An Interview With Mark Souza

July 16, 2016July 16, 2016 / Lisa / 4 Comments

A writer wanders into a writer’s group…and sticks around for years, becoming a friend in the process.

You have family who are also writers. Can you tell me the pros and cons of having multiple writers in the same home?

With three writers, heads down over laptops, it can be a long stretch between words. Then there are the times you want them as beta readers, or they want you. It’s time they don’t get to write, and half the time you wonder if what you’ve written is even worth reading.

What has been the hardest for you along your writing path? The easiest?

Easiest is when the story flows through you too fast to keep up, and you see it all playing out in your head and it’s brilliant – then you look up and 10,000 new words are on the page. The worst, there are so many; when you’re blocked and words won’t come. When you reach a point in your story where there is no bridge to the rest of it. And when you’re stuck in the DMV of edit/rewrite over and over again until you never want to see your story again.

In this day and age of millions of books available, what steps do you take to help become visible?

I write the best story I can, and good cover art and blurbs. Good writing and good stories will be found. The world is hungry for them. But readers may not even look inside if the cover isn’t appealing, and the blurb compelling. I’ve tried advertising and blog tours, they don’t work. You’re much better off putting the work into your story – the next one, that is.

What draws you to the genres you write in?

Money and passion. I started out a mystery writer – mysteries are a passion of mine as a reader. I became a horror and sci-fi writer because there were far more open short story calls for those genres and I wanted to be published, and I wanted to be paid. My first novel, Robyn’s Egg was going to be a short story. Sci-Fi pays the best. The call was for stories of up to 15,000 words, and paid five cents a word. At five cents a word, you get pretty Dickensian (who was also paid by the word). I got to my 15,000 words, let my wife read it, and she said there’s a lot more story there. So I kept writing, and it turned into a work of passion and a 162,000 word novel. I had some things to say. My second novel, Zombie-saurus Rex was a work of passion from the start. It’s about a gawky zombie kid just trying to get by and maybe be accepted, though he is clearly different. It’s sort of autobiographical.

Where do you think your love of words and stories came from?

I’ve always been a storyteller, though initially my talent was oral storytelling. I’ve always known that the order you weave your tale, and the which words you choose makes a big difference. It’s all in the delivery. I would hear people tell their own stories, and internally wag my head while smiling on the outside, thinking, “that could have been a great story if you only knew how to tell it.” It seemed like a natural step to move from oral storytelling to writing – though it was much harder than I thought it would be. Practice, practice, practice. Get your one million words down on paper and you’ll probably be a decent writer. And don’t let anyone who doesn’t love you see those first ten stories.

What is the earliest thing you remember writing?

When I was 25, I wrote a Hemingway-esque story of a couple in the 1920’s whose marriage falls apart after the birth of a mentally handicapped child. There was no joy in the story, but it was visceral and real. I wrote it out longhand on a canary yellow pad and don’t know what ever happened to it.

When did you have that ‘aha’ moment that made you realize you were a writer?

When my first story was published and I got paid. It wasn’t a lot of money – dinner and a movie maybe, but it meant something.

Aha!

Storytelling in one form or another has been around forever, from cave drawings to oral traditions, to e-readers. Why do you think stories create such a deeply important part of being human?

It’s a chance to travel somewhere exotic, meet a hero, or someone charming, and face down a villain. It’s a chance to escape your life and live a bigger one. It confirms your beliefs and challenges them. It makes you stay up all night because you just have to know. It’s because the world inside your head is so much bigger and more colorful than the real world.

Now that you have a few books out, do you see an underlying theme that comes through in them? Or a theme that draws you to write? I have a tendency to get on my soapbox in the novels I write. The one thing I’ll say is writing is so much easier (and better) if you are passionate about your story.

There is so much advice out there for writers. In your writing path, what have you found most beneficial and what advice have you found least helpful? On the helpful side, “write in active voice with creative, audacious verbs,” and “show, don’t tell.” The least helpful, “write what you know.” Write what you want. Write what you have a passion for. If you don’t know it, research and learn something along the way. And don’t be afraid to create your own world.

