Interview: Photographer Titik Wahyuni (Netherlands)

Can you tell us a little about you?

I am Titik Wahyuni people often just call me Yuni.

I was born in Indonesia and came to the Netherlands 10 years ago. I live in a city called Gouda, yes the one where the cheese is from! 8 years ago I started with portrait and fashion photography Slowly I was drawn into capturing the love and emotions in weddings. My passion is travelling, exploring new places, hiking, creating, connecting with new people or scouting for new photoshoot locations in different countries.

How and when did you get into photography?

The reason for me to look into starting photography was out of boredom actually. I just moved to a new country and did not really have any concrete plan of what to do. I was jobless and out of the blue I used my boyfriend’s dusty camera, it was a Nikon D3100. I started to photograph everything around me and the rest is history.

What does photography mean to you?

Photography has changed my life in a way. It has opened doors for me and created many opportunities. Through Photography I have met countless amazing, creative and inspirational people. I am so grateful with everything that has come to my life, cool projects, travel to all of these wonderful places like shooting in the desert in Dubai, waterfall in Iceland, mountains in Switzerland. So it definitely means everything to me.

Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers:

Dreamy, whimsical, feminine and slightly romantic.

Where do you get inspiration from?

Inspiration comes mostly from fantasy films, books, video clips, magazines also looking at the work of other wonderful photographers.

Do you think in advance what you want in the picture?

Definitely, I have always visualised the concept in my head and maybe draw a small sketch on a paper as well including the details like colours, theme, clothing, make up and location. When I am shooting with a team, we often plan the concept of our shoots by making a mood-board which is a collection of inspirations and ideas.

Studio, on location or both?

Prefer location, it gives me a lot of freedom and a greater opportunity to experiment more with my creativity.

Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?

I consider myself a paid professional and a part time hobbyist. I love to create my own projects for fun and mostly it delivers my best work because of the total control and freedom I have creating it. Whereas a paid photoshoot often is about the concept of my clients.

What has been your most memorable session and why?

My most memorable shot was when I had a photoshoot in Iceland for a jewelry campaign for a client. I did not sleep the night before and somehow it affected my focus. We did the shoot at around 8am in Kirkjufel waterfall. The location was mind-blowing it just like a movie set, surrounded with waterfalls, snowy mountains and beautiful lakes. We had two models at that time and I was already starting out with the first one. When I am shooting, I am totally in the zone and mostly lost sense of time or place, I walked backward and suddenly I was under water. I fell down in a lake, lucky for me it was shallow water but my iPhone, Nikon D750 and wide angle lens were broken. It was such an unforgettable incident behind the scenes. People think only about the highlight reels but sometimes don’t realise the amount of work behind everything I create.

Nikon or Canon? Favourite lens?

Nikon with 135mm f2, it creates the best creamy, melting bokeh. I am currently trying out Fuji Film XT3 system camera. It is mind-blowing to me how such a small lightweight camera could create such a clear colour rich photograph, especially when it’s combined with a lens like the Fujinon 56mm f1.2. The result is just WOW.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to start their own business?

Keep going, no matter what your work will look like. I have never met anyone who started at excellence. So starting off with little, I see a lot of beginners only focus on gear and think that expensive gear will do the job but mastering the technique is the most important here. Learn the settings ISO, Aperture and shutter speed and explore your creativity to combine the three will definitely improve your work. Find a well known photographer who you look up to and try to recreate their best work. All in all be resourceful and creative.

What do you think of our new magazine?

It’s amazing. You really give out an amazing value to the world especially for us who work in a creative industry like photography. We all need inspirations from other creatives as well. Especially during this time where everything is limited. Your magazine can be a great tool to find new connections and inspirations. You guys definitely make photography approachable for everyone.

Facebook; Titik Wahyuni Photography

Website: www.titikwahyuni.com

Instagram: @t.wahyunicom