Kwaku Olston

Celebrity photographer; shots for Time Mag, Vanity Fai, NY Times Sunday Mag

- time is a big key in industry, getting pics to clients as soon as possible

- do your research about subject, to have conversations with them/relate to them -> help person get more comfortable

- Factors: magazine, subject, photographer, publicist, concepts

- All about using tricks for different formats

- try diff things (ex:diff cam) -> keeps it fresh

- edit in your head while shooting digital

- do color corrections/edits before sending to client; ‘raw imgs look terrible’, mags might use raws in their issues

- “show what you love” “shoot,shoot,shoot”

- don’t shoot what mags will respond to, shoot what’s in your heart

- Tradition&Culture- subject matter; always changing

- Present connections with people in photograph to viewer; wants viewer to have direct experience with her imgs

- 1^st went to Africa with family at age 18

- her huge book about geography: 25 tribes, 2 1/2 yr journey; Epic- diversity,lrg scale

- big project=big book

- In it for African experience: stay out in tents or small local hotels, doesn’t stay in Sheraton’s “try not to separate self as much as possible”

- Local companion/driver/translator

- Memorable experiences: attacked, experienced incredible flood

- We’re all connected to Africa historically&genetically (in our DNA)

- think about our origins; anyone can connect w/ and grasp

- friendliness of East Africa&Kenya, wonderful ppl she’ve met

- photojournalism- documentary pieces off realities, involve a lot of research

digital has its convenience, gives something that film doesn’t