Under the Spotlight - flowergirl

Venom · Under the Spotlight - flowergirl

Full Name - Katja Klages

1) What gear do you use?

At the moment I use:
Nikon D80
Sigma 18-200mm/3.5-6.3
Nikkor 50mm/1.8
Tamron 90mm/2.8
Nikon SB 600 Speedlight (I don´t use it very often)
Extension tube
Some filters
Remote controller
Slik Pro 330DX
Some memory cards, refill batteries, mircofibre cloth, etc.
Crumpler "Warm shower" in RED, Lowepro Slingshot AW 300
Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0

In the cupboard there´s a Nikon F80 waiting with a Sigma 28-200 mm lens (but I don´t use it at the moment).

2) What got you interested in photography?

I´ve been loving photography for a long time, maybe because my father took so many photos while I grew up. He gave me my first camera when I was about 10 years old. I took photos while on holiday or at family gatherings over the next years. I got really passionate when I bought my first SLR (Nikon F80) a couple of years ago.

3) Do you have a favourite category of photography and if so, what is it?

I mostly shoot flowers, macro, landscapes and still life.

4) What is your most memorable photographic experience to date?

Having my own website. It´s wonderful to have the possibility to share my photos with the world.

5) Do you like to manipulate pictures? Or do you prefer them as a true record of the event? What is your view on Photo manipulation?

I love photo manipulation as long as it suits the photo (colour enhancement, cropping, converting it to mono, etc.). I don´t like heavy manipulation like people flying over cities, people with lions faces, stuff like that.

6) What, if any, are your photographic ambitions for the future?

I just want to improve...

Now for Katja's favourite Five:

Bike ride:
This photo is my all time favourite (so far), it shows a bike, leaning against a brick wall. I took it in Lacock (England) while on holiday. I converted it to sepia as I think it suits the picture and the location (museum village) very well.

Isolation:
For me it´s the essence of Scotland (all Scots here please forgive me for using a cliché). I took the photo of the cottage nestling against a mountain during our last summer´s holiday in Inverness while on a day trip to Skye.

Sanctuary:
Another photo from England, taken in the cloister of Gloucester Cathedral. I like the lighting and shadows.

Spring pavilion:
Here we finally have a photo from Hannover, Germany, my home town. It shows the pavilion in the Garden of Herrenhausen, a baroque garden in the center of Hannover. Currently I discovered the Orton effect and really love it. I like the dreamy atmosphere.

Summertime:
I took this photo at the Steinhuder Meer, a recreational area in the vicinity of Hannover. It reminds me of warm lazy summer days.

Many thanks Katja for sharing that with us.
If you would like to see more of Katja's work then check out her website .See Here
OK the floors now open, do you have any questions you'd like to ask Katja?
If so post them below.

Simonzphotoz

Well done Katja, I'm really liking this feature Mike, good thinking.

Your shots are fabulous Katja, the third one is my favourite I think, fantastic shot and the colour conversion works really well. The Scotland one is great, I agree that I does capture the essence of the highlands. Is that Orton effect a plugin for elements five? any chance of a walk through?
Not much room for improvement, I don't think, you take a great picture.

hil26

Well done Katya, think your 5 images are a great choice

Can't think of anything else to ask

flyingkites

Katja well done you must be very pleased, such a lovelly selection of photo's.
Thankyou for sharing them with us.

Brian

creators

Thanks for sharing Katja and I like your No 1 image very much and your use of the Orton effect. I was thinking of nicking Miles photo and doing a picture of him flying over the world with the caption, 'Today Mikes Photograhy Forum, tomorrow the World'. but you have persuaded me not to bother. Laughing

flowergirl

Thank you very much for all your kind words, I´m really glad you like them, I was a little bit nervous about showing my photos Smile

If you have any questions, just ask I´ll answer as best as I can sunny

Simon, I´ll post the "how to creat orton" in the "help and advice section", because if any other member is interested as well it would be easier to find ;)

flowergirl

Good morning creators, you are an early bird, aren´t you? I lOVE your photoshopping skills, it´s just nothing for me Smile

Have a great day.

adam

you had no reason to be worried about showing your pics...all 5 are fab...
keep up the good work....!

Evolution104

Hi Katja,
My apologies for my late reply. Wonderful images and interview!

I absolutely love Bike ride! What a great photo. I feel like I've been transported back in time. It has such an emotional pull - wow.

One question for you - if time and money were of no concern, where would you go and what you would photograph as your 'opportunity of a lifetime'? And why?

Simonzphotoz

I have a question to, since this is the idea.

What is your one favourite piece of kit? which you couldn't do without.

flowergirl

That´s a great question, evolution104 Smile

. If I had the time and money (and my husband would like travelling ;) ) I would love to travel Great Britain "from top to toe". I´ve been to Great Britain 5 times already and always regretted not to have enough time to stay longer. There is such a wonderful diversity of the landscape, lovely people and a fantastic archi-
tecture (especially of the cathedrals (English Gothic)).
In Mid September I´m trying to make a little piece of my dream come true: I´ll go to the Peak District for a week Smile

Fingers crossed that the weather stays dry to take some photos sunny

. During this stay I plan
a day trip to York to photograph the cathedral, been there once, really gorgeous building.
Have a great day.
Katja

Venom

Evolution104

Evolution104

flowergirl

Hi Simon, I absoluletly can´t live without my Nikkor 50/1.8. It´s a brilliant lens, gives nice blur in the background and very good in low light too
(but as it´s my newest posession, maybe I´m a little bit biased Smile

).
The other one is my Slingshot to carry all the stuff around. It really keeps the promise what they say in the advertisements. You can carry it around the whole day without too much backpain and it´s very practical not to have to take it have off when you want to access your camera/accessories sunny

@ venom: LOL, that´s a great one Smile

creators

GREENWIZARD

#4 for me it has such a dreamy quality to it ...lovely