A clear crisp day in March, I sat in my living room alone
and reviewed the questions I had typed up on my laptop. With a pit in my
stomach, I read them aloud to myself and contemplated the importance of each
one. These are good questions, these are in the right order, this will be fine.
Slowly, meticulously, I packed everything away before leaving my house, climbing
in my car, and merging into the hustle and bustle of traffic.
I was on my way to Linnea Portrait Studio in industrial Portland
to perform my first ever interview with a photographer.
Linnea Osterberg has been a photographer for over 15 years. Found
in “Top Portland Photographer Guide,” and “Best 10 Photographers in Portland,” Linnea’s
portraiture focuses on children and families and her clear and distinct style
is easy to recognize. I felt connected to Linnea’s journey through her
background with children and families, as I myself was a preschool teacher for
five years before switching careers. I feel lucky to have had this opportunity to
have a conversation with someone whose career I admire so greatly.
Upon walking in, I felt instantly welcomed. Linnea introduced
herself and offered me a glass of water, which I accepted. I set my phone out
on the table and hit record, and we got right into the conversation, talking a
bit about me but mostly about her!
Me: Did you have photography in mind while you were
studying Child and Family Counseling at Lewis and Clark?
Linnea: No, not at all. I had wanted to take a
photography class for a long time, but it had never fit in my schedule for my
major. So, when I started at Lewis and Clark, there was a Basic Photography class
over at PCC. So, I took that, and then I practiced on the boys that I was a nanny
for. I never imagined this being my job. The internship (for family counseling)
was not what I imagined it would be. It was not a good fit. So I thought why
not try out photography while I’m young.
Me: So did you learn a lot on your own or did you end
up going back to school for photography?
Linnea: No, I didn’t got back to school. So, one of
my friends in school said, “Let me set you up with my wedding photographer, he
is such a nice guy!” So I met up with him and he took me under his wing and taught
me a lot of stuff.
Me: So did he do film or was he doing digital?
Linnea: No, he was doing film. This was in like 2001.
Me: Oh okay, and you’re still doing film now, aren’t you?
Linnea: No, I actually quit film like 2 years ago. It
just got to be too difficult because not very many vendors were working with film
so getting prints made and dealing with re-touching got to be too hard. And now
the quality of prints is so good, I’m like, “why did I spend so much time doing
film?” I mean, film has it’s own special things, but in terms of running a
business I only have this much time to do this project so it just doesn’t
really make sense. Unless you charge a ton, and people just don’t care enough
that it’s film.
Me: I’ve kind of read about how people think that
photography is easy, and so they will go for the cheaper option.
Linnea: Oh, totally.
Me: So you aren’t doing film anymore, but I’ve seen
that you stay with black and white. That’s like your signature style, so how did
you decide to do black and white instead of color?
Linnea: Yep, that’s all I do. I was just drawn to it.
My mentor was a black and white film guy so I just kind of did what he did, and
I was really lucky that he was a good fit for me artistically. At the time,
black and white was coming back, and it was more unique than color. Also,
because not everyone was digital, it was a lot harder to choose this one in
color and this one in black and white. You would do all black and white or all
color.
Me: When you started with your mentor, were you
mostly doing wedding photography with him?
Linnea: No, we would kind of meet during the week for
an hour or two here and there and I would bring my latest work and he would
critique and give advice. I did go on one wedding shoot with him, but not as
like an assistant or a second photographer. He actually already had a second
photographer, I was just kind of observing to see how it goes.
Me: So, what kind of work were you doing then
compared to your portraiture now?
Linnea: So, I’ve always done children and families.
The only time it has been different was the first five years or so, I can’t
really remember. In those first years I did a lot of weddings because I needed
the income. I really wanted to just do portraits.
Me: Well your portraiture is awesome, but I have
another question here: Do you like to practice any other kind of photography?
Still lives or anything?
Linnea: I have no real interest in photographing
other things. I feel like maybe I should, but I don’t. Ever so slightly maybe
food photography, just to see like how they style it, but I feel like as a
hobby, not to replace this. I’m kind of
interested in flowers and stuff.
Me: I know you also do lots of work for and with
charities, and right now you are working with Pixie Project. Are there any kind
of challenges working with pets vs. people, or do you have challenges?
Linnea: [She laughs] Oh yeah, I have challenges.
Well, people have always been allowed to bring their dogs and, I guess, cats,
but what I didn’t know before I started this Pixie Project work was that people
that included their dogs were usually very well trained. The Pixie Project dogs
are just like regular dogs, they aren’t exceptionally well trained or badly
behaved, they just want to like run around and whatever. I didn’t realize it
was going to be like that because when people brought their dogs in the past
they were always super calm. And when I’m photographing a dog with their
people, that’s one thing, but when it’s a dog by themselves, they like don’t
want to be there, they don’t know what to do with themselves.
Me: Are there any other projects you are thinking of
doing this year?
