Photography Classes + Alum Spotlight, Whitney Ott
Not all photography classes or commercial photography programs are created equal. The proof is in the pudding. Don’t miss this month’s commercial photography spotlight- Circus grad Whitney Ott . In the day & age of #foodporn & social feeds that are swamped with snapshots of your friend’s meals, Whitney’s clean, fresh approach to food photography sets her apart from the rest. Past and present clients of hers include Cooking Light, Garden & Gun, Entertainment Weekly, Atlanta Magazine, Andover Trask, Honeycomb Studio, Radio Roasters, Mill & Forge, Little Tart Bakeshop, The Bitter Southerner, and Tiny Buffalo Baking Co.
Okay Whitney, tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a food & still life photographer that is currently based out of Atlanta.
How long have you been a photographer?
Professionally, the past 4 years. However, I’ve been using a camera for the past 15 years.
Describe your style & subject matter.
I’m a food and still life photographer and I mainly use natural light. I shoot food because I enjoy every aspect of it: raw, cooked, baked, half eaten, etc. I enjoy still life photography because I like creating vignettes. When I photograph anything, I try to capture the essence of the subject in the most natural way possible. I like to focus on the shape, color, and texture of the subject matter.
How did you find The Creative Circus & why did you decide to study here?
A friend of mine told me about the school when we were about to graduate from college. I decided to enroll because photography was something that I wanted to further pursue while in college, and I felt that The Creative Circus was where I should go in order to make my dream of being a photographer happen.
What type of cameras do you work with?
I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II. When film was still somewhat affordable and there was still a lab in the city, I would play around with a 4×5 Mamiya and a Polaroid camera that I’ve had since I was 15.
What is your favorite photography accessory, other than your camera?
A bubble level is always good to have around.
If you had to choose one lens which one would it be and why?
Canon 50mm 1.2 It’s crisp, sharp, and what more do you need if you’re a still life photographer?
What’s your best piece of advice for an up and coming photographer?
You need to be absolutely sure that this is what you want to do. It’s not an easy profession to get in to because it requires a lot of hard work and self-promoting. In that same vein, I would say that it’s important not to give up on yourself and take solace in knowing that every creative person goes through periods of self-doubt and wanting to quit. If it’s what you want to be doing, you’ll figure it out and make It work. Just don’t quit. Also, I would say you need to take pride and value in the work you create. Know when to walk away from a project and know that it’s absolutely okay to say “no.” By this point it’s a cliché to say, but it is important: Stay true to yourself. If you do that, you’re going to be all right.
Be sure to follow her all over the web: facebook, instagram, google+