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Exposure Therapy with Athena Hays
19 Plays7 days ago
Zu sits down with fellow architecture photographer Athena Hays for the first-ever "random work chat", and there's a lot to cover. Zu shares the win of the week, while Athena breaks down her first office photography project, the reflector trick that turned a bathroom faucet into pure magic, and the ongoing struggle of pushing real estate clients toward more elevated work. Plus: gear rundowns, hot air balloon lighting rigs (don't ask), business name origin stories, and why neither of them will ever fly with camera equipment if they can help it.
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Transcript
Creative momentum in higher-end real estate work
00:00:00
Zuuuuu
Okay, so I'm really excited that it's the day that we're doing this and having our random work chat because I have just had like a great week at work. Which...
00:00:09
Athena
ya
00:00:10
Zuuuuu
does not happen often and I've been having like so many other issues that it's like it feels good to be able to say that.
00:00:15
Athena
ah I'm so glad.
00:00:16
Zuuuuu
Yes. And today, especially, like I had two high profile listings. And... Um... Like I told you, like I got that Laowa shift lens. And something possessed me to like want to play with it today.
00:00:26
Athena
Mm-hmm.
00:00:28
Zuuuuu
And I'm so glad that I did because it came in handy like so many times.
00:00:33
Athena
yay Oh that's awesome.
00:00:33
Zuuuuu
Even in the one... even the one picture that i sent you of the bathroom like the fact that i was able to just switch to vertical orientation and just like shift up and down to get like that perfect layout that i needed for the space i was just like oh my god this is a Game changer.
00:00:48
Athena
It does look so good.
00:00:48
Zuuuuu
Like... I'm like And that's unedited too. That was just like straight out of camera.
00:00:54
Athena
Looks good.
00:00:54
Zuuuuu
But I'm just like... bossing the homeowners around and the agents around just like no like you cannot be in this room you cannot do this i do not care about what you feel about x y and z like this is what's going to look best for the photos um i'm actually like switching lenses like throughout the shoot because i'm just so used to like real estate people like wanting me to be in and out so quick that it's like okay 16 35 pop pop pop hit the corners whatever because that's just real sale but i was just like these houses are so nice like i have to take advantage of like the time that i have in here
00:01:20
Athena
Good.
00:01:21
Zuuuuu
And the fact that I got to do that back-to-back today was just like...
00:01:22
Athena
And then... Yes!
00:01:25
Zuuuuu
Ah amazing.
00:01:26
Athena
And I'm sure it will sell the houses faster. So I'm very excited for you.
00:01:29
Zuuuuu
For that price point, I hope so. That'll say a lot.
00:01:30
Athena
Yeah.
00:01:32
Zuuuuu
if that actually happens.
00:01:33
Athena
That's amazing.
Trying to bring a design-forward style into first-time property shoots
00:01:34
Athena
I have never done real estate photography but my friends are moving and they're like oh can you just photograph our house for us?
00:01:40
Athena
uh before we move and i was about to say like no because you can't move um but
00:01:40
Zuuuuu
Are you going to do it?
00:01:45
Zuuuuu
Oh, I could say it's beneath you, but okay, now I know exactly who you're talking about, too.
00:01:46
Athena
Thank you. Uh. Yeah.
00:01:50
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:01:51
Athena
Yeah. But I am going to do that for the first time next week, so we'll see how it goes.
00:01:55
Zuuuuu
Are you going to sabotage the photos?
00:01:57
Athena
I might.
00:01:58
Athena
Yeah. But...
00:01:58
Zuuuuu
You.
00:01:59
Zuuuuu
just photoshop like a bunch of like cockroaches and stuff in there so it's like as unappealing as possible
00:02:00
Athena
they know that i will so it's okay I know. ah real
00:02:06
Zuuuuu
How do you feel about it? like Are you just going to take the... the architecture design approach to it? Are you going to just go in open-minded?
00:02:13
Athena
No, I don't have all day. um I only have a couple hours and I have to give them a fast turnaround time. So I will, I will make it pretty and I will make it beautiful.
00:02:19
Zuuuuu
Mmm.
00:02:22
Athena
um But it's not going to be like editorial by any means. um And I mean, I honestly don't even know how much of their house they'll be able to stage or clean or whatever.
00:02:25
Zuuuuu
Gotcha.
00:02:32
Zuuuuu
Mmm.
00:02:33
Athena
So it'll probably be in between, like using the techniques that I love. but kind of on a scale down.
Post-production struggles and lessons from a difficult office composite
00:02:39
Athena
All right.
00:02:40
Zuuuuu
Gotcha. So you are still going to be like lighting it and stuff?
00:02:42
Athena
Maybe. A little bit.
00:02:43
Zuuuuu
Not full HDR yet.
00:02:44
Athena
Yeah, I know.
00:02:46
Athena
Now we'll. I should i should oh my god the other day i spent like two and a half hours editing a composite image
00:02:46
Zuuuuu
You can outsource the editing.
00:02:49
Zuuuuu
Thank you. Yeah.
00:02:55
Athena
And I... two and a half hours but i restarted halfway through and then i got to the end and i just cried it's like We need an outsourcer immediately!
00:03:06
Zuuuuu
Thank you.
00:03:07
Athena
um But then I stopped and I got back to it. I honestly picked it back up again at like 1030 at night. and did it again and it was fine.
00:03:14
Zuuuuu
You just couldn't stop thinking about it.
00:03:16
Athena
so bad it was but i did it and then by the i think i ended up doing it four times
00:03:17
Zuuuuu
It'd be like that.
00:03:21
Athena
And the fourth one was a charm.
00:03:24
Zuuuuu
All for the one image. You.
00:03:29
Athena
is a bad image is just that like I
00:03:31
Athena
there were so many spots that i wanted to blend perfectly
00:03:32
Zuuuuu
This is so particular.
00:03:35
Athena
And it was really tricky. So.
00:03:35
Zuuuuu
Mm-hmm.
00:03:38
Zuuuuu
That's fair.
00:03:39
Athena
Yeah.
00:03:39
Zuuuuu
What kind of shot was it? like What was it of?
00:03:41
Athena
It was at the lobby of an office.
00:03:43
Zuuuuu
Oh, okay.
00:03:44
Athena
yeah yeah yeah so it's it's fine it ended up working but it was like so in some lights it's turquoise in some lights it's blue
00:03:52
Zuuuuu
a
00:03:52
Athena
The... There were some spots in the wood that were not even blending the people in afterwards was a slightly different tone. You want their shadow on the floor to read as realistic when you Photoshop them in.
00:04:07
Zuuuuu
hey
00:04:07
Athena
there Like, there were so many moving parts. um But it's but I got it and I'm really proud of how it ended up
00:04:15
Zuuuuu
Yay!
Q&A: What was the first office shoot experience like?
00:04:16
Zuuuuu
Is this the the office one you were telling me about, like your first time doing?
00:04:18
Athena
Yeah.
00:04:19
Zuuuuu
Oh, so what was that whole experience like for you overall?
00:04:20
Athena
Thanks. Ooh.
00:04:22
Zuuuuu
Especially
00:04:22
Athena
Great
00:04:23
Athena
shoot Terrifying. Did not know if I was gonna make it through. Didn't know if I could handle it, but we did it. Okay.
