7 Questions for Monica Stevenson

Dec 19th 2022

1.Tell us about yourself.

I am a photographer with a wide variety of skill sets. The majority of my career has been focused on luxury and conceptual still life photography, but I have transitioned with and adapted to the flow of the industry, and now shoot a lot of motion, portraits, and animals, (mainly horses and dogs). My favorite type of motion work is stop-motion and animation, but I do also work in video. I am a TRUE collaborator, creator, problem solver, and people pleaser. I like nothing better than working in tandem with other talented creatives to make beautiful things!!!

2. How did you discover your love for photography?

My father was an amateur photographer, and some of my fondest memories are from sitting with him in the bathroom-darkroom, bathed in the glow of the red light bulb, watching the magic of silver halide prints. It sounds so corny, but those moments are etched indelibly into my brain, and I know they were formative in my path to photography as a career and life. My mother was very talented at crafts, cooking, and all varieties of handiwork, and her passion for these things, combined with my father's photography hobby, were without a doubt, the reasons why I became a still life photographer.

3. What inspires you and your work?

I am inspired to make photographs by just about anything! My eyes and brain are constantly open, and I soak in everything sensory, whether is be visual, aural, tactile, or most especially, the scent of something. For me, that sparks memory and thought...I LOVE color and movement, and am like a crow attracted to shiny things. I use my hands a lot in my daily activities -riding my horse, cooking, making photographic prints-- the feel and texture of things I touch always inspires me. I am mesmerized by "good" lighting and cinematography in films, museums, chemistry labs, libraries, rock collections, hardware and fabric stores, scintillating conversation and ANYTHING to do with animals. My brain has a hard time turning off!!!

4. Why did you choose broncolor?

I initially chose broncolor for the short flash duration to capture fast moving liquid and objects. No other strobe system is as precise in this regard than broncolor. I have a scientific mind, and the exactitude and flexibility of the broncolor system holds huge appeal for me. The power output, frame to frame, is exact, and for stop motion animation, this is crucial. The short and precise flash duration makes for crisp images, with every drop of liquid or wind-blown hair, sharp, and accurate, and breathtaking. It is beauty to behold.

5. What is your favorite broncolor tool?

The Picolite lamp is an incredibly flexible tool. broncolor describes it as "perfection is in the details", and I could not agree more. It allows a photographer to paint with light, and we love that!!! But choosing "favorite” tool is a difficult task. From packs, to heads, to LED, to modifiers-again-the precision and thought that have gone into the design and manufacture are unparalleled.

6. How would you describe your “lighting style” ?

If I had to describe my lighting style? I would say it is like my personality, and "multi-faceted". I study my subjects, be they alive or object, and make my light accordingly. I light my photographs to bring out the salient details if that is what I am after. If I am looking to convey mood or concept, I use the light in a thoughtful manner to aid in conveying the idea of the photograph. I am always taken aback when clients say "your light is so beautiful". It must be a question of ratios, intensity, shape, and angle. Light is a photographer's paint, and our work reflects these brushstrokes. An artist must have a sensitivity to their tools, and I believe that I have this characteristic. I am aware, I focus, and then I play.