SheFeatures: Carmen Drake
Name: Carmen Drake
Camera: Canon EOS R5, Canon EOS R6, Fujifilm X-T5, FujifilmX100VI, Ricoh GRiii, DJI Mini 3 Pro ... shall I continue?
Favourite type of photography: Urban wildlife photography (and more)
Location: Kingston upon Thames, UK.
Website: pitoresc.com
Instagram: @pitorescdotcom
How did you get into photography?
When I was in Uni, I got a film SLR and noticed the difference that manual settings make in photography. I think the bug really happened then! Much later, when I got my first proper digital camera (a Canon EOS 5D Mark II), I really started to get more creative and explore more and more.
Read the SheClicks Fujifilm X-T5 Review
Do you have any photographic qualifications or accolades?
I am a member of the Royal Photographic Society and hold the LRPS distinction.
What's the first photograph you remember seeing or shooting?
The first photographs I remember seeing were family photos. Nothing spectacular, but a fantastic way to put faces next to names in the family tree. The first photo that I remember taking and liking was shot at night of the Semperoper - the Dresden Opera House, a beautiful-looking building which looked fantastic when lit at night too. I remember going there at night with a friend (to have some sort of protection/safety), setting up the tripod and shooting. I remember being very happy with the results.
What do you love about photography?
I think that photography brings a lot of benefits for me:
Photography can be a way of creating something when you don't know how to draw.
Photography can bring a bit of mindfulness in a busy life: the fact that when you take pictures, it's you and your camera, and you are in the present moment, concentrating on your thoughts and what is in front of your eyes.
Photography is a way to connect technology and art. I like its technical aspect, and I am a declared gadget girl. I love the gear, buttons and the post-production part of photography as well.
What do you wish you'd learned about photography earlier?
I wish I knew better how to organise my photography archive to make it easier for me to access the photos from many years ago. It's always nice to look back in time and remember moments, feelings, people and places.
Where is your favourite place for photography?
There are a few places that I like very much, and they are quite different. I mentioned 'urban wildlife', and for this I like Bushy Park and Richmond Park. I am extremely lucky to be very close to them.
I also like strolls into 'the big smoke', London. I like to discover the architecture and hopefully capture it in combination with the quirky combination of people around it.
Do you have a favourite photographic technique?
Unless I specifically choose more artistic lenses such as Lensbaby or vintage lenses, my style seeks sharpness and detail. However, I enjoy shallow depth-of-field shots, where the sharpness really highlights the subjects of my photos.
Can you briefly outline your approach to image processing?
I import my images in Lightroom, I make an initial selection of the images that I want to keep, I edit them in Lightroom - mainly looking at highlights, sharpness, crop and colours, then I take the image to Photoshop, and from there I might send it to various other software, such as Topaz Denoise or Nik Collection - (Silver Efex and HDR Efex are my favourites). Once I am happy, I export it as a final jpeg.
What's your favourite lens?
My favourite lens is the Canon RF 100-500 f4.5-7.1L IS USM.
Do you have a favourite accessory?
I quite like my Peak Design Travel Tripod - it's lightweight and compact.
Read the SheClicks Peak Design Travel Tripod Review
Have you found the perfect camera bag yet?
Of course not. There isn't such a thing. The same applies to cameras. But I do like the Peak Design Everyday 20l bag. It has a lot of features that make it a really useful bag.
Which photographers have influenced or inspired you, and how or why?
I like Richard Avedon's pictures. For me they are like a textbook of how portraits should look like. I also like Rodney Smith very much, It's sort of a Richard Avedon with a sense of humour. I have coffee table books of their work that I enjoy looking at from time to time.
Please recommend 2 or 3 female photographers to follow on Instagram.
Tina Hogg @streetnan_, Donna Crous @donnacrous and Matilda Lindeblad @matildalindeblad
Is there a camera, lens or accessory that you don't have yet but you'd like to buy at some point?
Just in case my other half is reading, this: ‘I have all the gear that I want!’ :-) I actually think that I am pretty happy with what I have at the moment.
Is there a genre of photography that you love but that you haven't tried yet?
I tried very little, but I like astrophotography - and by this, I mean landscapes where the Milky Way can add a whole new look to the image. There aren't many dark skies around me to do more of this.
What's your proudest photographic moment?
I planned a super moon rise shot at Seven Sisters / over the Birling Gap for about two weeks by looking at maps and consulting the PhotoPills app. I went to the location and everything was exactly as I expected. I was so happy, and happy with my shots on that day.
If you could have one superpower that could help you with photography, what would it be?
I think teleportation would be great, so I can be where I wanted in seconds. ‘Beam me up, Scotty!’
Your favourite baked goods are?
Camera-shaped gingerbread cookies. I know someone who makes them as a Christmas treat!
Tell us a little about yourself.
In order of importance for me, the things that define me for the others: I am a mum of a 7-and-a-half-year-old munchkin. I am an amateur photographer who loves to experiment with every bit of gear or technique that catches my attention. I am a civil/structural engineer - and this detail, I think, relates to my interest in the technical side of photography a lot.
I am lucky that I do not specialise in any particular genre of photography, and I happily explore various genres. I like urban wildlife photography, but I also enjoy more creative types of photography, using vintage lenses or Lensbaby lenses for various effects, sometimes a bit of studio type of photography and most recently, gathering more courage to embrace the thrills of street photography.
Read the SheClicks Guide to Lensbaby Lenses
