20 on Tuesday: Val Spring

Ethereal

Dreamy

Feminine

Words I use to describe Val Spring of The Red Balloon Photography in Seattle.  She and I collaborate with 18 other photographers every week on our Fifty-two on Friday project and every week I’m blown away by her lovely and creative images.  I wasn’t introduced to Val until the end of last year when she and I found ourselves on The Bloom Forum together.  We were fortunate enough to meet up in person at the Bloom Face 2 Face Workshop last weekend.  Val, being from Argentina, has the most endearing accent.  It’s so fun to talk to her just to hear how she pronounces some of her words. She is sweet and kind and so incredibly talented.  Her work is unique.  I can spot it from a mile away with its soft pastels and dreamy quality. Her ability to use props, light and her subject to tell a story fascinates me.  She definitely has vision and it shines through in the images she produces.

Find out more about Val below.  (But you must read it to yourself in a beautiful spanish accent!)

Hi, Val!

Where are you from?

I grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Where is home now?

Seattle, WA

Are you formally educated or self-taught in photography?

Formally years ago and self for all digital post processing. I started going to photography school a couple of years after high school and worked as a free lance photographer as well as a photographer assistant at a commercial studio.

Your images tend to tell a story.  What steps do you take when preparing for a session so that you come away with a story?

I usually think of the story that I want to tell and hand pick each prop, the location, the clothes, etc. Every single detail matters to me in order to achieve what I have in mind. And I always talk to the model about my idea. I like to give directions but not to totally pose the subject. I like capturing their personalities.

When you’re in a rut, what inspires you?

I love going to flea markets and antique shops in search of objects that are unique and that carry a story behind them. That usually helps so much. I also look at vintage magazines, flickr, other photographer’s blogs, & look at my props since I get many ideas from props.
Talk to me about personal projects.  Are they important and what have you done lately?

Yes I think that they are very important in order to keep the creativity alive and to be free to create for myself. This year I’m doing a 52 project with other 19 incredibly talented photographers (you being one of them) and It’s made me love Fridays even more than I already did. I think it’s made me step out of my comfort zone and shoot things that I may have never thought of and it’s also opened other ways of inspiration. Like thinking of a word and shooting for that. I’ve been enjoying going through the circle and getting to know each photographer through their image as well.

What would your ideal photo session look like?

Right before sunset, on a tall yellow grass field on a warm windy day. I would style the little girl with a vintage flowery dress, knee high socks, red or blue Mary Janes, a bonnet, and you all know, balloons will have to be involved, or maybe a basket with flowers or with a puppy. I would also love to shoot a couple, dressed like in the 50’s, on a foggy day and using an aqua antique car as a prop.

If you could be invisible for one day with your camera…

I’d go to my daughters classrooms and photograph them being themselves around their friends and teachers. Even though I help in the classroom of one of them and usually stay for a few minutes at my youngest’s preschool after drop off and see them, they know that I’m there so I’ve always wondered how they are when I don’t see them.

Name a photographer you would like to take a portrait of?

Hmm.. Well, I met many photographers last week at f2f that I would have loved to take a photograh, but I was just too excited to talk to them that I didn’t even think about taking their pictures. But let’s see…I would love to photograph Elle Moss some day. I love her photography and her look.

One of my favorite things about you is the dreamy quality of your work.  Has it always been so ethereal or has it evolved over time?

It’s definitely evolved. When I used to shoot film i did mostly b&w and it was usually pretty contrasty. And when I did shoot in color I used to do it as cross process which made the colors supper contrasty and urban. I know I’ve never liked the colors on my images to be just the way they are in real life though,  I’ve always tried to tailor them to my own liking but in a totally different way than I do now. My life has changed a lot since then and so did my photography. I took many years off from photography and I think that changed my style as well. I started all over again.
What’s in your camera bag?

Nikon D90, 50mm 1.4d (the one that’s needing a break so badly) and two random lenses that I bought in 1997 and not sure why: 180mm 2.8D and 28mm 2.8D. My wish list is long and hoping to upgrade to a full frame body very soon.

What have been your three best photography investments so far?

Photography school (in Buenos Aires), The bloom workshop and my 50mm 1.4

If not a photographer what would you have been?

I’ve always loved dreaming of being a fashion designer. I have many ideas for designs but I’m dead scared of the sewing machine that my husband gave me a few years ago. I’m terrified that the needle would poke through my finger. OUCH!!!

If you could live anywhere on this awesome planet where would you build your dream home?

I would love to live on a mixer city between Buenos Aires & Seattle. I love both cities so much and both places will always be home for me. When I’m in one place I deeply miss the other but for now I’m happy where I am.
What talent would you most like to have?

Organization skills.

What are the three words your spouse would use to describe you?

Genuine, big-hearted & crazylikeyourmomma (he loves my mom though)

Something that is over rated…

Perky boobs ;p

Your favorite movie of all time?

Amelie and Up

If you could change one thing you did while starting your photography business, what would it be?

I’m starting it now so I can’t really answer much but maybe to be more confident on setting my prices.

What quote best represents you at this moment?

“How did it get so late so soon?” By Dr. Seuss (I <3 Dr. Seuss)

Val’s work can be found HERE.

Thank you, Val!!!