In all the interviews you’ve done as a writer, what is the one thing you would like to have been asked and haven’t yet, and how would you answer that question?

“May I fill your trunk with gold bars?” And my response, “yes, you may.” These questions were awesome – thanks Lisa.

Photography as Art, Part 2

November 21, 2015 / Lisa / 1 Comment

Photograph property of Mark Klein and used with permission

Seahawks anyone? Mountains? Photography, perhaps?

The similarities and differences in types of art interest me – how our creativity chooses to come out. Earlier I interviewed my photographer friend Jane, and promised a second part with a different type of photographer. I’d like you to meet Mark Klein, who, when not doing photography, can be found hovering about his coffee stand, the Espresso Chalet, under Mt. Index on highway 2 near Index, Washington. You can reach him there or by phone at 360-793-7932. By the way, that coffee stand is where the movie ‘Harry and the Henderson’s’ was filmed so you will also see Bigfoot there. And my personal favorite is a drink called the Black Wolf – dark chocolate and cinnamon. My husband’s favorite, which I find horrifying, is called a Lift Ticket. Eight ounces, four shots of espresso, and topped off with heavy cream.

So grab your coffee, put up your feet, and hang out with Mark and I for a moment. And by the way, Mark is the photographer who made me forget the camera was there for my author photo.

When you pick up the camera, and your subject is before you, what are the first things that come to mind?

The first thing I do is to make sure my camera is on and batteries are charged and card has sufficient space to capture the moments. Then check settings accordingly for the subjects movements or ambiance. Also I’m looking to create focus on the exact point of interest where viewers will be drawn in. Some images look best with a long depth of field. Others points of interest are isolated by a short depth of field. You can totally change the mood of say, a parade, where there are many people doing the same movement or same expression where a long depth of field tells the story. Or the same window may contain a special emotion where I can concentrate focus on by zooming in or increasing the lens opening. A certain lens (I have 12 lenses) can change everything. Telephotos can capture a special candid emotion. While a circle fisheye can broad focus on a microcosmic scene…my nickname for this lens is a “party” lens. I also use a variety of lenses and filters to bring out certain features of landscapes. So if I am just walking through the woods, I want to be ready for almost anything from a fleeting deer to a trickling stream with special natural light. So I usually set up a hiking scenario with a fast shutter speed and push the ISO to capture the creatures. Then if I find a landscape scene I would perhaps set up a tripod or change to a slower more light absorbing setting. Professional sports requires my fastest settings and lenses.

Mt. Index – photograph property of Mark Klein and used with permission.

It seems like light and shadow could be manipulated to tell the story and I know those can be used to illuminate or create depth. But how do you know to use those tools? Or, more simply, how do you know how to use light and darkness?

I always tell new photographers to “follow the light”….that’s where magic scenes appear amongst the darkness. It can be miles away and create a tremendous capture. So also knowing how an image will respond to post production enhancements comes into play. Digital images can now be changed to appear totally different from the original. So how do I know where and when to use light…..it’s an internal perception or feeling I get much like an artist creating a painting.

Your photos, especially those that are taken outside, always look unrehearsed, as if your subjects are part of their surroundings. How do you pose them to get this natural connection with their surroundings? Or do you pose subjects?

Photography venues vary greatly as I mentioned above, but they all should contain a main theme in common with the message and that message should be the center of attention to the eye. Focus, light and color play a big part here again. I can stop sweat flying off a football player reflecting in the light during a hit or look for a quiet slow-moving post play moment that the player is reflecting on with a blurred sea of color background. Still and staged photos where the photographer controls the scenes can certainly go wrong if the subject does not feel comfortable….photography captures the exact mood of the subject….so this is epic that they feel at ease and understands and see the final image in their mind that you are trying to achieve.

