October 2009 Featured Photographer of the Month

Our October Featured Photographer of the Month

Monica Burby

 Check out PhotoUmbra Studios

1. What equipment you do you use?

I use the Nikon D300 usually with my favorite lens, the Nikon 18-200 VR. I love the Nikon SB-800’s for my on camera lighting diffused with the Gary Fong Cloud Dome and I sync with my other lights using radio poppers. In studio I use Alien Bees and love them.

2. How long have you been shooting?

I have been shooting since I was a child, but I got really serious about it about 14 years ago when I was in college and I got really really serious about it 4 years ago when I opened my own studio.

3. Where are you located?

I am located just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah.

4. What type of photography do you take?

I take portraits and do weddings. I also enjoy doing some fine art projects on the side and I have a few commercial clients as well.

5. Price range of events?

A basic portrait session starts at $75-$200 and event coverage ranges from about $800 to $3000.

6. When did you notice that you had passion for photography?

My first memory of falling in love with photography was when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I remember sitting on my parent’s bed looking at old National Geographic that my dad had collected. I remember even at that young age trying to figure out where the lighting was coming from and how they made such interesting photographs. I especially loved the ones of people.

7. Is there anything unique about what you do?

I would like to think that I approach each of my sessions with a fresh vision. I try to really capture who they are and avoid cookie cutter sessions where everything from props to camera angles to my lighting is the same. I try to make each experience unique for my clients. One of my favorite things I do is that at some point during each session I do something totally off the wall. I tell the client that I just want to try something totally different and I would say that 8 out of 10 times, those shots end up being everyone’s favorites. Keeping my shoots fresh keeps me excited about doing this day in and day out. I also believe in impeccable customer service and always (well, nearly always) saying YES.

8. What’s the funniest thing that ever happened during a shoot?

About 10 years ago my friend and I were photographing in a remote area in the Wasatch Mountains. We took a 4 wheeler up to the location along with some pretty dresses and a pair of 5 foot wings we made out of metal. We had planned to photograph each other for a project we wanted to do for an art exhibition. So we changed into our dresses (which turned out to be see-through) and put on our wings and had a blast photographing each other in the water and on the cliffs. About an hour into the shoot, wouldn’t you know it, a group of rowdy guys on 4-wheelers decide to come to our exact location. At the time they pulled up, we’re about 20 feet up the cliffs with nothing but our sheer dresses and wings on. They stood at the bottom of the cliff and totally laughed at us making our way down with cameras and tripods, etc. Once we got down we ran to our 4-wheeler and sped off with me on the back with huge pair of metal wings on, camera around my neck and my bogen in hand threatening the boys not to follow us.

9. What’s the scariest thing that ever happened during a shoot?

When I realized about 20 minutes into a session that I didn’t even have my card in the camera. Luckily the shots were just of a bride and groom in the garden before their wedding so we were able to backtrack and do the shots over again before the ceremony started. Whew!

10. How many events do you photograph each year?

I photograph about 30 events and about 40 portrait sessions per year.

11. Have you had to change anything to adjust in current economic times?

The economic downturn actually came at the perfect time for me. Last year I way over worked so I decided to slow things down and enjoy my 4 year old daughter this year before she will start school. I still take a few sessions a week, but I am enjoying more time with my daughter so I’m glad that not as many request are coming in. I have not dropped my prices but I haven’t raised them either like I usually do each year.

12. Describe your shooting style?

I would say that I am a bit of an idealist when it comes to photography. I tend to photograph things as I imagine them to be. I am definitely not a journalist or documentary artist. I have a great deal of respect for those types of photographers, but despite my efforts, I still photograph things and people in a very idealistic way. While living in Italy several years ago, I really tried to develop myself as more of a photojournalist, but I just didn’t have the knack for it. I would search out these abandoned castles and old churches, and all I could think about was putting a woman in a pretty dress in the scene. Perhaps that is why wedding photography has ended up being such a perfect fit for me. I never set out to be a wedding photographer, but I was drawn to weddings because they are usually in pretty ideal settings and there is usually a very powerful story to be told.

13. Why do you use and love PhotoBiz?

I found PhotoBiz a couple of years ago and I absolutely LOVE it. I love how they are constantly coming out with new features and I’m enjoying feeling even more involved with their blog and FB updates. I have referred several photographers to PhotoBiz and continue to do so. Their customer service is excellent and I love the flexible plan options since my business fluctuates from month to month.

Past Featured Photographers
2009
February :: March :: April :: May :: June :: July :: August :: September