My parents bought me my first 35mm camera when I was about 13. One day I saw some Ilford black and white film in Boots, tried it and was hooked! Photography was always a passion and in 2006, after my son was born, I decided to study it formally. I’m now 35 so I was a fairly mature student!
What brought you to the business side of things?
I started college with ideas of becoming a commercial photographer, but to be honest it wasn’t where my heart lay and that was obvious from the outset. My work has always been conceptual and as I suffer from mental health problems I started to use it as therapy.
A year ago I put a portfolio of my best work together and people began offering to buy my prints. Encouraged by this I decided to start trying to sell my fine art work and, after hearing about Etsy through Flickr.com, I took a deep breath and went for it! Luckily there actually were people out there who liked my work and wanted to own it!
What's your favorite thing about Emma in Wonderland?
Sharing my work with an appreciative audience and finding other like-minded artists and crafters to sell alongside. (It’s also nice working your own hours without the pressures of deadlines and a boss breathing down your neck!)
How did you decide on that name? I love it!
Thank you! I’m a lover of great literature, including the children’s classics, but the name really came about when I first began sharing my work with others on Flickr.com. I fell down the metaphorical rabbit hole many years ago when I was formally diagnosed with clinical depression. Unlike Alice, however, I’m not so keen to climb back out again as I think a world of nonsense and wonder is a creative gift!
What is your creative process?
Sometimes I know exactly what I’m going to be shooting (such as a still life) and plan the set-up down to the last technical detail, other times I just happen to be out and about with my camera and a scene just presents itself! That’s why I don’t really have a specific niche, image-wise; my work is eclectic and deliberately so! Having said; that there are certain themes close to my heart which I often use and revisit, such as mental illness, Christianity and childhood. I hope it doesn’t sound trite, but the whole world is my inspiration!
If you had a super power what would it be?
Oh my goodness, I’m such a geek that I decided that years ago! It would definitely be the power of invisibility. I could take my camera anywhere, anytime… the possibilities are immense! I could also sneak into places and seriously indulge my people-watching and fly-on-the-wall tendencies! (I’d be very discrete though, and wouldn’t dream of humiliating or hurting anyone. I’m too nice for that and besides, my conscience would never let me sleep again! (I’d have an incredible stash of private shots though!)
Any extra tidbits?
I’m hoping to increase my range over the coming year, to include mounted prints, magnets and possibly even textiles. I’d love to see one of my digital artworks on a cushion cover! J
I’m also aiming to start giving a percentage of my profits from certain images to relevant charities, such as mental health, wildlife, Christian and children’s charities.
Can I also be cheeky and mention my newest venture, an arts and crafts supplies shop on Etsy under the name of Needs Must? Check it out HERE!
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