00:04:31
Athena
The shoot was really good. Um. I had an assistant with me that I love who's been in a lot of office settings. um And the clients and I were really open about the fact that, so they messaged me and they said they love my use of light.
00:04:46
Athena
um but then sent me the photos of the office and it's just very different. than how I typically photograph. So we had a very honest conversation about like, Do you want me to photograph this office? in a more dramatic way because my photos are more dramatic or do you want me to photograph it more like just documenting exactly what it is because and then she was also kind of transparent of like this is a test and if you do well you can be on
00:05:05
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:05:11
Athena
a project that has more visibility and is a little bit bigger and you can be more creative and more dramatic. um So it was kind of a blend of the two.
00:05:19
Athena
um But my friend who has been in an office setting before on these shoots she kind of reinforced like you you were creative and you did have a different use of light than a bunch of other people um So it's kind of validating in a really cool way.
00:05:19
Zuuuuu
and Okay.
00:05:32
Zuuuuu
That's awesome.
00:05:33
Athena
Yeah. I loved it.
00:05:35
Zuuuuu
And the fun challenge of actually having to try to find that hybrid of like... what you like, but what the client wants.
00:05:40
Athena
Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was fun. I um i pulled out my Octobox a few times. I used my strobe for maybe... at least half of them. you um
00:05:50
Zuuuuu
Nice.
00:05:51
Athena
I liked it.
00:05:52
Zuuuuu
Because for the wider spaces, it's kind of hard to use.
00:05:53
Athena
Thank you.
00:05:55
Zuuuuu
strobe and stuff too right?
00:05:57
Athena
Yeah, and it was it was a smaller office.
00:05:59
Athena
Um, So... I would say... It was more so to just kind of highlight exactly what I wanted.
00:06:00
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:06:08
Zuuuuu
Mm-hmm
00:06:09
Athena
So I liked it.
00:06:10
Athena
I don't know if I would do offices. A hundred percent.
00:06:10
Zuuuuu
Nice.
00:06:12
Zuuuuu
On a regular basis, yeah.
00:06:13
Athena
they're there I like some variety. But... It was a really fun challenge. And
Why architectural and office photography feels harder than standard listings
00:06:18
Athena
I feel like with any project, you get to see how passionate someone is.
00:06:22
Zuuuuu
Mm-hmm.
00:06:22
Athena
about their own job and i like that you know
00:06:26
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:06:27
Athena
So that was fun.
00:06:28
Zuuuuu
I think just from... an observer perspective, like... Respect to the people that... do it because it just seems so intimidating. Because like for for me personally, it's obviously going from this real estate to like more high end work, right? Like trying not to have the cookie cutter stuff.
00:06:45
Zuuuuu
So then it's like... focusing on how to use the lighting within comparably smaller areas and then to go like that much wider out for like bigger spaces or taller buildings and like all the things out of your comfort zone once you finally like adjust it to something else out of your comfort zone it's like Respect to the guys that do it because it it freaks me out a little.
00:07:04
Athena
Yeah.
00:07:06
Athena
I know. I agree. What's next on your... like bucket list of things that you want to tackle or take on. that you haven't done yet.
00:07:18
Zuuuuu
I mean, I feel like... That list is just... Everything. Because...
00:07:22
Athena
that's fair
00:07:23
Zuuuuu
I've been... Like I've been doing the real estate side of things for just 11 years, right?
00:07:28
Athena
Okay.
00:07:28
Zuuuuu
And eight of those years was working for another company straight out of college where I was specializing as an architecture photographer. So it was like...
00:07:35
Athena
Okay.
00:07:37
Zuuuuu
You have to shoot like this because everyone in our company shoots like this. You have to edit like this because it's like this. You have to frame it like this because it's like this. So whenever I did get creative or adventurous, it's like...
00:07:48
Zuuuuu
Hey, this was cool and all, but nobody else can really keep up with it. um So you're going to have to like dial it back. Which is why I started my own thing.
Breaking out of formula real estate work and retraining clients
00:07:57
Zuuuuu
But when I started my own thing, I had a clientele of eight years that came along with me.
00:08:01
Athena
Nice.
00:08:02
Zuuuuu
So there there was this expectation. It's like. We respect... how you work we respect your composition we respect how the stuff comes out But we still want that quick turnaround. We still want to turn all the lights on because we're used to that. We're still used to X, Y, and Z.
00:08:15
Zuuuuu
So me trying to train them to just be like, hey, trust me, like. i understand that this corner looks a little bit dark but we need the lights off hey if you can give me more than 45 minutes i promise i can give like better quality images so it's like I'm still... on that struggle of Trying to get... old and new clients to just kind of like understand the vision and not feel like they have to eat kind of go with like the quick and cheap route
00:08:45
Zuuuuu
And that's I'm still essentially like price point. to go with that but Because... got bills to pay. um So like I've just been in this tough transition process of like trying to get my clients to understand like.
00:08:52
Athena
I don't want to say that.
00:08:58
Zuuuuu
what I'm capable of doing and just how much I have been held back and then convincing myself that I can do it too.
00:09:03
Athena
Yeah.
00:09:03
Zuuuuu
So it's like, I do just want to, and it's, that's. the plan going forward. it's just so busy right now with the real estate it's like i just want to hit up like random like coffee shops and mon pa places be like hey can i just photograph this place for free to get practice of bigger spaces to see like what you see in the space and what you want to convey so that i can try to see if i can capture that and you know shoot it the way that you want to be represented. So... Like anything where it's just like.
00:09:31
Zuuuuu
local projects commercial projects things of that sort um that kind of has that storytelling element or
00:09:38
Athena
Hmm.
00:09:38
Zuuuuu
that ability to just kind of work at my own pace with freedom is just... What I want.
Using free shoots and personal projects to grow into commercial spaces
00:09:43
Zuuuuu
to... Do... Just for the artistic side, for the... ex experimenting side.
00:09:50
Zuuuuu
And then... Yeah, it just... Whatever comes out of it comes out of it. Because the more the more that I can...
00:09:53
Athena
Yeah.
00:09:54
Zuuuuu
in incorporate that into real estate. Great. Because you see people like... Andrew Brumasco and Gary Castle. and Cheyenne Crawford who were like super successful in that real estate realm but still have like that higher level of work.
00:10:08
Athena
Yeah
00:10:09
Zuuuuu
So it's like knowing that that's there, but knowing that these other options are there, it's just like... I just want to be more confident in my skill set so that I can. take any of these routes.
00:10:18
Athena
Totally. I know that some people... hate doing work for free or they're like very against it i'm so up for doing work for free um provided that it is like something that you seek out for yourself you know for your own creativity or for your own growth i love doing stuff for free i am All for it.
00:10:25
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:10:30
Zuuuuu
Mm-hmm
00:10:36
Athena
um I feel like it it benefits you, it benefits them, but especially if you're just testing something out for yourself.
00:10:43
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:10:44
Athena
Almost like to prove it to yourself.
00:10:46
Zuuuuu
Mm-hmm.
00:10:46
Athena
um but also then you can prove it to other people I think it's fantastic
00:10:50
Zuuuuu
yeah anything it just gives me like like the warm fuzzies and just those giddy feelings just like yeah i'll absolutely for free if it's bringing me like
00:10:51
Athena
Thank you.
00:10:58
Zuuuuu
spiritual fulfillment of... being an artist, you know?
