Interview with the fabulous, Jennifer Nobriga

So, as I mentioned previously, I thought it would be fun to 'interview' our amazing members and get to know them a little better (and possibly have blackmail when they are rich and famous and their workshops are sold out and we want free passes....).  I am SO thrilled that THE JENNIFER NOBRIGA offered to be my first guinea pig  volunteer! We all love her work, so let's pull back the curtain and learn about Jenn, the photographer--shall we?

How would you describe yourself in three sentences?

ok…so that's a toughie. i do not like to talk about myself normally. i'm more, let's talk about you and your story you know?? i guess i'd say this:

i am nice.

i am insecure.

i am genuine.

yeah…those sounded like a kindergartner's sentences. oh well!!

What sparked your passion for Photography?

when i was younger…my early-ish teen years, i used to remember my dad having a camera and taking pics of me…like when i played soccer and stuff. he also used it for his business which was a private investigator. it always interested me and he later gave his camera to me. i actually remember having my nephew and cousin (who were 10yrs younger than me) pose for some outdoor shots in my backyard one time! i started to get interested in photography again when my kids were born. eventually i got a dslr (a nikon d3000) but only used it as a glorified point and shoot. never taking it off of auto and using it literally twice a year for maybe 10 pics total. then this past december i decided to take it out again and actually planned a shoot with my kids for our christmas cards. my friends "liked" my pics that i posted and some asked if they were professional. i never ever had anyone say that about me…ever. i was proud you know?? then my niece asked if i'd thought about being a professional photographer and kept complementing my pictures. when i was up there, i asked if they would like to go out and let me take their picture. it was FREEZING that day, but we went and they gamely stood while i shivered and took their picture with my d3000. i took those pics home, edited them (horribly, with an iPad app) and posted them to their Facebook page. they loved them and so did others. i took one of their shots that i loved the most and had it framed and sent to them. i cried. i've never had someone actually make me feel good about myself about something that i did. i was really proud and i cried. anyway…that's how it started. i joined clickin moms and the rest you guys know.

What’s in your camera bag?

well..i just got the kelly moore two sues bag in indigo so that holds my stuff right now. i also have a bag that i bought on etsy a while back around the time of the start of the BDBCE class. i use a canon 6d and i have a canon 35mm f/2, a canon 50mm f/1.4, a canon 85mm f/1.8. the one lens that is probably on my camera most of the time is my canon 35mm L 1.4. man i LOVE that one. i also have a neutral expo disc (that i really should try to figure out how to use), a whibal card (that i really should try to figure out how to use), these macro lens filter things (that i really should figure out how to use), and a polarizing filter that i've used twice. i feel all fancy saying that i have two "back up" cameras…my two old nikons. oh and my strap is a black rapid strap that the fabulous Lori suggested. it is probably the best strap ever.

What Camera/Equipment did you start out with?

i started out with my nikon d3000 back in 2010. then i bought one lens for it in march of this past year…a 35mm. i bought a used nikon d70 about a couple of weeks or so before class, hoping that i'd like that and a 50mm to go with that one. it was ok, but i wish i had held onto my money instead, because i ended up buying my canon about the 1st week of class.

If you could only use one lens an entire session which one would you choose and why?

yowza…that's a tough question!! can we play the imaginary lens game?? like, if it was a perfect world and i could have any lens that i want..it would be the canon 24-70mm lens. jeez that lens is awesome and i'd probably use it a TON for sessions. maybe throwing in a 135 too. if we're talking reality…i guess it's a toss-up between my 35 and my 85. lately i've been using my 35mm all. the. time. so, i'd probably say my 35mm and then my 85mm is a close second.

What advice would you give your “just starting out self”?

save your money and learn how to use LR or PSE or whatever editing program is out there…instead of buying a lot of actions, even if they're on sale. it's not that actions are bad, but if i had to do it all over again, i wouldn't have bought so many for pse because i really haven't even used them.

Biggest “Wow, what was I thinking?!” edit fiasco?

ok…so i took a picture of my son SPECIFICALLY for the click "green" contest. i thought that the picture i took wasn't too bad and i would enter it. i had NO idea how to edit in PSE and i hadn't even taken LR yet. i could have just figured out how to tweak it maybe, but decided that i'd use an action. it wasn't horrible, but he kinda looked waaaaaaay more orange than he should have. i recently redid it using LR and it looks more "me".

