Christina Quesenberry - TAP Photographer Profile
We are proud to share the work and words of Christina Quesenberry this month! Christina is a family photographer based out of Germany whose focus on connecting with her clients is immediately apparent when looking at her photos! She is also a great editor who uses our profiles to create a cohesive and seamless look with her film and digital work. We hope you enjoy Christina's TAP photographer profile!
IG Tag: @tinaqberry Website: www.quesenberryphotography.com
Where you’re based out of:
Bavaria, Germany
What camera gear do you use?
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Pentax 645 and Canon EOS 1n. The 35mm f/1.4 and 50mm f/1.2 are my favorite combo.
How long have you been shooting?
5 years as a business and 10 years as a special interest.
What inspired you to shoot professionally?
My small creative outlet picked up momentum as family and friends began coming to me for their photos. Being allowed to continue to experiment and find ways to be creative while working with clients made me take the leap without giving up the part of me that loved the craft.
What is your favorite place to photograph?
My favorite place to photograph is wherever my clients feel most comfortable, most themselves. Of course, I’m partial to our oldtown German cobblestone streets downtown and how the light plays between historical landmarks, where you can stop at the local brewery or grab a gelato.
What place would you love to shoot but haven’t had a chance yet?
I’d love to spend a month driving from Southern France to Italy, documenting and telling stories of how growing and preparing regional food brings us together, what traditions look like in different families, how culture is kept alive through the connection of family.
What do you look for in a session? (Light, location, interaction, etc.)
When children are involved it’s important the location speaks to them, offers opportunities for them to explore or retreat, show their personality and interact with family members openly. Light is always a driving force for when I location scout but happy kiddos are a must.
What is your Archetype and why? (Which profile is your go to?)
I’m a big fan of Fujifilm Pro400h Frontier in both the 0 and +2 version for outdoors. In my lifestyle studio Kodak Portra 400 Frontier shines.
Check out our Fujifilm profile pack HERE and our Kodak profile pack HERE!
What are some of your editing techniques or tips and tricks?
Even if I have a go-to profile, I always prefer to scroll through the catalog and check each option. It’s helped me understand which profile works best in which light or skin tone. It’s also been a big help when it comes to learning how to direct your clients when selecting wardrobe, once you learn how the individual profiles effect color.
What are some of your biggest challenges in running your business?
As a lifestyle family and newborn photographer it can be challenging working within the limitations of what light a home indoors has to offer and understandably so clients are often apprehensive to the idea of having their session in their own home. Having an open dialog by discussing what concerns they may have in the consultation has helped alleviate any doubt. Every home has the potential to be the “perfect” location.
Who are your creative influences?
At the moment I’ve rediscovered how much I love film as a medium and have been enjoying the works from Jade Stephens, Pietro Favaron, Jake Inez and Justine Kurland (Girl Pictures photo book).
Describe your “Ah Ha” moment in photography.
Trust plays such a huge factor in the relationship between photographer and client. I remember connecting with a military spouse stationed in Germany through coincidence on Instagram and discovering we’d both be in Iceland during the same travel period. The stars aligned for us as we planned our Iceland photo session and the connection made through that drove home how meaningful it is to feel comfortable and communicative in order to have a great photo experience.
What are some mistakes that helped you to grow as a photographer?
Getting over how incredibly silly one can feel while working with children. Be obnoxiously goofy, be wild, be spontaneous. Let the spectators spectate.
What inspires you to stay creative?
Taking breaks and giving myself the space to fall in love with something I’ve forgotten about all over again. But typically, I’m drawn to interesting light and shadows.
What goals do you hope to achieve this year?
Shoot as much film as possible. It’s something I say every year and regret not doing come winter.
Is there anything you’d like to share about the creative process or editing that you feel would be helpful?
Study the type of light found in your favorite film photographs. I like to create collections/folders on Instagram for specific light studies from photographers whose work emulates a goal I’d like to achieve.
What is something you would have loved to have learned from another photographer early in your career?
Gosh, I think there’s often a lot of talk about the technical side of photography but less about how to effectively interact and guide your clients during a session. There’s an immense pressure to present ourselves professionally and sometimes that can feel conflicting when your own personality is wacky. You can absolutely embrace your quirks and use them to your advantage while still remaining professional.
