Self-LoveFest :: Susanna Gordon

Susanna Gordon is a dear friend of mine and I am thrilled on so many levels to feature this incredible woman’s work. I’ve been on photo walks throughout New York City with Susanna, and each time she has taught me more about how to take in my surroundings and notice the finer details that often go unnoticed. Today’s SLF topic is about going on an adventure with oneself with camera in hand, and I couldn’t think of a better person than Susanna to tackle this one. How lucky I feel to have her here with us, to share her thoughts, tips and stories on the art of solo adventure!Susanna Gordon

When you go out on a solo adventure is it more spontaneous or planned, or a combination of both?

I usually plan ahead with a place (a certain neighborhood in a city) or an event (for example, The NYC Easter Bonnet Parade) or a certain type of photo I want to capture (a winter scene in a park) in mind. I look at my schedule for the week (what days am I off work?) and then figure out the basics: When do I have free time? What’s the weather forecast for the week? What equipment should I bring? I like to be prepared.

 

Do you have favourite haunts?

Yes, I have favourite go-to haunts, particularly if there is a certain mood or scene that I want to capture. There’s a small park in Toronto that reminds me of the books, The Secret Garden and The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe and I’ve photographed both personal creative pieces and portrait shoots with clients there. If I want to see what’s trending in street fashion, I’ll head to Queen Street West.

When we lived in the United States, I’d make a point of photographing the Easter Bonnet Parade in New York every year. It’s a completely disorganized gathering held every Easter Sunday where hundreds, if not thousands, of people walk up and down 5th Avenue wearing either very fashionable hats or completely ridiculous getups. Professional milliners treat the parade as a runway for their designs – smart idea! Drag queens go all out! And regular folk like me make our own designs out of arts and crafts supplies. One year I wore a giant paper mache beehive with little bumblebees flying around it. There was an endless supply of beautiful subject matter and I would return home with hundreds of images on my camera. My in-laws living in Canada saw those images on my blog and began to visit us over the Easter weekend. We’d make a whole creative weekend of it; Easter bonnets were assembled on Saturday and debuted in New York on Sunday. It was one of my favourite family traditions.

 

You have such a gift for street photography, capturing the essences of complete strangers. How do you do that!!!??? They always look so natural and relaxed — it’s almost as if you’re invisible to them. Amazing!

Thank you, Susan. That’s so nice of you to say that. Years ago, right after art college, I landed a job at a photo studio that hired freelance photographers to cover events like weddings, corporate parties, private parties, fundraisers, etc. The style was candid and most of my coworkers were experienced photojournalists earning extra money on evenings and weekends. I learned quickly that clients didn’t want images of the back of people’s heads! They wanted images of their family and friends that were interesting. At a booked event, most guests expect to be photographed and are often interested in how they can get copies.

In a public setting, I guess at whether someone will be okay with me photographing them. If in doubt, I’ll ask for their permission, explaining why I want to take their photo and where I intend to show it. If someone is uncomfortable with me photographing them, I’ll respect their decision. Most times, though, people are okay with me photographing them. I think they are often surprised that a stranger would find their personal style or what they are doing interesting.

In the past, I’ve brought basic photo model release forms with me if I think there’s a possibility that I’ll want to pitch a story to a publisher or post images on my website.

Susanna Gordon

When photographing aspects of your adventure, do you tend to shoot more from the gut, or focus more on camera settings, or a combination of the two?

Both. I think subject matter and composition is slightly more important because there’s no point in keeping a boring image. I’ll set a generally good exposure but will take extra images with slightly varying exposures. The great thing about digital photography and digital software programs like Lightroom and Photoshop is that we can play with exposure in post-production.

Susanna GordonSusanna Gordon

Do you like to travel to new places?

Yes, I do love to travel to new places, whether it’s just for a day or for an extended period of time. Traveling is just good for the soul! Several years ago I went on an autumn road trip through the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec. It was a feast for the eyes! The landscape is rugged and at that time of year, drenched in vivid colours: reds, ochres, mustards, greens. Even the houses along the north side of the peninsula were painted these bright colours. Compared to that, the rivers and bay were steel grey dotted with white caps. I felt as though I had entered a painting!

