Special Feature of photo photographer Keith Selle (+)

Rowald: How are you today?
Keith: I am great. Thanks for asking.
Rowald: How long have you been into photography?
Keith: I had been doing photography for well over 18 years now.
Rowald: How did you start?
Keith: I started back when I was a teenager with my dad's EOS 850 film camera. Every girl I dated, I will take them out to the field and make them pose for me. Haha!
Rowald: What type of photos are your preference?
Keith: I'm a people photographer but I'm more of a glamour photographer with an edge and a sense of my own style. You can say my style is more like Maxim style.
Rowald: Are your photos more your taste or demand from others?
Keith: It's more about my own style and taste. I think in order for one to be successful, you got to have a sense of style and be unique.
Rowald: Do you develop scenery ideas with the models or more yourself?
Keith: I used to preplan things but for the past few years, I don't anymore. I look at what the model brought in their suitcase then I will come up with lighting, scenery and ideas on the spot.
Rowald: Do you try to create, display or express something special with your photos?
Keith: I always do. Besides lighting and composition, I spent countless hours on the post production process in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS4 to give it my own feel and style to the images.
Rowald: Would you like to do other types?
Keith: The only other type I wouldn't mind doing is get into shooting automobiles and motorcycles. If you are great at it, there is so much money in it.
Rowald: Are you a tech freak or an artist?
Keith: I think I'm a bit of both but I'm more on the artist side. If I'm updated on all my software then I'm good to go. Camera is just a tool to me. I can shoot with anything as long as I have a few great lens.
Rowald: Do you use a lot of equipment or try to stay light-weight?
Keith: I bought a lot of equipments but I usually shoot with one or two lights since I have a small studio. For on locations, I will bring out all my lights and gears though.
Rowald: Do you do analog photography also?
Keith: Yes I do. I was a traditional photographer who went to school and learned to do things the old-fashioned way. Now with digital photography, you always have to keep up with what's new and learn it as quick as possible otherwise, you will be left in the dust by your peers.
Rowald: What cameras do you use?
Keith: I am Nikon person but I had been shooting with the Fuji FinePix S5 Pro for almost two years now. I started out with the Fuji S1 Pro then to the Nikon D100, then to the Fuji S2 Pro, skip the Fuji S3 Pro.
Rowald: What are your hobbies?
Keith: My hobbies include playing in a rock band since I was 14 years old with my siblings. I'm a true rockstar in my own world. I am a kickass guitarist and I also play the keyboard, piano and bass.
Rowald: What are your plans or visions for your future?
Keith: I hope to relocate to Southern California to start competing with all the big boys. I think I am more than ready now to do so.
Rowald: What are your current projects and affiliations?
Keith: I am currently a Senior Partner and Feature Editor as well as Model Photographer for TunerPlayground.com. We host two or more events (club and car) on a monthly basis. We are now the official media partner with HIN, Dsport Magazine, Extreme AutoFest, Formula D and working to partner up with more within the industry.
Rowald: How do you get along with models?
Keith: I have a great sense of personality, charisma and humors that all my models and clients love me to death. You can ask any of them and I think they can vouch that I am a great photographer, person and a rebel.
Rowald: I think you traveled a lot. Where did you go to?
Keith: I used to travel a lot but these days, I made all my models and clients come to me if they want to work with me. It's too chaotic if I have to tear things down and hit the road for a photo shoot unless if the money is right. So, I'm pretty much based throughout California.
Rowald: Do you do female models only or people in common and what about other types?
Keith: I shoot mainly female models but I shoot people in general as well as automobile, buildings and landscapes whenever the money is right.
Rowald: How does one make such good photos? Can you give some tips to the readers?
Keith: To get good images, you must understand light, and to understand light, you have to understand how your camera works and what all numbers, letters and icons on your camera means. If you can balance and understand your aperture and shutter speed then you'll bound to get some good images. If you are good with Photoshop then the post production is just as important as anything else. Photoshop is like your digital darkroom. There is so many ways to create a finishing product. For me, that's a never ending process.
Rowald: People envy you doing these shootings with models. What do you say to this?
Keith: I just want to say thank you and I will continue to push myself to come out with even better work.
Rowald: Wanna give some tips for up coming photographers?
Keith: I just say keep on doing what you are doing. Build a good rapport with your models, continue to push yourself to try new things.
Rowald: What you think about photos taken by others?
Keith: There are a few great photographers here on MG. Their work speaks for who they are. I admire those who loves what they do and continue to do better. There are those who got into photography mainly because they wants to see tits and ass. I really have no comments on them.
Rowald: What is your best photo?
Keith: I really don't have a best photo. I usually will come up with a great photo on a weekly basis then something else will come along and top that previous one the next week.
Rowald: How do you create a good atmosphere for shootings?
Keith: Professionalism, communication, music, booze, good host, and always be in a great mood.
Rowald: Do you have ethnic preferences?
Keith: I really don't. I will work with any ethnicity but when it comes to TF basis, I do have preferences when it comes to the type of models.
Rowald: When meeting a girl, where do you look first at?
Keith: I like legs. I usually look at her legs first, body, hair then face.
Rowald: What attracts or inspires you?
Keith: Beautiful women attract me period but what inspires me is my never ending strive to push myself to do better.
Rowald: Do you let them pose or do you direct more?
Keith: It all depends on how experience the models are. Some need no directions at all while others, I do need to direct them from time to time.
Rowald: Where are you from?
Keith: I was born in Laos, raised in the refugee camp of Thailand for 4 years then my family migrated to Seattle, Washington for 4 years before we moved to Sacramento, CA. I moved all over California but I'm back to Sacramento at the current time. Look for me to move down to SoCal soon and make some major splash.
Rowald: Do you speak any other languages?
Keith: I do speak broken Mien.
Rowald: What is Mien?
Keith: Mien is an ethnicity from the hills of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and southern China. We are an outcast and decedent of the Chinese back a few generations ago. The older generation still read and write in Chinese but with different dialect. Basically, we are nomads.
Rowald: Do you or did you have idols?
Keith: My idols growing up was Johnny Depp and Andre Agassi. I like to think they did great for themselves and they are great humanitarians.
Rowald: Are you single?
Keith: I am currently single and very happy.
Rowald: Happiest Accomplishment?
Keith: Graduated from college with my Bachelor of Science degree.
Rowald: Do you have or pursue other talents?
Keith: I always try to learn new things to better myself.
Rowald: Favourite Movie or Television Show?
Keith: My favorite movie of all time is "Pulp Fiction". My favorite TV show is "Smallville".
Rowald: How would you describe your personality?
Keith: I am down to Earth, friendly, charismatic, generous, rebellious, confident, great sense of humors, multi-talented, and very passionate.

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Special Feature

Interview photographer Keith Selle