Linnea: Yeah, I’m doing something for an organization
called the Raphael House, they do services for like domestic violence and they
also have services to get people back on their feet. So I’m going to start
doing portraits for graduates of their program. So I’m really excited to start
doing that.
Me: I think it’s really awesome that you have the
opportunity to do that kind of stuff.
Linnea: Oh yeah, me too.
Me: So my next question kind of changes the subject,
is there anyone in the photography world that you look to for inspiration?
Linnea: So what I really like about this job is that
there’s kind of two different jobs in one. So there’s the photography piece of
it, and there’s also the business piece of it that requires a totally different
set of skills and day-to-day tasks. So most of what I look up now is mostly
related to the business part of it. When I want to look at photography, I
really like to look at old old stuff that I don’t necessarily even know who the
photographer is. I do like Imogen Cunningham, like her flowers and things. I
wouldn’t say I look at many photos, I’m more interested in like a biography or
something for inspiration. I read a really great quote the other day, “When you’re
walking into a room, think about all the women that paved the way for you to do
what you are doing now,” or something like that. It was really great for
inspiration.
Me: Yeah, that is nice. I like that. Part of the
discussions in my classes right now are the differences and importance of being
a male photographer or female photographer, and how it affects the photos that
you take. Do you feel like that is true for your work at all?
Linnea: I mean, it has to, because that is my
identity. I think also other parents may
trust me more because of that stereotype with like women and kids working
together. There has been a huge shift in the industry where more women are
getting into it than men or than there are men. I was kind of surprised when I
read that this field was so male dominated.
Me: Well, that leaves me with one last question, and because
I’m a student I feel like I have to ask this question: Do you have any advice
for first year photography students?
Linnea: Yes! Remind me what is the name of your
program?
Me: It’s a two year program that is an Associates of Applied
Sciences Integrated Media: Photography degree. That’s the whole title.
Linnea: So you’re only studying photography?
Me: Yeah
Linnea: That’s so cool! So what are the classes you
are taking?
Me: So we are doing a lot of studio lighting this
term and next term, and we are starting Photoshop. Do you use Photoshop at all?
Linnea: Ahh Photoshop. I don’t.
Me: Well, it’s kind of nice to know that you can be
successful without using Photoshop, cuz it can be kind of intimidating!
Linnea: Yeah, it is intimidating. In terms of
re-touching images and stuff, you have to, as a business, determine if it is
worth your time. It’s like, am I going to sit here and learn how to do
Photoshop or work on the next project? So, I wish I knew a little bit about it,
and it’s good to know, but for a portrait studio it doesn’t make any sense at
all.
Me: That’s good to know! I’m really hoping to have my
own business and studio and do this kind of thing. And the business aspect of
it is really interesting and learning how to market yourself and what not.
Linnea: Yeah it totally is! But it is HARD. Well,
maybe it’s not hard for you. But the reason it is hard for me is: “Look how
good I am.” And that is not something that comes natural to me. It doesn’t mean
I can’t do it, or won’t do it, I mean it’s my business. I did a lot of stuff I
really wasn’t happy with, but that’s what you have to do if this is the kind of
job you want to have.
Me: So is there anything specific you would recommend
doing?
Linnea: Oh yeah, right! [We share a laugh] Is there
anything I would recommend? Well, when I first started I did not have any
money. I went to Powell’s, there was a book there called “How to Market Black and
White Portraits,” and it was used and it was $19.95 and I was like, “Oh man,
twenty bucks?” But I bought it and read it and I did literally everything she
said to do. I didn’t know what to do, so I thought, “I guess I’ll do that!” So
basically, I would tell you to read, A LOT. When I first started and I had no
clients, I would be like, “Okay, this is my job.” So I would go to the library
and I would read for 40 hours a week. So the other book I would recommend is
called, “You are a Badass at Making Money,” It is so good.
Me: That sounds motivating!
Linnea: Yeah it really is good. And I mean if I didn’t
have my mentor, I wouldn’t have gotten as good at photography. But he really is
just a mentor in photography, he’s not really good like in business. He’s
definitely an artist. He does mostly landscapes and stuff now on platinum film.
So he didn’t help me as much with the business side of it and marketing myself,
I had to learn that.
Me: Yeah, something I personally am struggling with is
gaining that confidence to run a business and market myself that way.
Linnea: I mean, the more you do and the more
situations you encounter, the better. So, the sooner you get to those different
situations and deal with them, the better you will be able to handle them later
when they come back up.
Me: That is true. That is good advice! And thank you
so much for agreeing to do this with me!
After exchanging Instagram accounts, and thanking Linnea
again as much as I could, I headed back out into the world. It was almost
surreal getting in the elevator, texting my boyfriend and telling him how
awesome of an experience I just had, and taking a deep breath. I walked outside
and got in my car like I was totally normal, but I still had a huge smile on my
face as I drove to school. I was late for class that afternoon, but this
interview felt worth it!
Thanks again, Linnea!
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