An interview with Kim DeGooyer from SemiSweetStudios
Lelaine :
Hi Kim, when
and how did you first become interested in photography?
I've always been interested in creating. I was an art major in college with
a focus on oil painting (you can see my work in my other shop, whitebarnstudios.etsy.com) but when I moved to NYC after graduating, I needed to find a job to pay
the bills and I stopped painting. I dabbled a bit in other creative adventures
here and there, and I did some graphic design for while. A few years down the
road, I found myself getting married, having babies and somehow leaving my
creative self behind.
Then, about 5 years ago, my husband gave me a Digital SLR camera for Christmas and the rest is history. My creative juices were flowing. I wanted to capture so much of what I saw, and how I saw it. My hard drive quickly filled up with shots of flowers, landscapes, seascapes, barns, birds, farms, shells, rain, snow, sunsets, etc.
I bought photography books, fine-tuned my technical skills and put my formal art training to use. I already knew Photoshop, so I brushed up on the newest updates and was off to the races. I still have a great passion for painting, but I also love that I can use my camera to capture a favorite moment in an instant. And don't' even get me started on how much fun I'm having with Instagram (If you haven't tried it, you should!) If you want to check out my Instagram feed, I'm "semisweetstudios".
Then, about 5 years ago, my husband gave me a Digital SLR camera for Christmas and the rest is history. My creative juices were flowing. I wanted to capture so much of what I saw, and how I saw it. My hard drive quickly filled up with shots of flowers, landscapes, seascapes, barns, birds, farms, shells, rain, snow, sunsets, etc.
I bought photography books, fine-tuned my technical skills and put my formal art training to use. I already knew Photoshop, so I brushed up on the newest updates and was off to the races. I still have a great passion for painting, but I also love that I can use my camera to capture a favorite moment in an instant. And don't' even get me started on how much fun I'm having with Instagram (If you haven't tried it, you should!) If you want to check out my Instagram feed, I'm "semisweetstudios".
Lina
E :
Hi Kim,
In what ways is photography influencing your life?
I think that photography helps me to push my boundaries.
I've always slowed down to notice my environment and I am constantly pointing things out to the people around me; the way the tree bare branches look against the autumn sky or a delicate bird feather just laying on the ground. The beauty and simplicity of pale pink icing and crystal sprinkles on a cupcake or the peeling turquoise paint on an abandoned farmhouse door.
But with my camera and my iPhone, I don't just notice these anymore (or annoy my companions who may not be quite as excited about peeling paint.) In an instant, I can capture them the way I see them, manipulate them to the way I want to see them and share them with the world.
I've always slowed down to notice my environment and I am constantly pointing things out to the people around me; the way the tree bare branches look against the autumn sky or a delicate bird feather just laying on the ground. The beauty and simplicity of pale pink icing and crystal sprinkles on a cupcake or the peeling turquoise paint on an abandoned farmhouse door.
But with my camera and my iPhone, I don't just notice these anymore (or annoy my companions who may not be quite as excited about peeling paint.) In an instant, I can capture them the way I see them, manipulate them to the way I want to see them and share them with the world.
 |
Seagull by SemiSweetStudios |
Tell us a
bit of your daily routine...
My daily routine is pretty packed. But I ALWAYS start with a huge cup of coffee
- fresh ground Dunkin Donuts plus a generous helping of half-and-half. I'm a
nut about my coffee. I even take my coffee grinder on vacation (I think I just
over-shared.) Then it's down to business - either filling orders, photo
editing, answering emails and curating treasury collections on Etsy. I also
schedule time in my calendar for photo shoots and painting several times a
week. Once the kids are back from school, all bets are off. We have activities
galore, dinner and homework. After everyone is in bed, it's back to the
computer for some marketing (facebook, Pinterest, blogging and Etsy, of
course!).
Peggy:
It is amazing how you can manage family and business! I am so impressed!
Where do you find all this energy? Is there a secret tip you may share with us?
 |
Red Antique Fire Hydrantby SemiSweetStudios |
Coffee, coffee, coffee! Plus some fresh air and daily exercise - even if
it’s just a walk around the block.
Peggy:
If you could concentrate your life philosophy in a quote, which one would
it be and why?
Kim
DeGooyer ::
"A
person will be just about as happy as they make up their minds to be." – Abraham Lincoln
Peggy: Is there an artist that you admire and has influenced your photo
perspective?
There are a variety of painters and photographers who influence my work, including:
Andrew Wyeth, Lee Krasner, Ansel Adams, Paul Cezanne, Wolf Kahn, Berthe Morisot.
Peggy:
It was a great opportunity to have this interview with you, Kim!
Thank you so much!
Featured Shop by Peggy Dot.
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