Natalia Pollard (Delaware) |
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Natalia Pollard is a freelance photographer who moved to the United States back in 2009. She is Russian/American having moved from a small country in Europe called Moldova. Natalia got her first digital camera that same year she moved to the States, saying "I worked my tail off as a housekeeper to pay for it!"
She used to work at a photography store "First State Photo" down in Rehoboth Beach, where my boss, Bob was a professional film photographer. So she was able to learn a lot from him. Pollard mentioned, "Film photography is a dying breed, but it is like the coolest thing and I absolutely loved working with it and developing film photographs." After getting married and having children her life became a bit too busy for her hobby but now she claims, she is catching up on that. Nothing brings her more joy than documenting her boys' days. She hopes when they're old they will cherish these captured moments from their mama!
She used to work at a photography store "First State Photo" down in Rehoboth Beach, where my boss, Bob was a professional film photographer. So she was able to learn a lot from him. Pollard mentioned, "Film photography is a dying breed, but it is like the coolest thing and I absolutely loved working with it and developing film photographs." After getting married and having children her life became a bit too busy for her hobby but now she claims, she is catching up on that. Nothing brings her more joy than documenting her boys' days. She hopes when they're old they will cherish these captured moments from their mama!
Interview by Kyle Sobieski
For some one aspiring to become a professional photographer, what tips or advice could you give to get them started and inspired?
Photography has been my hobby for almost ten years now (I used to have a film camera when I was little and I would take pictures of my friends and family and I got my first digital camera when I moved to United States in 2009) and only recently I decided to take it on a professional level. I think the biggest thing for me was realizing what is the driving force behind my work, why do I want to do this, you know. Some people love shooting landscapes, nature, sunsets, macro, etc. and for me - it's people. I love capturing the emotions and feelings withing the picture, which can be hard sometimes because people tend to tense up in front of the camera...so, I guess, bringing out that emotion and capturing the personality is what drives me the most. So, that being said, my advice to aspiring photographers would be to find out what drives them to do photography in the first place. |
How has photography changed your life? What are the advantages you see with it and what are some of the struggles you face being a photographer?
I can't say that photography has changed my life in a certain way, but it most definitely makes me who I am, if that makes sense. I am a creative person by nature and photography is my kind of art and the way to express myself. It's more than just taking a picture, there's so much thought that goes into every image, it starts with a vision, you know.
I can't say that photography has changed my life in a certain way, but it most definitely makes me who I am, if that makes sense. I am a creative person by nature and photography is my kind of art and the way to express myself. It's more than just taking a picture, there's so much thought that goes into every image, it starts with a vision, you know.
The biggest advantage of doing photography, for me, is having the opportunity to express myself. Most of my work is pretty much how I see MY world. I am a stay at home mom at this point of my life, so a lot of my images reflect that - chasing my two wild boys around (laughs).
(If you follow my social media long enough you will see a lot of images of my boys exploring their world with their backs to the camera, that's my life right now - they explore and I document).
As far as struggles - I feel like it is different for every photographer. I usually have a pretty good attitude towards things and I try not to compare myself to others, because the minute I do - I loose focus of who I am as a photographer.
(If you follow my social media long enough you will see a lot of images of my boys exploring their world with their backs to the camera, that's my life right now - they explore and I document).
As far as struggles - I feel like it is different for every photographer. I usually have a pretty good attitude towards things and I try not to compare myself to others, because the minute I do - I loose focus of who I am as a photographer.
Has Delaware had any impact on your career? What are the benefits that come with being located in Delaware?
I live in Southern Delaware and love the beach! I love shooting at State Parks and all the cute little towns down here. There's beauty everywhere, honestly. One of the benefits of living by the beach is that you can acquire a lot of work here, everyone loves golden hour beach sessions! However, I do wish we had mountains here too! :)
I live in Southern Delaware and love the beach! I love shooting at State Parks and all the cute little towns down here. There's beauty everywhere, honestly. One of the benefits of living by the beach is that you can acquire a lot of work here, everyone loves golden hour beach sessions! However, I do wish we had mountains here too! :)
What type of camera do you use and what would you recommend for someone just getting started? Are there certain products to avoid as a beginner, or any products you must have when getting started?
I have a Nikon camera and love it. I used to shoot Canon, then Olympus, but Nikon is by far my favorite. If you are just getting started with photography, my recommendation would be to just start with whatever you got! Sometimes the topic of "what gear do you use" makes me frustrated because there is an opinion that professional photographers must have biggest, newest gear, the most expensive one. I strongly disagree. Like I said before, photography is art, and a good artist can create beautiful work out of scraps, facts. I know some photographers who use inexpensive cameras and are very successful in their field! So yeah, if you have the drive and a vision, just go for it. |
Just a side note, if you're doing professional portraits, I would recommend having extra memory cards and extra battery for your camera, you don't want to run out of those mid session! (and yes! I learned this the hard way)
Anyways, good luck to anyone starting out as a photographer, it's a very competitive field, but if you stay true to yourself - you will succeed!
Anyways, good luck to anyone starting out as a photographer, it's a very competitive field, but if you stay true to yourself - you will succeed!
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