Grand Winner Interview
Vizi: Hi … Congratulations! You are the Grand Winner of the September 2022 ViziLook contest! You won $365! Your winning photo is of a cute racoon peeking from a tree. Your photo will be on the cover of the September ViziLook magazine - what an accomplishment! Again, congratulations!
Vizi: Tell us about yourself as a photographer.
Etta: I started taking pictures when I was 10 years old with ugly camera that had those square flashcubes. I always loved pictures. I used to get into my parents’ boxes of photographs just to look at them. My parents kept on telling me that I had to ask for permission, so I did. I kept on asking to look at the pictures - I was very fascinated with all the photos that my parents had. My Native American grandfather was also a photographer and he had a dark room. His enthusiasm with photography spilled over into me. During all my 4 years of High School at the Ohio School for the Deaf, I was the Yearbook photographer. I loved taking pictures and I loved their 35mm camera! Upon graduation from High School, I continued to work as a photographer. I did have full-time jobs, but also had side jobs as a photographer and as a model. My photography equipment was basic at first, but as I made money, I got better and better cameras. Because I got laid off from a good job, I decided to shift my focus to photography, and I really enjoy it.
Vizi: Where and when did you take that winning photo? What is the story behind the picture?
Etta: I went out hiking one winter day in 2018. I hiked in one area and then went to another area to hike some more. In the second place, I happened upon the raccoon. It popped its head above a log looking at me. Because it was a wild animal, I was careful not to disturb it. A word of advice here - when taking pictures of wild animals, be sure to be wise and stay within a reasonable distance away from it so as not to disturb the wild animal’s space. I stayed away from the raccoon but spent quite some time just watching it… It really made my day to see the cute racoon. The raccoon moved from behind the log and started to go up the tree - it continued to look at me. I took tons of pictures, and picked out the best one for the contest. The picture may look like a close-up, but it is not. I used a camera with a zoom lens.
Vizi: What equipment did you use for that shoot?
Etta: Canon 5D Mark IV
Vizi: What advice would you give someone who would like to become a photographer?
Etta: My advice is take many, many photos instead of just one or two photo(s).Take your time, think carefully, and look at all angles. Sometimes the one “best“ photo will come out of 30 pictures taken. My favorite quote is what Ty Holland said, “A photograph is the pause button of life.” Additionally, remember that we are trying to expand the Vizi stock, be sure to submit outstanding pictures… be creative, take pictures at different angles, and make sure the photos are of good quality with a good, clean and appealing background.
Congratulations to Etta! Good luck with your future photo entries!
