I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed getting these interviews back and Morgaine’s was no exception! I love hearing about where people are from and how that shapes their views toward art and creativity. I love hearing what inspires people and drives them. Morgaine’s work is always so dreamy and beautiful. I look forward to seeing what new pieces she creates and marvel at the stories (and great titles she comes up with!) I hope you enjoy this interview on what keeps her pushing forward in her creativity as much as I did! xoxo Denise

Tell me a bit about your background and what inspires you to be creative.

Hi, Denise, thank you so much for having me! I would like to say how much I love your work!

I have always been into literature and linguistics, and I was kind of bad in Arts, could not paint well, could not draw and generally preferred writing/reading. Also, my university degree is from modern linguistic and my job is a magazine and book editor and a proof-reader. About nine years ago I got my first camera from my husband and surprisingly I fell in love with photographing and have never fallen out 😊. Creativity in photography is my way of coping with the fact that I suck at painting and drawing though I really, really love traditional arts. I go to paint exhibitions a lot, I have plenty of books about art and I love the history of art. Taking photos and editing them might be a compensation for the sad fact that I am a bad painter 😊. I like to think of photography as sort of a widening, broadening the traditional fine arts.

What started your photographic journey?

Seeing other photographers’ works and their editing. Exchanging critiques helped in forming my views and opinions, and expressing my sentiments. It inspired me. Digital photography is very well and easily accessible and widely popular which makes it easy to dig in. First few years I was happy with my small point-and-shoot pocket camera (Panasonic Lumix LX3), I experimented a lot with long shutter speed, ICM, blur, and multiple exposures and I had plenty of field days with my first editing software back then. It was fun and adventurous. And time-consuming 😊

What drives you to keep growing creativity?

Perhaps a desire to be a bit different, to find my very own voice, to interpret a world of “common“ as an inspiring realm of unsuspected, different beauty.

What or who has been the biggest influence on your creativity and why?

I find my inspirations in paintings, esp. 20th-century ones: minimalism, abstract expressionism, impressionism, lyrical abstraction…., and some techniques: drypoint, pen and ink, etching, aquatint, monotype, encaustic.

What do you do differently to bring authenticity to your art?

That is not for me to say. But – although it is not a big part of photography per se – I always love a good title for my piece. Perhaps these are the remnants of my poetry attempts. And then there is my quite obnoxious desire to have interpreted almost every photograph of mine as a symbolistic expression of something deep (I hope you sense my irony here! 😊 ).

What has been the most challenging part of creating your art?

Stepping out of imitating others. Though it is a part of the way for everyone, and I would say an enormously important one. In imitating those you admire you can slowly discover your own voice, distinguish it and cultivate it.

What was your biggest fear when you started to follow your passion and how have you overcome that?

That I was creating kitschy. I have not overcome this fear yet! 😊

How has embracing your creativity impacted your life?

Quite a lot, I think. Above all, it is a great therapy and a healthy passion. Catching the best light, finding the most compelling stories and passing them on, looking for the best sceneries, creating the most interesting settings and compositions – well, you must train your eye all the time, with your camera as well as without it. I also met so many great photographers and friends through it, both virtual and real-life.

What do you do when you find yourself in a rut or you are feeling uninspired?

I just wait it out. I go through my favorite painters and their arts, and I enjoy other sides of life for a while. An idea would always come. Days and weeks off are desirable; the more I love then being back to it.

If you could share one truth… from your creative heart to ours… what would you want us to know?

Well, it is quite a sad fact but I think it is important to get back to earth and embrace it: this photo has already been taken by someone somewhere. And that one, too… There is nothing new under the sun. Let us be humbler and just enjoy our way of seeing the world around, enjoy ourselves.

What’s next? Where do you see your artistic vision leading you?

There is one dream of mine but I don’t see it fulfilled anytime soon: Having my photos printed as a counterpart in some beautiful poetry book.

Do you have any tips, tricks or advice for those just getting started out in photography?

More shooting, less editing, using the delete key more often. Print your most favorite photos in large prints: you can learn from your mistakes better later on.

What is the one piece of photography equipment you absolutely cannot live without?

My two Lensbaby lenses: Sweet 50 and Edge 80. They are synonyms for creative photography, at least from my point of view.

Last words… what is the question you wished I’d ask that you’d like to answer?

Not a question from you, a statement for you: now it is your turn to fill out this questionnaire 😊 (I might just have to do that… I have really enjoyed reading everyone else’s answers! ~Denise)