00:11:00
Athena
Yes! I know I actually I have a running to do list and I have had actually I have it open on my computer. I wonder how long it's been there. um actually okay so i updated the
00:11:08
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:11:10
Athena
The... due date to yesterday but it i think it has been on there since january to reach out to my two favorite restaurants um and i just keep pushing out the deadline because i have to I have to do everything else first.
00:11:21
Athena
I don't have time to reach out to them. But I really want to.
00:11:23
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:11:24
Athena
I just... Yeah. like unique spaces. Interesting light. Different subject matter. It sounds great.
00:11:32
Zuuuuu
Yeah. I've been having the same issue with... just wanting to reach out to coffee shops because like they close at two or three o 'clock.
00:11:40
Athena
Mmm.
00:11:40
Zuuuuu
So it's like... If they're willing to stay a little bit later. then you have that advantage of like... sunset and using the natural light and just capturing the space and nobody else is around and setting the tones and scene it's just like I just got to send send the DM.
00:11:55
Zuuuuu
Why don't I just send the DM?
00:11:55
Athena
Maybe. it's like a coffee shop that has a book club afterwards or like maybe they have an events calendar Where they stay later And maybe not.
00:12:04
Zuuuuu
Oh true.
00:12:07
Athena
Maybe that is my... optimistic thinking to a fault.
00:12:10
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:12:12
Athena
But maybe...
00:12:14
Zuuuuu
i mean but if you just reach out to an owner it's like hey i'll give you three hundred dollars worth of photos for a coffee if you can just stay Not even stay open. If you could just... keep it open for me and just be available.
00:12:24
Athena
Yeah, absolutely.
00:12:25
Athena
I feel like
Q&A: Does more elevated photography actually help listings perform?
00:12:26
Zuuuuu
Thank you.
00:12:26
Athena
someone has to say yes.
00:12:27
Athena
I mean they have to clean it.
00:12:27
Zuuuuu
That seems to be a decent pitch, right?
00:12:29
Zuuuuu
Yeah? If they make the mess, it's on them.
00:12:31
Athena
So that's fair. Yeah, absolutely.
00:12:33
Zuuuuu
Bye.
00:12:33
Athena
100%.
00:12:34
Zuuuuu
Totally blame other people for that.
00:12:35
Athena
Do you feel like you have... converted some of your clients. into the work that you want to go into.
00:12:42
Zuuuuu
Very few but yes. Um...
00:12:43
Athena
Okay? please
00:12:44
Zuuuuu
There are some... They're a little sarcastic about it, but it is still... funny. when i walk in it's just like well he used to want all the lights but now let's just wait to see what he says like don't touch anything
00:12:54
Athena
That's terrifying. I hate sarcasm so much
00:12:56
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:12:58
Athena
I once called the...
00:12:58
Zuuuuu
I feel so much more comfortable when people are like sassy with me at work.
00:13:01
Athena
oh i ate it Oh my god, I my parents did not joke growing up like I my husband has kind of trained me into what joking is but one time i called the bank and i asked if they could have changed and they said no and i said really and they said no we're a bank and
00:13:02
Zuuuuu
you
00:13:16
Athena
That's my life.
00:13:17
Zuuuuu
well
00:13:17
Athena
I... you I just hate sarcasm. i don't know what to do with it
00:13:22
Zuuuuu
oh I will keep that in mind.
00:13:23
Zuuuuu
and Try to restrain-
00:13:23
Athena
you
00:13:24
Athena
No, that's fine.
00:13:25
Zuuuuu
No promises, but I will try to restrain.
00:13:27
Athena
That's okay. I'm learning. that The learning curve has gone up.
00:13:29
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:13:30
Athena
ah so It's fine.
00:13:31
Zuuuuu
Get some exposure therapy going here.
00:13:32
Athena
What? Seriously. It's okay.
00:13:36
Zuuuuu
But it's like, yeah, like still don't keep the trash cans in the middle of a kitchen or something. but um Yeah, there there's so many where they're just like, he's gonna play with the blinds, he's gonna do his walkthrough, he's gonna tell us what lights he needs, and I'm just like, oh, thank god.
00:13:49
Athena
yeah
00:13:50
Zuuuuu
I have power. I finally earned this power.
00:13:52
Athena
Do you... Have you ever run data, and maybe it's like too new to have it, on how fast the listings sell? that have the old style versus the new style.
00:14:07
Zuuuuu
Mmm. No.
00:14:09
Zuuuuu
Because...
00:14:14
Zuuuuu
m That's tricky. Because I feel like my level of...
00:14:19
Zuuuuu
composition hasn't really changed too much like i'm adding more detailed shots and like ah again like getting out of like that 1635 and actually throwing on the 2870 and walking around and free handing so it's like
00:14:22
Athena
Okay.
00:14:24
Athena
Yeah.
00:14:30
Athena
Yeah.
00:14:32
Zuuuuu
I... I am seeing them like actually. use the content in the stories more. Because...
00:14:37
Athena
Okay?
00:14:38
Zuuuuu
That would... bug me when it's like you paid for these photos of the property but when you have like your uh cleaning tips for spring and it's like they just pulled some like random google picture or um like a getty image or something or just whatever canva template it's like you're paying for good quality content like why is it not being used
00:14:52
Athena
Yep.
00:15:00
Athena
oh
00:15:00
Zuuuuu
So now that I'm using more vertical stuff and more detailed stuff and more like...
00:15:04
Athena
Yeah.
00:15:05
Zuuuuu
artsy stuff like i'm starting to see i'm starting to see it incorporated more and incorporated better and reused a bit too
00:15:11
Athena
Yeah.
00:15:12
Zuuuuu
I even had one client. tell me the other day that she printed out a couple of the photos from like the owner's backyard and like sent it to them because they were moving back to spain and they were like so happy about that so like
00:15:21
Athena
That's really cool!
00:15:24
Zuuuuu
and for me it's always been like how do i capture photos in a way that when somebody looks back on it 15 20 years from now like they can actually have like good memories of their home or like you know
00:15:34
Athena
Yeah.
00:15:35
Zuuuuu
be able to reflect right because if i do it just from the real estate side of things i probably would have gone mad by now i mean i have gone mad but for various reasons but specifically for that one
00:15:40
Athena
Perfect.
00:15:44
Zuuuuu
Um... Like knowing that there's. storytelling and longevity to it is kind of like what keeps me going with that side of things. and When she told me that she used it in that way and in that element and had that level of appreciation to it was like.
00:16:00
Zuuuuu
It's really cool.
00:16:01
Athena
That is very cool.
00:16:02
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:16:03
Athena
Nice.
What’s coming up next and how travel fits into the business
00:16:04
Athena
I like that.
00:16:08
Zuuuuu
Any projects or anything you're looking forward to? Or any that you're still thinking about, like whether it be traumatic or something super fun that you had in the last month.
00:16:16
Athena
no That's a good question. Um, okay, let me think. I So I have to wrap up the office project. I'm delivering that next week. But I'm driving to Canada. Sunday and coming back Wednesday.
00:16:27
Zuuuuu
Oh what part?
00:16:28
Athena
So...
00:16:29
Athena
I'm going to be editing from the backseat. What?
00:16:30
Zuuuuu
What part?
00:16:32
Zuuuuu
What part?