In Quebec City, I met a fascinating mask maker by the name of Guy Levesque. He had a tiny little shop in the heart of the Old City. The first half of the shop was a gallery for his finished leather masks and the back half was like Geppetto’s workshop with hand carved plaster molds, leather masks in progress and tools on the shelves and tables. I asked him if I could photograph his shop and him as he worked and he kindly said yes. It’s one of my favourite moments from that trip.

Susanna GordonSusanna Gordon

When you’re photographing aspects of your adventure, tell us about your relationship with light — your favorite type, how you work with it, how you handle the ever-changing light that goes hand in hand with roaming the streets, snapping away.

Hmmm…I think it depends on what I’m shooting. Overcast light is nature’s softbox and it makes photographing people outside easier. That said, natural light in the morning and the shadows of late afternoon and dusk can be more interesting. It’s worth convincing someone who will be posing outdoors for a photo to get up very early on a weekend for the perfect lighting. The same can be said for a snowstorm! Just do it! It’s one moment in time and will be worth it!

I usually shoot manually so I can play with the exposure and now that I wear glasses, I’ll set the autofocus onto a specific spot. And I know how to work a flash which is handy when the lighting is less than ideal or the subject matter is moving quickly.

Susanna Gordon

How do you treat yourself when on a date with yours truly?

Cafes! I’m an enthusiastic and somewhat fussy coffee lover and I enjoy the atmosphere of cafes – the décor, the music, the shwwwoooooshhhhh of the espresso steamer thingy behind the counter.

 

What kinds of thoughts/internal chatter do you have when out on your adventures?

If I’m photographing something that is part of a larger personal photography project, then I’ll start thinking of what image will go with another. It’s a more free-flowing state of being, following a string of thought that leads from one idea to another.

Have you seen those “lifestyle” shots in food magazines like Donna Hay or Food & Wine where not only are there mouthwatering shots of a prepared dish but also a scene of, say, people gathered at a picnic or along a beach? A special moment in time has been created by art directors and stylists and the photographers and the models. I’m a fan of those kinds of editorials, partly because I’m a fan of beautiful magazines and books.

When I am shooting at an event, whether it’s personal or a paying job, there is a mental checklist of shots that I know my client or the studio or I would want. There are the basic requirements: certain people and certain scheduled moments. Then there’s the location with close-ups and overall shots. And there are the details – a table setting at a wedding or a display at a fundraiser. Thought has to be put into the composition and the lighting (do I shoot ambient or with flash?). And I have to be aware of what is happening and prepared to act quickly; an image of a roup of people laughing and being silly is way more interesting than an image of the same group of people standing in a line with polite smiles on their faces.

Even when it comes to a solo photo adventure, I tend to shoot a lot, varying the subject matter and composition. Sometimes a theme will be obvious before or during a shoot but sometimes the theme comes out later in post-production when connections between images can be made.

Susanna Gordon

Do you like to strike up conversations with strangers or keep to yourself?

I tend to keep to myself unless something or someone catches my eye. Then I’m not shy at all! My family and friends joke that I ask a million questions. I find people interesting.

 

What do you bring on your adventure?

My nano ipod so I can listen to music, my cell phone so I can text, my camera and/or flash and tripod if it’s a shooting day.

 

What do you come home with?

Lots of photos! Business cards if I’ve photographed someone or something in a store window, etc. I like to give credit or information when I can.

Susanna Gordon

Susanna Gordon

More about the lovely Susanna:

Susanna Gordon is an artist and photographer living near Toronto, Ontario. Her artwork has been exhibited in Canada and in the United States and has also been published in numerous books and magazines. Her online winged messenger project involved participants from Africa, Australia, China, Europe, the Middle East and North America. To learn more about Susanna, visit her blog at susannasketchbook.typepad.com.