The last 3 to 4 weeks of my life have been complete and utter chaos. But the good kind, you know? Lots of sessions, loads of editing, road trips, out of state house guests, the workshop… I could seriously go on and on. We had to take a little hiatus from the blog, which included a little mini break from posting the Be Inspired Interviews. We truly LOVE bringing these interviews to you, it has been so great getting to know our peers better and share their beautiful work with our readers. :) We can’t begin to express to you how thrilled we are with the interviews we have scheduled- it’s going to be amazing!!
Over the past few months we have gotten to know our Showit peeps- also known as Showiteers- quite well, thanks to the power of Facebook. I’ve said it a million times and you can bet on the fact that I will likely say a million more. When you belong to Showit, it’s more than just software to build a killer site. You are welcomed into the Showit Family. It’s hard to imagine and fully understand- or appreciate- until you actually experience it. It’s amazing!! My eyes were opened to a whole new world of photography, thanks to Showit. And I have made some amazing friends who understand my passion for photography, thanks to Showit. :) One of those friends is the uber-talented Lisa Otto, based out of Palm Harbor, Florida. Happy Monday!
My name is Lisa Otto and I am a newborn/children photographer.
What are 3 things we should know about you?
1) I’m a huge prop addict. I guess there’s worse things right?
2) I’m a mother of 2 boys, 20 and 4. Yes, 20 and 4.
3) I’m a HUGE procrastinator but I just like to say that I work better under pressure.
Define your style in 5 words:
I have absolutely no idea. Does that count?
What is your specialty?
Newborns; squishy, little newborns.
What inspires your work?
Wow…there are so many photographers that inspire me and most of them it’s really not their work so much, it’s their attitude. There’s not one particular person that inspires my work, my work is me. I’ve followed many newborn photographers that have beautiful work but as soon as their attitude shows, it turns me off. I have wonderful clients that keep me grounded and remind me where I came from…so with all that rambling, my clients, that’s who/what inspires me.
Where is your dream location to do a shoot or wedding?
Most may say it’s funny or it’s not allowed to be a dream but the mountains. I’ve been a beach girl for 20+ years so I want some mountains.
Divulge one of your dreams for your business:
I’m extremely blessed with the clients I have but I just want everything to go according to plan. I don’t want to have to worry about anything, get up every morning knowing that I’m shooting my dream.
What do you love most about being a photographer?
The parents reactions, hands down. That takes the cake for me. I love hearing that I captured the pure innocence of their child, or they never thought their child would do as great as they did and they always do.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In a quaint little studio, with squishy newborn faces in canvas lining the walls.
If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be & why?
Holy cow…this is probably one of the hardest questions I ever have to answer but I would have to say, and he’ll love me for saying this but David Jay. I want to pick his brain of all the marketing material I can. I’m huge with social media and constantly trying to get it to work to my advantage and he’s so good at that. I want to know what makes that mind tick, if he even knows. If there’s any one photographer that has helped the photography community, it’s him. He’s always willing to help, constantly pushing to find another way to increase the easeness of our client relationships and doesn’t stop with one thing. Be forewarned DJ, there is your warning! LOL!
As a fellow Showiteer, tell us what you love about Showit:
E V E R Y T H I N G! Does that sum it up? I’ve made some great friends, tons and tons of encouragment, and the constant words of wisdom from everyone. It’s no lie when I tell other photographers that it’s like a family because it is. There’s no ‘I’m a better photographer than you’ and everyone is right there to help you when you have the slightest of questions. It’s one of the best business decisions that I’ve done.
What advice do you have for new photographers?
Be yourself. There is a huge difference between getting inspiration and copying others work. Find your niche and run with it. No one can specialize in everything so go with what you love doing and take it to the sky. One other thing, be prepared to take some criticicm, along with compliments. You may scream behind the screen but constructive criticism will help you even more. Find a group of photographers or a group (become a Showiteer LOL!) that will help you with what you want/need. Just remember that it’s your dream so you have to reach for it, don’t expect it to knock on your door or for someone else to do it for you.
Be sure follow Lisa:
Website: http://lisaottophoto.com/
Blog: http://blog.lisaottophotography.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisaottophotography
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/lisa_otto