00:16:33
Athena
Lake of the Woods. So like straight north.
00:16:36
Athena
It's like if you go to the border.
00:16:36
Zuuuuu
Oh.
00:16:38
Athena
basically straight north of the border. um To go fishing.
00:16:38
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:16:40
Zuuuuu
Nice.
00:16:41
Athena
I've been going with my dad since I was 10.
00:16:43
Zuuuuu
Oh that's so fun!
00:16:44
Athena
I know. So we take, we this is the second year that we'll take our girls. um And they don't do too bad as long as they have snacks, which... I understand. um Okay, so I have to finish that one. What else do I have coming up? I have a really beautiful cabin in Wisconsin.
00:17:00
Athena
Um, but it's, you know, like cabin on steroids. Um,
00:17:03
Zuuuuu
Oh.
00:17:04
Athena
So it's amazing. It's absolutely incredible.
00:17:06
Zuuuuu
The magazine cabin, not a...
00:17:07
Athena
Mm-hmm. it's amazing
00:17:09
Zuuuuu
Where's the road, Kevin? Yeah.
00:17:11
Athena
I cannot wait. um So that one is in August. I have... Like a national campaign. for our window company coming up in august which is going to be really cool Um...
00:17:25
Athena
is that one i'm excited about what else and then i have
00:17:27
Zuuuuu
What does that int- hell, like...
00:17:29
Athena
ah Good question. I don't 100 % know. It is steamrolling really quickly.
00:17:32
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:17:34
Athena
basically we took the construction photos of them installing new windows throughout an entire house.
00:17:40
Zuuuuu
Mmm.
00:17:41
Athena
back in June.
00:17:43
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:17:43
Athena
and we were gonna go for the after photos. and we already had that scheduled and they were like you know what we should make this our national campaign It was like... Okay, cool.
00:17:53
Athena
Let's add an extra day and have a conference call.
00:17:55
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:17:57
Athena
as to what that means We have not had the conference call yet.
00:17:58
Zuuuuu
You.
00:18:00
Athena
um But that, yeah, that'll be cool. um it's just a really like great before and after they're renovating the entire house So it's like not only the windows, but the inside as well.
00:18:08
Zuuuuu
That's cool. Mmm.
00:18:11
Athena
And then I have two new designers that I get to work with probably in... july august as well so Yay!
00:18:18
Zuuuuu
That's awesome. Local?
00:18:19
Athena
Okay. Yeah. Yep.
00:18:20
Zuuuuu
Do you like the travel aspect of it?
00:18:22
Athena
No.
00:18:23
Zuuuuu
Does anything...
00:18:23
Athena
Thank you.
00:18:24
Zuuuuu
Closer to home, the better.
00:18:25
Athena
Yep. I... Um... If I could travel... to Spain or France or Mexico or something like that.
00:18:35
Zuuuuu
fair
00:18:36
Athena
Totally. Um, but I hate being away from home My girls are so little and I
00:18:40
Zuuuuu
That's fair.
00:18:43
Athena
Someone asked me one time, would you rather... Be nervous about not making enough income or not spending enough time with your girls
00:18:50
Zuuuuu
a
00:18:50
Athena
um 100 % I would choose them every time. you Um... So... they They understand, and I've actually been able to take off a lot of time with them in the summer. So we, like today I was editing an image. uh they were really patient and as soon as i was done i like did face paint unicorn on my daughter um
00:19:12
Zuuuuu
Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:13
Athena
And that's how our summers go. And you know last night we were at the beach for like three hours.
00:19:16
Zuuuuu
That's so cute
00:19:19
Athena
Um, Mmm. I will say. A Minnesota beach. Nothing like Virginia.
00:19:23
Zuuuuu
Thank you. Thank you.
00:19:26
Athena
So... um But...
00:19:28
Zuuuuu
and i say The amount of bodies of water that I've seen in the past. Three days. has been very diverse. Yeah.
00:19:34
Athena
um But yeah, no, I don't i don't like traveling. um i I will say that I'm doing it now. because I'm starting this side of my business. If... I get to a point where I'm able to choose to not travel.
00:19:49
Athena
um you know maybe a couple times a year for a really good lovely projects I would do that. Yeah.
00:19:54
Zuuuuu
Gotcha.
00:19:55
Athena
It's not my goal.
00:19:57
Zuuuuu
That's fair.
Regional travel preferences, gear-hauling stress, and staying close to home
00:19:57
Athena
So what about you?
00:20:00
Zuuuuu
Well, I haven't... I guess Richmond, which is like two hours north of here is the farthest I've gone.
00:20:06
Athena
Okay.
00:20:06
Zuuuuu
um travel wise and every time i've had a dc shoot it's kind of like falling through
00:20:11
Zuuuuu
I like the... i idea of it just because there's like So many differences. Like within... like home styles and design styles that you can find.
00:20:11
Athena
Okay.
00:20:23
Athena
Mhm.
00:20:23
Zuuuuu
within a certain like, distance span? Especially like just the diversity of the like Northeast.
00:20:26
Athena
yeah
00:20:30
Zuuuuu
area.
00:20:31
Athena
Totally.
00:20:31
Zuuuuu
um so it's like between raleigh and here and dc and then like anything north of that like philly and whatnot like there's just They're so... different that I feel like the opportunity of like seeing something exciting could really pop up.
00:20:45
Zuuuuu
So from a driving point it's really cool But I'm also not a morning person.
00:20:48
Athena
Yeah.
00:20:50
Zuuuuu
So it's like I'd have to plan to like be somewhere the night before if it meant like an early engagement.
00:20:51
Athena
I love you
00:20:56
Athena
Yeah.
00:20:57
Zuuuuu
Um... But then when the flight aspect comes into it, and that kind of gives me a little bit of anxiety, like whenever I see people's posts in our... Community feed. of people who like travel with like media passes and have like light stands i was just like i And...
00:21:12
Athena
terify
00:21:12
Zuuuuu
so paranoid when it comes to making sure i have like all my stuff and all the knickknacks and all the triggers and batteries and this and that like i can imagine what it's like being on a plane being responsible for a cart full of equipment
00:21:14
Athena
Yes.
00:21:21
Athena
i want in front of you. I had three clients this year. um have a shoot for me in milwaukee And... all three of them were contemplating flying me out and i was like No.
00:21:37
Athena
I would rather drive five hours every time. Um... i mean like I feel like five to six is about.
00:21:37
Zuuuuu
I'll make that drive.
00:21:42
Zuuuuu
Five hours just been bad.
00:21:45
Athena
my limit. If I could get away with... doing a flight. if If I needed less equipment. Obviously I wouldn't. i would fly but no i i would rather have my equipment and drive.
00:21:58
Zuuuuu
oh
00:21:58
Athena
and have my choice of snack on the way. Bye.
00:22:01
Zuuuuu
That's fair.
00:22:02
Athena
Here for the food. um
00:22:05
Zuuuuu
Yeah, I think six hours is my solo driving limit too.
00:22:05
Athena
Yeah. Sleep hours is a lot.
00:22:07
Zuuuuu
like it's just It's not enjoyable after that.
00:22:10
Athena
No.
00:22:10
Zuuuuu
It's not that enjoyable then, but it's like it's really miserable after that.
