Featured Photographer Interview: Angela Cardas

I first met Angela during an informal local photography meet up a couple of years ago. I’m a big fan of her portrait photography. I follow her blog as well as on Facebook. Her wedding and other portrait photography is amazing. Recently, she photographed a very good friend of our family and her new born baby. Such beautiful shots!

Tell us about yourself…

I am an Oregon import, we moved to Bandon the Summer before my Senior year in high school – I graduated and headed to Southern Oregon State for a couple years, did a term at Westfield State College in Westfield Massachusetts and graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Speech Communication. It was a generic degree at the time, the subject I happened to have had the most credits in when it came time to choose a major, but I feel it has helped me immensely in “real life.” I met my husband while working as a Radio DJ in Albany Oregon, and we have recently moved back to Bandon and had our first child, Luke, who is now 16 months old and my favorite photographic subject!

How long have you been a photographer?

I have been a photographer as long as I can remember. I was always the one in the family, or at school, with the camera. I learned that while people would protest having their photo taken, or chide me for always having a camera with me, they always wanted copies of the results. I started my photography business – Cardas Photography – in 2004, soon after my own wedding.

How did you learn photography?

I have attended a few workshops and seminars over the years, but I am mostly self taught. I learned how to shoot a film camera manually exactly the same way I learned to drive a manual transmission car – my Dad handed one to me and said “Make it work.” And I have!

Not every portrait photographer does weddings, what made you take the leap to wedding photography?

I actually started my career in photography as a wedding photographer, and then went into Portraits! I started wedding photography professionally soon after my own wedding in 2004. It was the cusp of film and digital, and I had chosen to have my wedding captured on film. The photos were the most important part of the day for me (besides the husband, lol) and I wasn’t yet sold on the quality of digital images or the stability of them yet. While the quality of the images was beautiful, I was a serious scrapbooker at the time, and was looking to do more with my photos than the standard matted, gold gilded slip in album. Also the style of photography that went along with film at the time was stuffy and stiff – I felt like wedding photos should have life, action and emotion – not just documenting who was present, and I felt that I could capture that if given the opportunity.

What type of camera do you shoot with?

I shoot with all Canon gear – 5D and 5DMKII’s

What kind of gear do you carry in your bag?

I try to pack light. I tend to be a loser/leaver, so I like everything to fit in one bag. I usually have two camera bodies, with the 24-70 2.8/L on one and either the 70-200 2.8IS/ L or the 85 1.2/L on. I occasionally also have the 100IS 2.8/L Macro for the ring shots. A flash, batteries and memory cards and that’s about it! Oh, and an umbrella in the car – it’s been a wet year!!

What is your favorite portrait lens?

Hands down, the 85 1.2/L It is a beautiful lens. A tremendous learning curve, but I adore it.

What software do you use for organizing and processing your images?

I think I would have burned out on weddings long ago if it wasn’t for Adobe Lightroom. I became a RAW shooter about the same time I started using LR and it has changed my editing life.

What are some tips you can share with someone just starting out in portrait photography that might be helpful?

Relax and have fun is my best advice! If you are having a good time your clients will as well which results in better photos!

What type of lighting do you use in your portraits?

I shoot natural light 90% of the time – I use flash in low light and indoor situations, but I feel that natural light, when approached correctly, is the most flattering for the subjects.

Do you have any photographers you follow that inspire you?

There are SO SO many – that’s why I love things like Facebook and Twitter. I love weddings so much – that I just love looking at other peoples wedding photos. I don’t research other photogs for inspiration or pose ideas – I just like to stay in “wedding mode” because that is what is most inspirational for me. Joe Buissink was one of my first inspirations. I took his workshop out in the woods outside of Portland years ago, and it was a transformative experience for me and my photography. I love Jeff Newsom - his photos are art, but he also captures the little moments and candid moments from the day amazingly well.

What type of community projects are you involved in?

I am in LOVE with my community of Bandon Oregon! I think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and I am lucky to live here and raise our son here. Therefore, it was really important for me to get involved as much as I could. I joined the Bandon Chamber of Commerce as soon as I moved here, and started volunteering as the Official photographer for the Bandon Cranberry Festival Court. I also recently volunteered to photograph the annual golf tournament for the Southern Coos Health Foundation to raise funds for a digital mammography machine for Bandon.

I also write a blog that focuses on local businesses here in Bandon (www.bandonbusinessspotlight.com) I go to a local business and photograph them and their business. I post the interview and photos on the blog and it is also published regularly in the local paper (http://www.bandonwesternworld.com)

Has social media and maintaining a blog helped to bring more exposure to your work?

Honestly – I don’t know where my business would be right now if it wasn’t for my blog and Facebook. It has really exposed my work to untold numbers of people who wouldn’t have seen it otherwise. Every time I post a session to my Facebook Business Page I get more “likes” and sessions from those referrals. I am VERY thankful for all of my clients who share their “Sneak peek” images on their own Facebook pages and blogs. There is nothing better than word of mouth advertising! I love showing up at a wedding and already knowing half of the bridesmaids because I shot their weddings, family portraits or Senior pictures!

The blog is different, but equally important I think. With Facebook I basically just upload my favorite images from a wedding or session. With the blog I do that, as well as tell the story of the day from my perspective. The feedback that I get is that people love getting to know my clients – past and present clients, family and friends all keep up with my blog -whether they know the people in the pictures or not! Plus it is a great way to network with other vendors. I try to get the contact information from everyone at a wedding and link to their web pages, and like their Facebook pages. Brides love to know what vendors other brides are using, and it has turned into a great wedding planning resource for them as well!

Where do you see your photography taking you in ten years?

In ten years I would love to still be going strong shooting weddings, Senior pictures and Family portraits. Maybe even the Senior pictures of the kids whose parents weddings I shot way back at the beginning! I would also love to shoot weddings in different areas of our country, I love to mix work and travel – I would love to see Alaska, Hawaii, Chicago, Montana – and everywhere in between!