DKG Arts Gallery Blog: Artist’s Spotlight: Theresa Azoti

An Open Artists’ Discussion on Creation, Technique & Opportunity

Theresa Azoti – Connecticut State Organization – Zeta Chapter

1. Briefly, tell me a little bit about yourself as an educator and as a photographer?

My career as an educator spanned thirty years beginning as a third-grade elementary school teacher, returning after having a family as a reading specialist and ultimately retiring as the only reading consultant for the K-12 special education department in a smaller Connecticut town. Five more years after retirement were spent as a volunteer para-educator in various elementary classrooms, assisting teachers and students.

My interest in photography began using analog film cameras for many years, first to document family events and vacations, but grew to an amateur hobby including photos of nature, especially favorite flowers. Still photos of flowers are utilized on greeting cards, which are sent to friends and family members. It is a way of sharing my art.

 

 

2. As a photographer, where do you find your inspiration? Do you search for a particular subject, or do you just have your camera ready? Do you use any special equipment?

Inspiration is found in nature and all things unusual. I also get inspired by attending photography exhibits as much as possible and perusing online galleries and photography magazines. Famous photographic works by master photographers are also a source of inspiration.

Living in a condominium now there is no longer a huge garden of flowers. Most of my work now is done in-house, primarily on still photos. Attending International Conventions and Conferences afforded me many opportunities to photograph over the years in settings other than my home and state.

At times I search for special subjects to photograph if entering a competition or have an idea for a special greeting card. Many competitions give categories of subjects to which the photographer needs to conform. In these instances, one needs to look for photos to fit the subject matter. This is always a challenge.

I moved from analog camera to digital cameras when I found the ease of digital and the non-waste of analog film when a photo did not come well. Presently, I have three cameras, two Sony Cybershot digital still cameras and a Canon SLR EOS Rebel XSI. I most always use a tripod to balance the camera and use each camera intermittently depending on the subject being photographed.

 

3. When you start framing your subject, is there a process that goes through your mind? As an example, your photograph, ‘Shapes & Shadows’ is photographed looking up at a ceiling as opposed to your photograph, ‘Slowly Fading’ which is a triple exposure photo done in a studio.

Framing a photo depends on the reason the photo is being taken. My eyes are trained to look for the unusual, looking up, down and behind when photographing. ‘Shapes and Shadows’ was an industrial ceiling in a Chicago hotel at a DKG Convention. The geometric shapes intrigued me as I stepped off the elevator and looked up. The shadows coming from the light through the skylights above added to some unusual photos.

Whereas, ‘Slowly Fading’ was taken in my “living room studio” of a still vase of flowers. Wherever I am, I visualize what I want to create and frame the photo in such a way that achieves that vision.

    
4. ‘Slowly Fading’ is a triple exposure photo done in grayscale. How did you achieve this outcome? 

'Slowly Fading' is one vase of Black-eyed Susans. The photo was achieved by setting the Canon camera for black and white photography on a tripod. The vase was in full frame and the camera on manual for longer exposure. I moved the camera from left to right at 8-10 second intervals two times. The resulting photo captured three exposures in one photograph giving the feeling of fading away.

 

 
5. Another picture entered in our Spring Gallery was titled, ‘Heavenly Hydrangea’. How did you create the composition & photograph this picture? 

 

   

‘Heavenly Hydrangea’ was inspired by a Georgia O’Keefe painting of a purple Iris on an all-white background. Substitution of a blue Hydrangea for the Iris and a crumpled bed sheet as background produced the photo. The flower is in a small vase fitted inside a tube of a wide roll of bath tissue and the sheet was set up around it. The resulting photo was ethereal, hence the insertion of ‘heavenly’ in the title.

       

 6. What is the best piece of artistic advice you’ve been given?

     “Fill the frame.”

“Have a vision.”

“Keep shooting, everything, everywhere, and anytime.”

7. Do you have any tips for others looking to take still photos?

For still photos, my preference is to use a black background in natural light because light Backgrounds in natural light can have shadows directly to the side or behind the subject making objects look double. Lighter backgrounds are used only when shadows are intentionally wanted. Once backgrounds are set up, the photographer can take as many shots as wanted, taking from all angles, both vertically and horizontally. Selecting the best is a process.

With digital cameras the photographer can take as many photos as wanted. Editing out the ‘bad’ shots can be done while the equipment, background, and subject are still set up so additional exposures can be taken if not satisfied with initial results.

8. Have you entered your work in other competitions?

I have entered work in other competitions, at first with much trepidation, as a self-taught, amateur photographer. After the use of two of my flower photos for our local garden club yearbook covers, I submitted photos several times into local and state garden club competitions to garner second place or honorable mention ribbons. My proudest achievement was a National Garden Club competition in which my photo ‘Tornado’ was accepted in the category of ‘Climate Change’ (altered reality using creative camera techniques in camera or in post/processing). The competition featured images of the environment of the Americas and received 225 entries from the United States, South America and Central America. ‘Tornado’ was one of 24 entries selected to be exhibited in print, power-point, and YouTube format at the National Garden Clubs’ annual convention in Biloxi, Mississippi. The shot was achieved by photographing a vase of abundant orange lilies using again a tripod and moving the camera horizontally from left to right to obtain multiple exposures. After editing, the photo was turned vertically to achieve the effect of a lively tornado.

I also was honored to have one of my photos from the DKG Gallery published in the Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin Collegial Exchange Magazine.