As you go about daily routines, what kinds of things catch your eye and make you think, ‘that would be a great photo’? A similar question would be the more traditional ‘what inspires you?’.

What makes a top-notch photo is finding a scene that creates that uncontrollable and sometimes audible “wow” coming from your mouth or inside voice. If the scene doesn’t draw that out of you as a photographer it’s not as easy to create magic. Scenes with dramatic or unusual features and balanced fore and background help to frame the photo. Sometimes I become so excited about a scene that I have actually stumbled over logs and water, etc. to get the capture. Magic scenes don’t last forever….light changes quickly and all is lost, so you have to be ready. Even as a young boy fantastic photographs have inspired me….capturing an image that truly moves people to that “wow” place keeps me looking and hungry for the next adventure.

Property of Mark Klein and used with permission.

Storytellers ask themselves ‘what if’ and that question can be the well that stories spring from. It seems to me that this would work for photography, too. Do you have questions that you ask yourself as you move through the process?

What if……comes to mind a lot on the trail or in the moment. It’s the X factor of a scene. What if…. can be created nowadays by digital layering or it can be natural. I prefer natural “what if” because if you’re always running into Bigfoot on the trail….you can lose interest with your followers thinking your photographs are all faked.

It seems that photographers, just like painters, musicians, and writers, hope to elicit emotional reactions in their audience. Do you think about what sort of response you want as you take photographs, what you hope the photo translates to the viewer?

Once again the desired response is to create a breathtaking “wow”…..or send a clear message of the purveyance to the reader/follower.

Have you ever been surprised by someone’s emotional reaction to a photograph?

Yes I have been surprised by reactions…especially in sports or competitions where emotions run high….being photographed is not always appreciated. On the other hand shooting a crash by a mountain biker can “be like” …..”hey man, did you get my gnarly crash?” or “I hope you don’t publish that photo” …..In the latter case….I would never publish a photo the subject was not happy with….I just wouldn’t and I seem to be able to sort those out anyway.

Have you ever thought about why photography speaks to you over other art forms?

I do like many other art forms….but photography is my true passion and passion is what it takes to keep producing quality images and captures. Passion drives me to stay ahead of the curve and the ever-changing digital advancements. It’s something that just works out with my lifestyle and where we live here in the mountains.

What are one or two questions that you wish someone would ask you about photography?

I guess my favorite question is from parents at races “did you get my son or daughter on that jump”? Or ‘did you get that amazing sunset?’ On the techy side….is when I get questions from up and coming inspired photographers asking how to shoot a scene. I do like to share advice on camera gear and settings. I think I’d like to own a camera shop and sporting goods store in our next chapter……

Thanks for the opportunity to talk photography on your blog.

And one last photo from Mark for you Seahawks fans.

Property of Mark Klein and used with permission

Photography as Art, Part 1

November 9, 2015 / Lisa / 2 Comments

Following is an interview I did with photographer Jane Speleers of Royal Squirrel Photography (http://theroyalsquirrel.com). I’m always fascinated by what draws us to specific forms of art. And photography, like so many forms of art, tells a story.

Besides being a photographer, Jane is an adventurer, horse woman, climber, and all around very nice person. How do I know? I’ve known her for a few years now and she was very nice when my dog peed on her new carpet.

Vala – the carpet-peeing slob

Jane asked me to edit her comments as she worried about English being her second language. I chose not to for two reasons – I didn’t see anything to change, and I prefer to have the words remain true to the voice. Hope she doesn’t mind!

When you pick up the camera, and your subject is before you, what are the first things that come to mind?

What I think is: “Who is she? What is she feeling? Does the camera make her uncomfortable?”. I try to not affect my subject with my presence. I try to understand and relate to my subject’s emotions so I can act/interact in a way that would make them feel that I’m part of what they already know, their environment, and keep them comfortable.