00:22:13
Athena
No, I feel like I learned i was old when someone said like you know you're old when you use your seat warmer in your car for back pain rather than for cold And I am that person.
00:22:25
Zuuuuu
it
00:22:25
Athena
I 100 % use it for back pain.
00:22:28
Zuuuuu
So last summer I went to... visit my buddy in dallas and i asked him just like it's 100 degrees outside it's it's Dallas in July why is your heat warmer on it was just like oh I worked out yesterday so I was like my back is sore I'm just like What the heck?
00:22:45
Zuuuuu
And then I purchased a car that has seat warmers and I'm just like. all right let me give this a try i'm just like ah damn he was on to something and i happen to see that post like maybe a month or two later i'm just like
00:22:52
Athena
It's awesome. look
00:22:59
Zuuuuu
Huh. Yeah. I hate that I can relate to this now.
00:23:00
Athena
I get it now. I know.
00:23:03
Zuuuuu
Thank you.
00:23:04
Athena
Yes. Okay. Yep. Um...
Current camera kits, lighting setups, and favorite technical wins
00:23:06
Athena
I have a ah client that... said maybe like they have a project that they're finishing in California maybe they would fly me out for that and I already have anxiety over how do you fly with gear and people figure it out they do it all the time
00:23:21
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:23:21
Athena
But I have not figured it out yet, so I will keep you posted.
00:23:26
Zuuuuu
It's like one of my favorite sayings from the summit is say yes and figure out how later.
00:23:30
Athena
Mm-hmm. Yes.
00:23:31
Zuuuuu
one of the big things i've been trying to embrace um what does What does gear look like? for you like what's a typical Gear loadout for shoot day.
00:23:38
Athena
um Okay. thanks to steven carlish i feel like i need a bigger car now because my drunk is full um and i have a super outback so you know she's not that small but Okay, I have... Two mirrorless bodies.
00:23:53
Athena
I do want a third. So I am an icon person. Um. I feel like mine are clearly good enough. but I was shooting alongside a friend. who i've shot alongside someone with sony with canon and a nikon z8 and i have the z 6-2 and 7-2.
00:24:11
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:24:11
Athena
Let me tell you that all three of those, the Nikon Z8, whatever canon and whatever sony the other person were using were incredible and just The clarity.
00:24:22
Athena
the softness, the creaminess, they were so good.
00:24:26
Athena
um So I feel like at some point I will need to upgrade. I would rather stick with Nikon. I do like the color in it. Um, but we'll see. I'm going to rent it probably for my next shoot and see how I feel. Um, I am a prime lens person.
00:24:26
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:24:41
Athena
So...
00:24:42
Zuuuuu
Nice.
00:24:42
Athena
I have... A 20. 28. 35. 50. 85 and 135. you um which comes from my wedding days.
00:24:56
Zuuuuu
Okay, but said how do you use 135 for a...
00:24:57
Athena
I will say I have seen online that you use it for details. in interiors and i love it i do so i used it recently for
00:25:02
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:25:07
Athena
um it was like a chair detail and I was like way back in a hallway but just the compression between all of the details is
00:25:10
Zuuuuu
yeah
00:25:15
Athena
Very lovely. I've also seen it for like top down like coffee table decor views.
00:25:22
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:25:22
Athena
Also very nice.
00:25:23
Zuuuuu
I think compression is something new that I'm trying to...
00:25:23
Athena
i
00:25:28
Zuuuuu
Appreciate more.
00:25:29
Athena
It's amazing. I am convincing everyone slowly into 135.
00:25:31
Zuuuuu
Hmm.
00:25:33
Athena
Huge fan. Okay. um I... Honestly, Love my 50 for interiors as much as I can. I use my 50. um However, it was made to... be very soft.
00:25:34
Zuuuuu
you
00:25:48
Athena
So I have to be careful as to when I use it like I can't use it for a really like far like even at f-16 it just is not quite enough
00:25:57
Zuuuuu
Interesting.
00:25:58
Athena
Mm hmm. um Let's see. I have two speed lights. I have... my one strobe. So my speedlights are Profoto.
00:26:09
Athena
My strobe is a Godox which at some point I will need to get them all in the same system which is really hard.
00:26:15
Zuuuuu
But which one?
00:26:16
Athena
Bye.
00:26:16
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:26:17
Athena
I know. If someone could make a universal trigger, I'd be a i'd be up for that. um i've got Two umbrellas. An Octabox. Two scrims. a reflector.
00:26:28
Athena
Uh... A couple other things. I love them. I play with all of them.
00:26:34
Zuuuuu
Nice.
00:26:35
Athena
My newest favorite thing at the other a shoot I did recently I used my reflector. to basically... Bounce. sunshine from a window onto a faucet.
00:26:46
Athena
And it was like super particular.
00:26:48
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:26:49
Athena
But... Than just like the faucet and the water
00:26:52
Zuuuuu
Wait, like natural sunlight?
00:26:54
Athena
What was that?
00:26:55
Zuuuuu
You were reflecting like natural sunlight?
00:26:56
Athena
Yes.
00:26:57
Zuuuuu
Oh.
00:26:58
Athena
Yeah. And so it was coming in from the window and we bounced it over to the faucet. So like the faucet and the water had like some epic highlight but then there was a slatted wood wall right behind the sink and so that was still dark.
00:27:12
Athena
but the water was like glowing.
00:27:14
Zuuuuu
That's genius.
00:27:15
Athena
It was awesome!
00:27:16
Zuuuuu
Thank you.
00:27:18
Athena
So cool.
00:27:18
Zuuuuu
I'm just going to be thinking about that for my next two shoots now, just like...
00:27:20
Athena
i
00:27:21
Zuuuuu
Where's this light heading? Can I bounce it?
00:27:22
Athena
i will find a photo after this and send it to you it was very cool okay what about you
00:27:28
Zuuuuu
Um... Um... So the most that I have used for a real estate shoot so I have my Um... My EOS R. Canon, which is like the first mirrorless camera that they made.
00:27:42
Zuuuuu
um So I'm very due for an upgrade because now that I've played with... the r6 mark ii and the r5 mark it's like oh this is very very nice And then I got this little...
00:27:55
Zuuuuu
r50v for video stuff but honestly it's kind of nice as like a backup can too because it's super Tiny.
00:27:57
Athena
o
00:28:00
Athena
Nice, that's very small.
00:28:00
Zuuuuu
uh so it's a lot nicer on the gimbal and just easier on my shoulder and back so
00:28:05
Athena
Okay.
00:28:06
Zuuuuu
sometimes i'll throw the prime just on this just to have something lighter get the quick detail shots off of that So this has been really great. I actually had a... uh an andrew bermasco light moment the other day because i had My...
00:28:22
Zuuuuu
My R at the front of the house for a Twilight. And then I had this on a smaller tripod on the back of the house, like facing the sunset.
00:28:28
Athena
Okay.
00:28:29
Athena
Yeah.
00:28:30
Zuuuuu
And then I was flying my drone at the same time and like one of my triggers stopped working and then I was out of range for my cam ranger.
00:28:32
Athena
No way!
00:28:36
Zuuuuu
So I had to like hit the button, then run to the side, be close enough, then hit start because it was a huge house. And then get out of the way for the drone. And then I was taking it just like that. And I was just running around like that for like 50 minutes.
