would see.

Are you formally educated or self-taught in photography? I am self-taught. I had read enough and knew before I bought my first dslr that I would need to learn exposure and how to use manual mode. From the moment it came, I spent many hours every day taking pictures and learning; reading everything I could find on the internet. In the beginning days I would sit in front of my bedroom window and take hundreds of pictures of absolutely nothing – slightly changing settings every click…just to see how it would affect the exposure. I had read a lot about the exposure triangle, but I learn best visually. Watching the changes happen in front of me was how I learned. I also spent a lot of time working on my composition. I had always been told I had a good eye but the more I play around with different compositions and perspectives, the more my passion grows.

If you were not a photographer what career would you see yourself in? I’m a new business owner and a single mom, so I still hold a full time m-f job outside of photography. I am the administrator for a small company.
What would be your dream shoot?  I dream of the day my daughter is excited for me to take her picture. She’s almost 8 now and she’s tired of my camera. Ha-ha! What a tough life it’s got to be being a photographer’s daughter.

Who or what inspires you? The colors and textures around me are what inspire me. Light, shadows, sunsets, sunrays, clouds, lightning, wildlife. Emotions. When I’m lucky enough to capture true emotion, it’s very inspiring.

Funniest moment during a shoot? Two times I have photographed a litter of 10 puppies. Both times we tried to get them all up on a rock to get their group portraits done. Picture 2 adults trying to get 10 puppies to stay on this rock while I click away, hoping for the best. Ha-ha! The first litter, we did pretty good. The second litter a year later we were not so lucky.

Favorite photo that you have taken and why? My favorite photo is of my daughter, taken last summer at the pool. She was swinging on the playground and I captured her in a moment of pure innocence. It was unscripted – I was practicing my shutter speed, since she was moving so fast. And it wasn’t until I had pulled the photos off the camera that I realized what a gem it was. It now resides in my dining room on the wall as a 20×30 canvas.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start out as a Photographer? Practice, practice, practice! Learn to use the equipment you have. And then practice some more. Find, know, and understand its limitations before you upgrade. Learn the rules, and then learn to break them. Be inspired, but be yourself. Research, read, and learn from others. You don’t need $$ to learn, there is an abundance of information available for free.  Be confident, but welcome constructive criticism. Photography is art, and art is subjective. In the end, you only have to impress yourself, and your client. If you’re like me; you will be your own worst critic.

Quick Answers:

Canon or Nikon? Canon

Prime or zoom? Prime

Studio or on location? On Location

Natural light or flash? Natural Light

Color or black and white? Color

Mac or PC? PC

Photoshop or Lightroom? Lightroom

Night owl or morning person? Night Owl

Sunrise or sunset? Sunset

Heels or flip flops? Tough!! Heels

Red or white Wine? Red
 

Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla

Your favorite movie of all time? The Neverending Story

Thank you Sarah for having a coffee date with me, I had a great time getting to know you.  And now have a greater appreciation for your work.   Oh and I also agree that The Neverending Story is one of my all time favourite movies  – Ever =)  I loved Falkor, and had secretly wished I could have him;)

So please head on over to Sarah’s Website or Facebook and give her some love =)