Oh boy! We were completely caught up when we stumbled over this amazing shots with model Lola Van Vorst by Natalie Cottee, a photographer and art director from Sydney. So we checked out her other work -were impressed likewise by her beautiful travel images and asked her for an interview…

Give us a bit of an insight about you…?

I’m from Sydney Australia and I’m currently freelancing as an Art Director and doing some photography on the side with my little agency I’m starting up called studioARTOHOLIC.

How would your friends describe you?

A clean freak, arty, mother hen, geek.

You are an art director | designer | photographer where do you see yourself mostly in 5 years?

Photography, because when I’m shooting I feel so comfortable and I go into this other world where nothing else really matters. Pretty cool place to be able to find. Although, hopefully with my studio up and running, i’ll be able to dabble in the others too.

You have a very broad range of pictures on your site, from cool model shots, to beautiful travel images.  And you have been to so many places! Is there any place that really stood out for you from the atmosphere etc? Well I guess it is a bit hard to chose one?

Not hard at all – Morocco was the absolute stand out – especially the Medina in Marrakesh which is amazingly photogenic. I love the culture, the people, the energy and the way of life there.

What is a good picture for you?

Some people would say its about the technicalities like composition, framing, lighting, the subject etc but to me a good picture is one that makes you want to look at it.

And a good model?

A good model can interact and explore with the photographer because that helps to draw something deeper out of the image.

Your inspirations?

My boyfriend (goonforhire.com) who is an amazing photographer and has really encouraged me to take my photography further. Another place is the internet. There are so many blogs and websites that are full of creative inspiration. Having a blog for me is like a viral visual diary (anotherartoholic.tumblr.com).

What equipment do you use? And how important do you think the right equipment is to be a good photographer?

I use a Canon 550D which is light and small so great for traveling. For a lens, I usually stick to a 50mm which you cant really go wrong with, especially for portraits. I also like to shoot on film either with an old Canon 35mm or even a disposable camera. I don’t think the equipment makes the photographer at all, you get different things from different cameras each with their own negatives and positives. It really depends what you’re looking for in the photo.

5 things you cannot live without?

My boyfriend, family, friends, animals and a camera.

Life is?

Life is about exploring new things, sharing experiences with people you love, spreading excitement and happiness around and enjoying the little things.

movingartoholic.tumblr.com
anotherartoholic.tumblr.com
www.theloop.com.au/natcottee

All images by Natalie Cottee
Model: Lola Van Vorst – The Agency – Sydney Australia.