00:28:47
Zuuuuu
It was so much fun. And I was so happy with how the photos came out.
00:28:48
Athena
Oh my gosh. Oh I want to see that one. That does sound really cool.
00:28:53
Zuuuuu
Oh. yeah i got them back from the editor this morning so I'll send it to you after this.
00:28:57
Athena
yes Please do
00:28:59
Zuuuuu
We should just have like an Instagram post that has like the reference photos later.
00:29:03
Athena
Okay, yes.
00:29:03
Zuuuuu
Um, All right, so... Then I have my Peak Design tripod with a Benro geared head.
00:29:08
Athena
Yep.
00:29:08
Zuuuuu
I have the Laowa 17 shift lens, which has been great. The EF1635, and it has like an adapter from EF to R that has filters that can go in between them.
00:29:12
Athena
Yay!
00:29:17
Athena
Mm-hmm.
00:29:19
Zuuuuu
So it's really cool, like not needing like a circular thread for each one.
00:29:24
Athena
Nice.
00:29:24
Zuuuuu
So I keep my CPL in that one. I need to get a CPL for the Laowa.
00:29:28
Athena
Okay.
00:29:29
Zuuuuu
um And then the most like lights that I've run is my Godox AD600 on a stand. I have two different umbrellas, one with the white inside and one with like the more reflector one.
00:29:35
Athena
you
00:29:39
Athena
Yep.
00:29:40
Zuuuuu
Um... so that'll be like my primary light and if there's like a room in the back or something that needs something then i have two ad100s and Their speed light, their round head speed light, I'm forgetting what it's called right now.
00:29:51
Athena
Yeah.
00:29:52
Zuuuuu
And I love the mag mod accessories on those. Are you familiar with it?
00:29:56
Athena
I mean, maybe I've seen it, but not by name.
00:29:59
Zuuuuu
Yeah, so they have like these diffusion domes and different color filters and like the bounces and they just like snap right on and you can like stack things too.
00:30:07
Athena
Wait, my friend has that.
00:30:07
Zuuuuu
So...
00:30:08
Athena
I really want it.
00:30:09
Zuuuuu
Yeah, super great for like... Um... Just easy. on and off not having to think about things and screw them on and what fits and doesn't fit like everything just has a little elastic thing
00:30:16
Athena
Yeah.
00:30:20
Zuuuuu
pop it on very satisfying sound too i tried to just replicate it but i realized my mouth just physically does not make that sound. um You.
00:30:28
Athena
okay amazing
00:30:31
Zuuuuu
Um... So I think that's the most that I've used.
00:30:33
Athena
Okay.
00:30:34
Zuuuuu
At...
Lighting choices, gear wish lists, and solving big-space problems
00:30:34
Athena
how Okay, tell me about your AD100.
00:30:35
Zuuuuu
like a single real estate shoot.
00:30:38
Athena
And...
00:30:39
Athena
when you use
00:30:39
Zuuuuu
I don't have a one.
00:30:40
Zuuuuu
I have two twos.
00:30:42
Athena
Oh, you do?
00:30:42
Zuuuuu
And then the speed light.
00:30:43
Athena
Okay, okay.
00:30:44
Athena
Okay. So when do you choose to use your 200 over your speed light?
00:30:44
Zuuuuu
Yeah, six, two twos, and a speed light.
00:30:49
Zuuuuu
So the 200 was the first one that I got.
00:30:54
Athena
okay
00:30:54
Zuuuuu
Um... So the speed light, actually, I don't really use all that often. There have been a couple of shoots where, like I said, it for the kitchen and then there was like a little hallway that goes to like a bar area.
00:31:06
Athena
Mhm.
00:31:06
Zuuuuu
So sometimes that area is so tight. So it'll be like kitchen, doorway, bar area, doorway, dining room. so there's like no windows and i don't want to use like the overhead light so i will like because i'm 6 '3 i'll throw the speed like like up in the corner and kind of get like emulated light look in there because it's
00:31:16
Athena
Yeah. Yeah.
00:31:24
Zuuuuu
tight enough.
00:31:24
Athena
Yeah.
00:31:25
Zuuuuu
Um... And because I can... put it on a cold shoe and it's like bendable so being able to have it sit flat and face the wall and have like more diffuse look that's when i'll use the speed led because it just has more maneuverability to it
00:31:38
Athena
Wait, the word cold shoe I've never heard before and it makes so much sense.
00:31:43
Zuuuuu
Yeah, Hachu.
00:31:43
Athena
Ayaa...
00:31:45
Zuuuuu
communicates camera and item and culture is just Stand.
00:31:50
Athena
I've never heard that before and it makes so much sense.
00:31:52
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:31:54
Athena
Oh my gosh. Okay. Incredible. I love that.
00:31:58
Zuuuuu
Not the not the um insightful bit of information. expected to share today.
00:32:04
Athena
My mind gets blown by very small bits of information, so... Thank you. They're amazing.
00:32:10
Zuuuuu
You're welcome.
00:32:10
Athena
Thank you. That is fantastic. I feel like I need another strobe in my kit, partially because anxiety.
00:32:19
Zuuuuu
who
00:32:20
Athena
What if one fails?
00:32:22
Zuuuuu
Sure.
00:32:22
Athena
But also, what if the sun explodes? you know Who knows? um it
00:32:26
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:32:27
Athena
Great question.
00:32:27
Zuuuuu
I doubt you'll be continuing your photo shoot at that point, but...
00:32:29
Athena
Ha ha ha.
00:32:30
Zuuuuu
There might be other pressing matters at hand. But yeah, if you are that locked in, sure, we need extra lights.
00:32:33
Athena
oh a
00:32:37
Athena
we'll see um But yeah, I feel like I need another so another strobe. I mean, I need five. to 10 things and it's hard to prioritize exactly What it is, but another strobe is on my list so
00:32:50
Zuuuuu
Okay, what's your wish list? strobe item then or loading a lighting item
00:32:55
Athena
i mean Part of me wants to say another 8600 because what if I need it? Or like, what if i what if mine fails?
00:33:01
Zuuuuu
Fair.
00:33:02
Athena
um However, I do feel like Uh... An AD 200. It's Probably. Probably in the realm, like in between.
00:33:14
Athena
my speed lights and what I have.
00:33:16
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:33:17
Athena
Um.
00:33:18
Zuuuuu
And there's rigs where it's like... First off, they go on sale so often, too. That's wonderful. But there's also rigs where it's like if you have two, you can put like the two AD200s together and stick it together.
00:33:22
Athena
That's good.
00:33:28
Zuuuuu
And then you essentially have a 400.
00:33:30
Athena
what
00:33:31
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:33:31
Athena
People are smart.
00:33:32
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:33:33
Athena
That's awesome.
00:33:34
Zuuuuu
And you can just like get it on Adorama too. and then attach your umbrellas and soft boxes and Bowen mounts and all that stuff to it.
00:33:36
Athena
That's very smart. Mmm. Nice.
00:33:41
Zuuuuu
so
00:33:42
Athena
Ooh. So I need that.
00:33:43
Zuuuuu
It is.
00:33:44
Athena
a camera upgrade
00:33:44
Zuuuuu
Handy.
00:33:46
Athena
ah I would love...
00:33:48
Zuuuuu
A winning lottery ticket.
