Behind the scenes with Queenstown lifestyle photographer -Penny Kingan

Can you please introduce yourself? I am Penny Kingan, a lifestyle photographer based in Queenstown, up in the mountains of southern New Zealand. I especially love doing home and garden photography and have also just recently moved into doing brand and product photography for well crafted, thoughtful brands.

How did you start with photography and how did you learn? Through a period of miscarriages & intense grief, I was doing anything & everything creative to keep my hands busy & my mind distracted. I did it all; gardening, soap making, macramé, doll making, dressmaking and then…I picked up my husband Sam’s camera & started to take photos of our daughter Aaru & my now overflowing garden. Through experimentation & learning from Sam, who is a food photographer, I developed both my skills and my style.

Could you describe your style? My style is completely nature inspired; rich earthy colours combined with texture and patina. A little bit wild & a little bit refined! I also really hope that my photos give the viewer a sense of peace.

What is your most favourite subject to photograph? Too easy… flowers! The whole process from growing the flowers from seed, nurturing them through to harvest, creating the bouquet, photographing it, then getting to enjoy it in the house, is just so satisfying. It becomes a full sensory experience that allows me to use my creativity in many ways.

How do you nurture your creativity? I have just recently come to realise how important it is to prioritise my creativity. All too easily, everyday life can hijack my creative time. I often remind myself  “where your attention goes, energy flows”, and so by making a daily effort to create, I find that my creative flow & ideas can really start to build momentum.

Who or what inspires you? In terms of photographers, there are just so many woman who deeply inspire me.  Their creative vision, work ethic & determination to go after their dreams, fills me with excitement just to see to believe what is possible when one puts their heart & soul into a project. Jamie Beck, Marte Marie Forsberg, Linda Lomelino, Audrey Fitzjohn and Zaira Zarotti, are just to name a few. I also find a lot of inspiration in silence. In solitude, I feel that I have so much more clarity & ideas will appear just waiting for me to bring them to life!

What is the important skill of a photographer/ creative? I really believe that a dedication to your craft is so important. To continually show up to do the work. Encourage yourself to continue to learn & experiment, and at the same time really try to enjoy the process not just the finished result. Have some fun with it. Look back over your work to see just how far you have come, and then continue on your way.

How do you continue to learn as a creative? Experimental play is easily the best way that I find to develop my skills. Working with what you already have, try turning things upside down or on their side, or using them for a completely different purpose.  So many different things can become a prop or a background, you just need to think outside the box. We recently found a rusted old battered piece of iron down by the river that everyone who walked past it would have thought that it was a piece of junk, however we brought it home and it has now become a favourite textured background.  I have completed a few online photography and styling courses, and of course there is so much wonderful information freely available on the Internet. YouTube, Instagram & podcasts are all consistently amazing sources of inspiration & information for me.

Do you have good tips regarding a portfolio? What do you think should be in it? I think that the most important aspect of your portfolio is that it must be cohesive. It can have different subjects but ultimately your style must shine through. Whether this is through composition or editing, or a mix of both, people need to know what to expect from you when they decide to work with you. Also, show the things that you would like to shoot!

How much time do you spend on social media and which channels do you use the most? I love using Instagram & I am constantly amazed by the diverse range of creative skills we humans have!  When I was first starting out on my photography journey and my confidence in my abilities was low, the words of support from people all over the world - always kind & so encouraging, really helped me to develop my creative voice & trust that I had something worth sharing. As much as I love it I do try to heavily restrict my time on it so I remove it from my phone from Friday evening through to Monday morning, otherwise I find there is just too much “noise” in my life.  

Do you have good tips for creatives who are just starting their journey/ business? Even in the beginning really try to hone in on your authentic creative voice. There are so many copies of similar style images on the internet, especially on Instagram, but what we really appreciate is when we see something different & original! Of course in the beginning it is natural to be inspired by other’s images, but perhaps take some time to look at them and work out what draws you to their image? Is it their play between light and shadow? Or the beautiful tones in their images? How can you use this element but convey it in your own voice? People instinctually respond to authenticity & it is through this that we can forge more in depth connections with our audience.

Where do you make your photos, at home or in a studio? I create my photos at home and I am dreaming of a home studio; a huge wooden farmhouse table, shelves filled with my favourite vintage props, lime washed walls in an earthy colour, wooden floorboards, my studio playlist on & wide French doors thrown open to my garden…

What tools in a photography setting can't be missed? A good quality, solid tripod to help get perfectly sharp photos, even in tricky lighting conditions.

How do you prepare a photography & styling set? Where do you start, do you use a mood board? I usually begin with an idea and I will often let it brew away for a few days. I create a story around the subject and start to put together some props that will add to this story. I often do some little sketches of the different ideas for the composition. Then I will take the photo, but keep playing around with different compositions with the same elements. This way you can find that the photo can evolve into something quite different & unexpected. If ideas are not flowing, I will step away for a bit of fresh air and then I am often amazed at how the key to fixing the image will just come to me.

What are your favourite pieces of equipment (camera/light/etc)? My favourite photography tool is Adobe Lightroom for editing my photos. Shooting in RAW, gives you so much control of the image when you put it into Lightroom & sometimes it is just a few subtle changes that can make all the difference to an image. I find that getting the perfect crop on a photo is crucial towards creating a fantastic shot.

How do you see yourself in about 5 years..? I am wanting to create a series of big botanical prints in gorgeous gilt frames…works of art that look as if they have just been unearthed from the attic of a crumbling Italian Villa. I am wanting to continue to grow as an artist and as a person and I hope to be working on a diverse range of photography projects for both myself and clients.

Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/forest.finders

Interview originally posted on My Lucie website: https://mylucie.com/2022/04/06/een-kijkje-achter-de-schermen-met-forest-finders/