Current Photog crush?

oh god. too many to mention. first and for most, meredith novario. she inspires me daily with her work and her general fabulousness. kate parker. punch photographic. melissa gibson. tara sweeney. oh and lisa tichane too!!

If you could photograph absolutely anyone who would it be dead or alive?

not to go all mysterious and "she who must not be named" on you, but i have a really close friend who i don't talk to anymore. i miss them terribly and that person would have been a perfect person to photograph.

Describe your style in 3 words.

this is another hard one because i don't feel that i have a "style" yet?? so i'm just going to throw some words out there...

simple?

casual?

classic?

Best photography purchase? Worst?

best: besides my camera..i'd have to say the workshops at cm.

worst: that darn d70. did i mention that i used it for a couple of weeks??!!!

Any Photography related Goals for 2013?

figure out how to use my settings so I'm not all fumbly. gain more confidence in myself.

What’s your most recent “Ah HA!” moment related to photography?

i'd have to say learning how to edit images properly. getting the image right in camera is only part of the game. you can make an image go from good or great to WOW with just some editing.

Biggest Photography related insecurity?

sharing images on the cm forum…especially for serious critique. the thought that someone would pick apart my stuff leaves me shivering in the fetal position. awful.

What kind of Camera bag do you rock?

currently i use my kelly more two sues bag in indigo, but i also have a darby mack bag that i bought on etsy

What do you think your next photography related investment will be?

i really really REALLY want a canon 24-70 lens. followed by a 135. either of those would make me very happy.

If you had to recommend ONE thing that a photographer needs, what would that be?

friends. ok…not to sound corny..but other photographer friends. real friends who encourage one another, who help one another and support one another. friends to grow with. ok…did that sound corny??

What would you say your biggest muse is?

if you mean who inspires me i'd have to say my friend meredith. i loved her work back when i first met her and she was kinda just starting out. i've seen her work grow and evolve and man i just love what she does. it's amazing to me and i love every thing about it. she's also a pretty incredible person.

Are you in or plan to be in business?

not in business now…not sure if i will start one or remain a hobbyist.

Favorite Color: green 

Favorite food or recent yummy recipe? (Link?)pizza..preferably delorenzo's pizza in nj…but pizza at castiglia's in old town fredericksburg does the trick.

Biggest guilty pleasure: a glass of moscato and some cheese. any cheese will do!!

Pet Peeve: liars followed closely by users

Current favorite song? acapella by karmin

What did you want to be when you grew up? a teacher

One thing no one knows about you is: i was the first person in my family to graduate from college

Pc or Mac: MAC baby!!!

Lightroom Or Photoshop:LR but i SOOOOOO want it to be photoshop.

If you could travel anywhere it would be: italy

Favorite photo ever taken: my son for the first week of the BDBCE

Raw or Jpeg: raw

Favorite Quote: gah!!! i NEVER have good quotes at the ready!! ok…how about this one?? "you can pick your nose, you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your friends nose." that's all i got.

Most valued material possession: my iPhone it's pathetic how attached to it i am.

Coffee or Tea: has to be coffee in the morning with vanilla creamer from safeway and some splenda. HAS TO.

If you could photograph a Celebrity who would it be? george clooney…cause he's hot.

***And because I LOVE Inside The Actor’s Studio:

What is your favorite word?

awesome i use it pretty much all the time.

What is your least favorite word? fart

What turns you on?

the thought of sleeping with george clooney

What turns you off?

that fact that i can't sleep with george clooney

What sound do you love?

when both of my kids are laughing.

What sound do you hate?

when both of my kids are whining

What is your favorite curse word?

crap (trying to keep myself g rated lately around the k-i-d-s)

What profession other than yours (and photographer) would you like to attempt?

writer

What profession would you not like to do?

person at a complaint desk

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

this time i'm sending you back with a boatload of money…and george clooney.   

FUN, RIGHT?!  Thanks, Jenn for being, well, AWESOME!
Stay tuned, folks---more interviews and fun to come. 

xo,
Lori