00:33:49
Athena
I mean, a lottery ticket. I need... What else? I would love a second monitor. To edit off of. That would be a game changer.
00:33:57
Zuuuuu
I'm looking to upgrade my monitor
00:33:59
Athena
That would be really nice Um, what else? a
00:34:03
Zuuuuu
What monitor do you have now?
00:34:05
Athena
ah My laptop.
00:34:06
Zuuuuu
Oh okay.
00:34:07
Athena
That's it.
00:34:08
Zuuuuu
Which is really good. I use Mac
00:34:10
Athena
Yeah.
00:34:10
Zuuuuu
Yeah, great screen.
00:34:11
Athena
which i love it i just i would love a secondary very large reference image um
00:34:16
Zuuuuu
Yeah. That's fair.
00:34:17
Athena
so That would be great. um what else there was something oh a 20 foot light stand which you and i messaged about
00:34:24
Zuuuuu
Oh yeah.
00:34:25
Athena
oh my god okay so i think i told you that i had ordered that 20 foot light stand just in case for the shoot It didn't arrive on time.
00:34:25
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:34:31
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:34:32
Athena
It arrived. So it was supposed to arrive. By 10 p .m. the night before a shoot. It didn't arrive by 6 a .m. the next morning, which is when I had to leave. So I came back. It was on my porch. I immediately went to Amazon to return it. And they were like, oh, cool. Just put it on your front porch. You don't even need a label.
00:34:50
Athena
Someone will come pick it up. It was on my porch for four days and I i messaged Amazon and I was like, this needs to be picked up.
00:34:53
Zuuuuu
That's... yeah
00:34:59
Athena
immediately and if it gets stolen you owe me this much money and they were like we're so sorry someone will pick it up tomorrow and they didn't So anyways. It took two more days, and then it finally got returned.
00:35:12
Zuuuuu
well at that point like couldn't you just taking it like to the spot and it's been like i don't trust you guys anymore just take this away from me
00:35:17
Athena
I wasn't an option. They didn't even let me do that. the only option was to put it on my front porch.
00:35:20
Zuuuuu
That's weird. is it Was it because of a size thing? or
00:35:24
Athena
Perfect.
00:35:25
Zuuuuu
Oh.
00:35:26
Athena
i know
00:35:27
Zuuuuu
That's odd
00:35:28
Athena
Right, so now I need to buy another one. you Bye. I feel like every house I'm in.
00:35:33
Zuuuuu
i still want that mag mod one
00:35:35
Athena
is either like it's either a full second level.
00:35:39
Athena
Or... It is like a... a story and a half, or even like a story and a quarter.
00:35:40
Zuuuuu
Mm-hmm.
00:35:44
Zuuuuu
Just incredibly vaulted ceilings.
00:35:46
Athena
where it's seriously like it's just tall enough where i can't get a real 45 degree angle shooting down into the main level of the house. Bye now.
00:35:56
Zuuuuu
How do we put like 8100s on like a little hot air balloon or like attach it to a drone and just fly the drone? to I part of the house and shoot it off of there. Bye.
00:36:05
Athena
Love this plan.
00:36:06
Zuuuuu
Bye. Thank you. I like hot air balloons.
00:36:08
Athena
Fantastic. Good. Yes!
00:36:10
Zuuuuu
Or just a balloon, like, just on a string, and you're, like, holding it in a spot that needs it. Pull it down when you're done.
00:36:16
Athena
Fantastic idea. I did put mine on ah as high as my light stand went one time and it... you was blowing in the wind. It did not fall down, but I watched its way.
00:36:28
Zuuuuu
That's one thing I...
00:36:28
Athena
you
00:36:29
Athena
Terrifying.
00:36:30
Zuuuuu
Have not done often as keep my light stand outside or keep my light outside. It just it but A few times that I've done it had to be in like... the perfect conditions where it wasn't too windy. and ah there was like shade on that side of the house and I'm just like how do people do this on a regular basis?
00:36:45
Athena
I know, I know
00:36:46
Zuuuuu
This is what I need exposure therapy for.
00:36:49
Athena
Seriously.
00:36:50
Athena
I know I have a shoot. coming in the cabin that I was going, I initially, I was like, Oh, this would be epic with amazing sunshine. coming from these windows but they're all north facing so they never would get direct sunshine and i was like i'm not gonna lie
00:36:51
Zuuuuu
Oh.
00:37:01
Zuuuuu
oh
00:37:05
Athena
i'm not going to pretend that sunshine would ever come through these windows so then i got to give it up which felt really nice
00:37:11
Zuuuuu
Sell the vibes.
00:37:11
Athena
Yeah. Yep. I would love some drama through those windows. ah
00:37:16
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:37:18
Athena
But not if it's not realistic.
00:37:20
Zuuuuu
Yeah, that's fair.
00:37:22
Athena
I thought it was going to be
00:37:23
Zuuuuu
Let's
Brand names, personal work, and keeping photography fun outside client jobs
00:37:23
Athena
a cool one.
00:37:23
Zuuuuu
go to this it's cool to just kind of see like work with what you have with that mentality. and Yeah. this Sell the experience.
00:37:31
Athena
right I know. I agree.
00:37:34
Zuuuuu
Alright, so I know we're hitting... The point that you said that you had to go. So...
00:37:37
Athena
no that's okay i i can hear my girls tiptoeing outside to be like is mom done yet
00:37:38
Zuuuuu
Two things.
00:37:43
Zuuuuu
Yeah. Um...
00:37:45
Athena
They're okay.
00:37:46
Zuuuuu
So... First thing. Tell the people where they can follow you on Instagram.
00:37:49
Athena
ah oh
00:37:50
Zuuuuu
In case they haven't already.
00:37:51
Athena
Good question. at Imperia dot interiors. I think it's a dot. i will double check um why interiors you ask because do people confuse me with an interior designer
00:37:57
Zuuuuu
I feel like it is.
00:38:02
Athena
Bad mistake on my part, kind of.
00:38:04
Zuuuuu
Ha ha ha.
00:38:04
Athena
um i already have imperious studios for my portrait work And I didn't want to do Imperia Photography. um Because...
00:38:15
Athena
i already do photography and i didn't want to do homes because i want to do hospitality and offices and all that stuff and i figured if i want if i photograph the outside of the building i always want to be on the interior as well
00:38:16
Zuuuuu
fine
00:38:29
Zuuuuu
That's fine I mean
00:38:29
Athena
And I didn't want to do my name because I don't i really identify with my last name. It's only for legal purposes.
00:38:34
Zuuuuu
That's fair.
00:38:34
Athena
You didn't need to know any of that. But that is why.
00:38:38
Zuuuuu
But we're here to ramble, so it works.
00:38:39
Athena
That is why Imperia Interiors is the way that it is.
00:38:42
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:38:43
Athena
So there you go.
00:38:45
Zuuuuu
And if you do take a picture of an exterior, technically you can see through the windows. Not very well. So there is an interior in the picture from the outside.
00:38:50
Athena
You can!
00:38:53
Athena
True. True.
00:38:55
Athena
That is very true.
00:38:56
Zuuuuu
Um...
00:38:57
Zuuuuu
I started off with... Z Ali photography when I thought that I was going to be doing like events and portraits and stuff like that.
00:39:00
Athena
Ooh. I do like how that rhymes.
00:39:03
Zuuuuu
It has such a fun ring to it.
