Extension Of The I – With Lisa Waddell – iPhone Photographer

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Quilted’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Float/Libatique 73), iColorama, Scratchcam, Kyoobik

JC – How did you get started in photography?

LW – I became interested in photography during my high school and college years but never took a photography class. Over the years I dabbled with different cameras taking photos while on vacations and at family “events”. It is only within the last two years that I’ve become passionate about photography.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘The Twins’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Cano Cafenol/Lucifer VI)

JC – Who and what are your influences?

LW – I am inspired by those photos that tell a story; with either a subtle or obvious approach. I am influenced by the work of Walker Evans as well as the work of current mobile photographers that I see on the various photography websites that I follow.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Lit from Within’ – Hipstamatic (Big Up/Salvador 84), Instagram Filter (Lo-Fi)

JC – What draws you to the subjects you seek?

LW – My main subject is flowers. I’m drawn not only to the color but to the form, shape and angle as well. I am also fascinated to observe the flower move through its “cycle of life”.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Rosa Segmentum’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Claunch 72 Monochrome/Lucifer VI), Scratchcam, iColorama

JC – What is it about these subjects that you want to capture/communicate and ultimately convey in your images?

LW – I love the challenge of giving the flowers a human characteristic; which I believe is also known as anthropomorphism. To me, this is how I create the storytelling component. I keep this in mind when I take the photo and when I title the photo. I think it, maybe, helps my flower photos stand apart from some others.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Window Washer’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (DC/Loftus), Iris Photo Suite, Moku Hanga

JC – How did you “settle” on this subject?

LW – Quite by accident! I am working on a “photo of the day” project on Mobitog. On Valentine’s Day I decided to submit a photo of the flowers given to me by my husband. It just snowballed from there!

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Conga Line’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (BlacKeys Super Grain/Melodie)

JC – Is there another area/subject that you would like to explore, if so, what and why?

LW – I can’t seem to shake the whole flower theme so I would like to expand it by focusing on the details of the flower. I am also starting to explore abstracts and am using flowers as a jumping-off point. Because I shoot mainly indoors I think that gives me a bit more flexibility to use flowers in these other areas.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘On Target’ – Apps used- native iPhone camera, Iris Photo Suite, Add Lib, Moku Hanga

JC – Which photographers (not necessarily mobile photographers) do you most admire and why?

LW – Many years ago I read “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men”. This non-fiction book documented the lives of three families who were sharecroppers in Alabama during the Great Depression. The book was written by James Agee and the photos were taken by Walker Evans. This was probably the first time that a photograph made a deep and lasting impression on me. It is from these photos that I learned to appreciate an image that tells a story. (Evans’ photos, along with the images of the other photographers who worked for the Farm Security Administration-Office of War Information, are widely available for viewing on-line.)

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Watching Over the New One’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Claunch 72 Monochrome/Lucifer VI)

JC – Henri Cartier-Bresson is/was in many ways the Godfather of street photography, even in the 1930s he enjoyed using a small camera for discretion in order to capture people and tell a story-do you feel this way regarding mobile photography?

LW – Absolutely! If I were a street photographer I would only be using my iPhone!

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Weaving’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Float/Adler 9009), Iris Photo Suite, Add Lib, Moku Hanga, Instagram filter (Brannan)

JC – Tell us about your photographic technique do you rely on intuition or do you believe in a more formal/trained approach?

LW – I am most definitely an intuitive photographer! With no formal training on this subject, I rely heavily on my instincts. I would like to think that my intuition serves me well most of the time.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Protrusions’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Float/Adler 9009), Dynamic Light, Moku Hanga, Iris Photo Suite

JC – How has your photography evolved?

LW – For about two years I wrote a craft blog. I took most of the photos for it (mainly book covers and needlework pieces) with my iPhone. Through trial and error I produced some decent images. I found that I was becoming far more interested in the photography aspect and less interested in the craft part. I started exploring, via the internet, and found sites like Mobitog and iPhoneography. Before I knew it, all other hobbies were left in the dust as I pursued my growing passion for iPhone photography.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Now is the Winter of Our Discontent’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Float/Adler 9009), Iris Photo Suite, Moku Hanga

JC – Many of the great photographers, Jacques Henri Lartigue, Robert Frank, Henri Cartier Bresson described only shooting images for “themselves”do you see this attitude with mobile photographers?

LW – I really don’t mainly because we are “mobile” photographers. Somehow that, in my mind, is connected to sharing. With the success of sites like Instagram, Eye ‘Em, Mobitog and the App Whisperer it is obvious that mobile photographers want to share their images and not keep them for themselves.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Chinese for Dinner Tonight?’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Claunch 72 Monochrome/Chunky), Add Lib, Moku Hanga

JC – Do you take risks with photographs, push boundaries? If yes, please give examples, if no, why not, would you like to?

LW – At this moment I really don’t consider myself a risk taker with my photographs. I want to start shooting/processing out of my comfort zone (which to me is taking a risk) so that my work doesn’t become stagnant.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Napping’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Ina’s 1969/Americana)

JC – What is your favorite picture, of your own and why?

LW – Wow, that’s a difficult question! Probably my current favorite is Napping. It’s simple but has a definite human characteristic about it.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Waiting for the Grand Opening’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Blanko Noir/Buckhorst H1), Iris Photo Suite

JC – Do you get emotionally involved with your photography?

LW – I do. I find it to be very relaxing. There is a certain “thrill of the hunt” mentality when I’m shooting. I get excited to see what images I’ve captured.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Grand Opening’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Blanko Noir/Buckhorst H1), Iris Photo Suite

JC – Does your life become entwined with your subjects?

LW – Yes, to the extent that I look forward to shopping for flowers!

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Also Known as Pineapple’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Claunch 72 Monochrome/Chunky), Instagram filter (Hefe), iWatermark

JC – Do you have a special post-processing style?

LW – It, too, is intuitive. I shoot the photos; usually with the Hipstamatic camera using a variety of film/lens combos. I review the images, keep what might work and delete what I know won’t work (e.g. too blurry, too far away, etc.). I will then review what’s left and pick one to start editing with various apps. Sometimes I know immediately what one will be the photo of the day but many times I play until I get just the right feel.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Tongue and Groove’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Blanko Freedom 13./Libatique 73), Iris Photo Suite, Scratchcam

JC – Do you have any tips for post-processing?

LW – The most important thing, to me, is keeping tracking of what film/lens combo I’ve used in Hipstamatic along with all the apps I have applied to a particular image. I add all of this information in the form of tags on both Flickr and Instagram. More than once I’ve referred to those tags to help me remember how I processed a certain photo.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Tri-Focal’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Float/Adler 9009), Decim8

JC – Do you have a digital workflow system to sort your images, if so what is it?

LW – Once I have arrived at the final work product I will save all of the “steps” along with the final edit in Photo Vault Pro. Only the final image goes to Flickr, Instagram, Mobitog, etc.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Sunny Side Up’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Float/Loftus), macro lens

JC – How do you think photography has changed over the years?

LW – I think it has most definitely changed for the better as it is less complicated and more accessible to everyone.

Copyright Image – Lisa Waddell – ‘Clipped’ – Apps Used – Hipstamatic (Blanko Freedom 13/Libatique 73), Iris Photo Suite, Scratchcam

JC – As a mobile photographer you’re at the cutting edge of technology, do you ever hanker for the 35mm film days?

LW – Since I was never really a part of those days I really don’t know what I’m missing and I’m certainly okay with that!!

Hipstamatic
iColorama
ScratchCam
Kyoobik
Instagram
Iris Photo Suite
addLib
Moku Hanga
Dynamic Light
iWatermark