Member Spotlight: Paula Volpe

How long have you been in the photography business? What inspired you to enter the photography world?

I have ‘officially’ been in the photography business for 5-6 years.  Prior to that, I was photographing school events, sporting events, family friends and children for many years.  I began taking photography classes shortly after getting my BSN as a registered nurse.  (I actually asked for a camera for graduation).

I have always loved taking photos and recall a certain scene with my two little brothers where I asked them to reposition themselves so that I could photograph an image of them in a previous stance. I believe I was 8 or 9 at the time.  As I grew older and realized I wanted to capture special moments with a camera, I began taking classes to learn how to capture images better.

What is it about photography that still excites you? What do you look forward to doing in the future?

I get excited about learning new techniques and new types of photography.  Up until recently, I had mainly photographed people and events…people/children were my focus.  My husband persuaded me to accompany him on several bird hunts with friends and our dog.  This opened up a whole new area of photography for me and became an exciting new adventure.  I look forward to more hunting photography – especially of hunters and their dog companions.  I also look forward to expanding into nature photography, and learning techniques for capturing better nature images.

Tell me about one of your images that means something special to you. What makes that image memorable?

The first special image that comes to mind is a candid image I captured last fall.  Our dog was aging and my husband asked me to accompany him and our dog on a pheasant hunt adventure in North Dakota.  Though my husband and Cooper (our British lab) had been on MANY hunts and several out of state, I had never accompanied them.  I am forever grateful I agreed to go.  Not only did I capture the two of them in action and some beautiful skies…I saw and captured the special bond these two had.  Bittersweet in that we recently lost our beloved Cooper and our planned fall hunting trip this year has been cancelled.  Unfortunately, the image that is so special, is not of my husband and our dog, but rather of our friend and HIS dog.  It was the end of our last day of hunting and as the guys and dogs were making their way back to the trucks, I noticed how beautiful the sky was.  I asked them to stop and allow me to get a photo.  While my husband was trying to corral dogs, our friend squatted down and was talking to his favorite dog.  It was completely candid – not perfect (as I later submitted it for review and had all the flaws pointed out)…but it was my favorite.  It represented a very special time and was something I was able to print and gift to our friend.

What are you seeing that other people might miss? What do you notice first about a portrait client?

The first thing I notice about a scene is ‘Where is the light? What direction?’  I start assessing the background and placement of my subject in the scene, becoming aware of what is behind the subject and adjusting to avoid distracting elements.  What I first notice about anyone are the eyes.  I pay attention to how a client carries themself, noticing if they are self-conscious or confident.  Do they have blemishes or features that I need to take into account when posing.

Tell me about one image that you’ve taken that you’ll probably never forget.

One image that I’ll probably never forget?  Oh, this is hard because there are so many.  I am going to focus on MY family.  When our oldest son got married the first time, it was to a girl we had all fallen in love with.  Because of her, my sons were interacting with each other.  My husband performed a civil ceremony the day after our son graduated.  It was just our family, her Dad and two friends in attendance.  The plan was to have a big formal wedding later.  I had my camera and took photos of the ceremony and then a few group photos afterwards.  I took a photo of the bride and groom with the groom’s two brothers on either side of the couple.  It is a beautiful and happy photo that made me want to weep with joy.

What’s something about you that shows up in your photography, whether you intend to or not?

I honestly cannot answer this question.  I have tried to figure out what my style is and what I do differently…and I have no idea.  If there is water and sunrise or sunset around, I do know I will try to capture those elements.  I am also drawn to capturing dramatic images…and this is not always intentional but happens a lot with the way I light my subjects.

Photography has a way of putting us in some pretty interesting situations. What’s one funny, unexpected, awkward, or downright crazy thing that has happened to you while working?

I wasn’t working, but rather, taking a class.  The instructor was teaching us how to photograph ‘fire’ while lighting a subject with OCF.  This involved using a string with a metal scrubby attached that was lit and then swung in circles behind the subject.  Someone from the apartment building behind our location called the police, claiming we were shooting fireworks within city limits.  Police arrived, were reassured we were not shooting fireworks.  They were intrigued by what we were doing…and the instructor invited them to become subjects in one of our photos.  Awkward, funny with a happy and hilarious ending that was captured forever with our cameras!

If someone looked at a collection of your images years from now, what would you hope they could learn about the way you see the world or people?

It is my belief that everyone is photogenic…it’s just a matter of capturing with my lens, the angle that reflects that.  Two of the highest complements to me is when a parent tells me I captured their child’s personality and when a client who thinks they are not photographic, changes their mind when they see an image I captured of them…before editing.  We are surrounded by so much beauty and I hope that years from now anyone looking at my photographs sees that in my images;  whether it is a senior, a couple, a family, a person with their best four-footed companion or a landscape captured as the sun rises or sets.

Looking back at your years or months of being a member of APPA, what did you gain from APPA?

The most important thing I have gained from being a member of APPA has been getting to know other photographers in our state that I might never have met otherwise.  I love the conferences and classes offered, but it is the ‘people’ connections with photographers in our state that mean the most to me.

What project, achievement, or career moment are you especially proud of?

I have no professional achievement or career moment to claim…however I do have a personal achievement/project of which I am grateful and proud.  I had been the school archivist at my sons’ elementary school for years.  When the school closed, I felt lost.  The new school my youngest son began to attend already had a photographer/archivist.  This school was known for the amazing plays it produced.  When I was asked to photograph the play and create a book, I was honest about my LACK of computer/technical skills.  They asked me to do it anyway.  My learning curve can be very steep…but in the process, I discovered that I LOVED creating and documenting with images and text.  Even after my son left the school, I was asked to continue creating their play photobooks for years.  I learned so much and began creating first year books for clients with babies.  I always did books for others, but never my family.  This summer, after we lost our beloved Cooper dog, I created a special book for my husband and our youngest son, documenting though archived photos of almost 10 years of our sweet dog.  It was a difficult labor of love that allowed me to grieve and create a forever keepsake for our family.

A few of Paula’s favorite images