00:39:05
Athena
It does!
00:39:05
Zuuuuu
like that's how i tell people the website too it's like oh yeah i see elite photography
00:39:08
Athena
Yes!
00:39:09
Zuuuuu
But then when I started the business, I went for upright exposures. Because when... i don't know if i told you this in person When... we're like learning about architecture photography it's like oh make sure your verticals are upright make sure verticals are upright so that was like drilled into my brain so that's where the upright part came from
00:39:21
Athena
yeah
00:39:24
Athena
you Yes.
00:39:26
Zuuuuu
And then I thought that I was going to have a team and do like a bunch of video stuff and 3D tours and blah, blah, blah. And I'm realizing I hate all that stuff. But that's where Upright Exposures came from.
00:39:36
Zuuuuu
So it's not just photography.
00:39:36
Athena
uh
00:39:38
Zuuuuu
It's just like it's different camera sources for different things.
00:39:38
Athena
Yes! Uh-huh. Yep.
00:39:42
Zuuuuu
Um...
00:39:42
Athena
I love a business name that gives you the flexibility to grow. if you so choose.
00:39:46
Zuuuuu
Yeah. yeah because there's definitely been a lot of soul searching of like what i want this business to actually be so thankfully it's like stuck with me and if i do ever need to go back to my name then like the zoo early photography is still like available so
00:39:48
Athena
Thank you.
00:39:53
Athena
yeah
00:39:59
Athena
fantastic
00:40:00
Zuuuuu
Yeah, close it all. I like to post like my personal, not personal. I'm trying to get back to like shooting for fun.
00:40:06
Athena
Mm-hmm.
00:40:06
Zuuuuu
So, like, I went to Chicago a couple weeks ago, and I posted that one on Super League Photography, but, like, shared it. um like collaborate it with my like personal one and all that
00:40:11
Athena
Yeah.
00:40:14
Zuuuuu
So it's nice just having things like set. Aside. Um, That Instagram collaboration has just been such a game changer of light. how I want to post and what I want like these pages to be perceived as and whatnot.
00:40:27
Athena
Yeah.
00:40:28
Zuuuuu
Um, But that Chicago thing leads... led into my other question is that when you go for the fishing trips like are you excited to take pictures when you're on areas like that or are you just like so locked into family time that
00:40:39
Athena
No, that's a really good question. I can't ever turn off my photography brain. So I have
00:40:42
Zuuuuu
Okay.
00:40:44
Athena
debated many times if I I mean I'm going to bring my camera um If you don't.
00:40:49
Zuuuuu
Do you have like a baby can a travel camera or do you just bring like one of your work ones?
00:40:50
Athena
No, I need one. I need one. um but one of my favorite
00:40:54
Zuuuuu
They're so cute and little.
00:40:56
Athena
Yeah. One of my favorite photographers is Taylor Hall O 'Brien. If you don't follow him, go do it. He's amazing. But he's local to Minnesota and he... Um...
00:41:08
Athena
I don't want to say started. his interior journey but I would say like started to get traction Um... Bye. Kind of because of a cabin lodge.
00:41:19
Athena
Up North series. um And so he, I love how he portrays cabin culture. in the midwest but specifically minnesota And granted,
00:41:30
Athena
Okay. this place is in canada but it's very similar i just feel like really old cabin culture is really cool and I don't love hunting and apparently I like fishing and I know that That.
00:41:43
Athena
Doesn't make sense, but I just just it's all handcrafted by this really old man It's...
Everyday camera dreams and closing thoughts on building a photographer community
00:41:50
Athena
So classic the views are incredible the way that the sun rises over the lake with like the steam every single morning is so beautiful
00:41:58
Zuuuuu
That sounds amazing.
00:41:59
Athena
Um, so I'm like, I know that I won't be able to photograph everything, but even if I just get a couple photos. It's gonna be so good.
00:42:06
Zuuuuu
to Just to feed that side of your soul a little bit.
00:42:08
Athena
Yes. Yes.
00:42:10
Zuuuuu
Oh.
00:42:10
Athena
you know But yeah, I typically take my photo or take my camera.
00:42:10
Zuuuuu
I'm so excited to see those.
00:42:14
Athena
On trips.
00:42:17
Zuuuuu
That'll be fun. I'm trying to do better about that.
00:42:19
Athena
It's so worth it
00:42:21
Zuuuuu
Yeah.
00:42:21
Athena
it's so worth it
00:42:23
Zuuuuu
That is so like I do need to save up for that. r6 mark 3 which i really really want for work and for all the other things but Ever since those Fujifilm XV-106s came out, I've just been so obsessed with them, but the back order has just been insane.
00:42:37
Athena
No.
00:42:38
Zuuuuu
i love the idea of just such a small body and a fixed lens and just being like out in a big city and it's just more subtle but it has that weather resistance and it's just like...
00:42:38
Athena
World War.
00:42:44
Athena
Thank you.
00:42:47
Zuuuuu
you're stuck with 23 mil, like whatever you do is is whatever you're going to do.
00:42:51
Athena
I know.
00:42:51
Athena
I was reading a whole thread on point and shoots yesterday.
00:42:51
Zuuuuu
It's just...
00:42:52
Zuuuuu
Okay. Can't wait to have that.
00:42:55
Athena
Wow. Soon.
00:42:57
Zuuuuu
One day.
00:42:58
Athena
Soon. I know.
00:42:59
Zuuuuu
Hopefully before the end of the year. I want one of them before I go to Vancouver because I really want to take it to Vancouver with me this time since I will actually be there long enough to go explore a little bit and not just be doing wedding stuff.
00:43:11
Zuuuuu
so
00:43:11
Athena
Yes!
00:43:12
Zuuuuu
I really want to take a camera and a lens and just... have fun on one of my hikes or city walks or whatever.
00:43:18
Athena
Absolutely should. When are you going to Vancouver?
00:43:20
Zuuuuu
October. End of October.
00:43:21
Athena
Yay!
00:43:22
Zuuuuu
Yes.
00:43:22
Athena
Incredible.
00:43:23
Zuuuuu
I'm so excited.
00:43:24
Athena
Yay! yay I hope you have the best time.
00:43:26
Zuuuuu
I hope you do as well.
00:43:28
Athena
Thank you.
00:43:28
Athena
I'm very excited.
00:43:28
Zuuuuu
And this was a fantastic time.
00:43:29
Zuuuuu
I had a great time doing this with you. Thanks for joining me for the first one.
00:43:31
Athena
This was great. Absolutely.
00:43:34
Zuuuuu
Yeah. So... The idea, the ambitious idea. was to do this once a month. And to all the other... Architecture photographers, if you want to join the conversation and just hop on and just talk about work and what it was like for you the last month.
00:43:48
Athena
yes
00:43:48
Zuuuuu
then ah yeah, we would love to yap with whoever. so
00:43:52
Athena
That would be very fun.
00:43:54
Zuuuuu
Yay!
00:43:55
Athena
Two thumbs up.
00:43:55
Zuuuuu
I'll see you at the next one. And I'll still talk to you tomorrow.
00:43:59
Athena
Okay. Yes. Probably. Absolutely.
00:44:02
Zuuuuu
All right. Thanks to everybody that listened and always remember, stay whelmed.
00:44:06
Athena
thanks you