Create; leaders provide a platform where people use products and services to create experiences. Lisa Figgins creates remarkable experiences.
Lisa Figgins of VIVA Photography is a fine arts photographer in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I met Lisa at Chapel Hill Toastmasters, where she speaks about celebrating life. This is the first in a three part interview series.
Joseph: Where are you currently?
Lisa: I'm at Professional Photographers of North Carolina's Annual Convention in Durham, NC. The organization brings in photographers from all over the country to teach us technique and entrepreneurship. I attend for information, inspiration, and the chance to connect with local photographers. After we spoke last night, I learned that I won a scholarship to PPNC's East Coast School!
Joseph: Congratulations on your award. The convention sounds amazing. How did you become a photographer?
Lisa: Every photographer I’ve ever met followed their hearts into this field. I’m no exception. I started taking pictures when I was 6-years-old. My father, an amateur photographer, gave my mother, a technophobe, a camera for Christmas. Mom politely enthused over her gift, and then discretely set it aside. Out of curiosity, I picked it up. I still remember composing that first image of my family snuggling happily on the couch. In fact, I still get chills just telling about it. When I released the shutter and advanced the film, every cell in my body was electrified! I didn't understand what that sensation was, but I never forgot it.
Through the years, I continued taking pictures and putting together albums. After graduating college, I picked up small photography jobs and freelance gigs here and there. In 1995, I went back to school for formal training. Since then I have worked part time assisting several talented photographers. Once I even got to manage the studio for international artist Barbara Kasten. Last year, I left my “day job” and took the plunge into full-time professional photography.
Joseph: You managed the studio for the international artist Barbara Kasten. How did this experience influence your art or business ideas?
Lisa: Yeah, I got really lucky! The project was called Chicago in the Year 2000 (CITY 2000). It was created to develop a photo archive at this monumental point in time. Barbara was among the chosen photographers to contribute. From her point of view, women and minorities would play a larger role in the development of city life in the new millennium. She decided to make larger-than-life head-shots of women from various ethnic backgrounds to convey her perspective. I was hired to manage all the logistics of the sessions: find models, hire hair and makeup stylists, procure special equipment, schedule studio space, etc. This was my first glimpse into how much non-shooting work goes into the business of photography. This didn’t dissuade me at all. I was working in a field I loved, with a fantastic mentor, in a city I adored. It was a magical experience, and I’m so grateful to have had it.
Joseph: Many people have easy-to-use digital cameras. Why would someone choose to hire you, rather than work with an amateur?
Lisa: Photography is such a democratic art form. With the advent of digital and the proliferation of cameras, making pictures has become more accessible than ever. I love that, because I think deep down there's an artist in everyone.
On the surface, it may appear that there's not a lot of difference between what casual and professional photographers do. We’re all hidden behind clunky little machines and flashing lights. You see th difference in the final results. It is there in countless, often indescribable, details. Behind that connection I bring technical proficiency. The four years I spent in rigorous training to get a degree in fine art photography give me a knowledge base from which to construct images that are not just technically sound, but also visually compelling. After the shoot, I use top-of-the-line post-production software, which allows me to further enhance the images and make people look their best.
Finally, I work with a professional lab, so I consistently have better control over the quality of the final product than a casual photographer gets from a consumer lab. The real reason people work with me is because we connect with one another. While all that high-falutin’ stuff sounds great for a resume, at the heart of the matter is the fact that people choose to work with me, because of the connection we make when we meet. That relationship allows people to be themselves while being photographed. That in turn results in images they love!
Tickles from Grandpa
Charlie
Joseph: Thank you for expanding my understanding of photography. Lisa Figgins of VIVA Photography can be reached at FIGGINS PHOTOS , by e-mail at lescue@yahoo.com and by phone at (919) 929-6887.