Light and absence of light can be manipulated to intensify emotions in an image. These are perceived by our senses like music in horror movies. If you cover your ears while watching a suspense movie, you might not get scared at all. If I use artificial lighting when taking a picture of a living room, it will make it look bright; all the furniture, built-in features and details will stand out as a “whole” since they all receive the same amount of light. It might even look spacious. In this case you can see it all. Maybe this image would be used for a home ad. However, if I take this same picture without studio lighting, with only natural lighting coming in through the window…you will only be able to see what is within the light reach. Or not even that…you might only see furniture silhouettes. In either case, many questions would come up to your mind, like.. “Is that a chair or is there someone behind the table?” “Is that an abandoned house?”, “Is that a haunted house?” The absence of lighting changes the concept of this picture from ‘A nice living room’ to ‘a haunted/abandoned living room”. I’m not saying that absence of light has negative connotations. When light is absent in some parts of the image, this increases the tension on whatever is brighter and leaves more room for the imagination to complete the image based on what this is able to decode.

It depends on the subject. It normally takes me about twenty minutes to understand how my clients think, how they verbally communicate, what subjects makes them laugh and the way their bodies unconsciously communicate. This last is the most difficult to understand and direct. I would say that I usually manipulate 50% of the image by choosing the location and directing the photo-shoot. Ideally, the other 50% is natural and spontaneous. Some clients are a bit nervous at the beginning and later on they get super creative and silly during the shoot, which makes the most fantastic portraits. Plenty of laughter, playful poses, and some people even dance in front of the camera! I want my clients to enjoy not just the final product but the photo-shoot as a great experience and the portraits as a souvenir from that memorable day. However, for some people it’s hard to be spontaneous when there’s a camera capturing every move they make. And I can include myself in this group. For which I am in constant communication with them, joking around and explaining to them what I’m doing and what my vision is. When they feel that I’m being honest with them, that I am aware of their emotions and I explain to them that there’s nothing to be worried about. They seem to feel a lot more comfortable because they understand that I’m working with them and for them. And looking at the camera is not an issue any more. They share thoughts and memories with me and this leads to making spontaneously happy and meaningful portraits.

As you go about daily routines, what kinds of things catch your eye and make you think, ‘that would be a great photo’? A similar question would be the more traditional ‘what inspires you?’.

Most days, I’m inspired by my dogs, Frida and Whiskey. Their body language, facial expressions, silliness, naiveness, and the way they communicate with me. I could photograph them every day of my life and there would always be something new to smile about.

Other than that, nature with natural light in the early morning.

I ask myself “what if” every few minutes. There’s many, I even dare to say “hundreds” of ways to capture one moment in time. You can only choose one. I do it and I continue with the following “What if”.

When I go to bed after a full day photo-shoot, many of those ‘What if.. I did something different about that one” come back to me.. and I try hard to let go.

Have you ever been surprised by someone’s emotional reaction to a photograph?

Yes, many times. It was precious.

Do you have a preference between taking photos of landscapes, still life, animals, people, etc.? What draws you to that specific preference?

Professionally, I love capturing people when going through strong emotions. Weddings are the best for these. My favorite moments are when the bride walks down the aisle and when the bride dances with her father.

Personally, landscapes & natural events that show how alive the earth is.

Have you ever thought about why photography speaks to you over other art forms?

I’d say that photography can speak to you in a particularly intimate way because this can bring back and revive a real moment from the past, but this time it’s frozen, for as long as your mind wishes, allowing you to explore it, relate to the subject, and think about the possibilities. Even though it doesn’t exist any more. It can contain plenty of visual information to be decoded.

But I’d say that Video can speak to you over other art forms.

What are one or two questions that you wish someone would ask you about photography?

Personally, what do you love and don’t love of being a photographer?

I love to capture life for my clients to remember it, but I don’t love feeding people’s vanity.

Thanks, Jane, for taking the time to feed my curiosity. If anyone has questions for her, you can post them in the comments below or contact Jane directly through her website, noted above.

I called this post ‘Part 1’ as I’m hoping to convince another photographer friend, who has a different type of photography business (think on the yard line face to face with Seahawks) to answer similar questions.