Master Photographers International / Saturday, August 28, 2021 / Categories: MPI NEWS

Passing on the Title - Interview with Kristian Bogner 2020 International Commercial Photographer of the Year

Q1  Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in your photography career.   

A2  I grew up into a world of photography.  Bogner Photography started with my grandfather over 85 years ago.  He was a Master Photographer.  My dad and mom are both Master Photographers and still run a 10,000sq.ft. studio in Welland, ON. 

I am also a Master Photographer and began in photography at the age of 10, doing weddings and commercial assignments and aerial photography. 

I started my own photography company at 16yrs old and it is all I have been doing as a “job” ever since.  In my early teens I learned how to build my own computers and merge that with scanning my work and I built imaging workstations which gave me a huge competitive advantage at that time and helped me grow my photography business and reputation.

 

Q2  What professional photographer or photographers influenced you during your photography growth and what was it about them or their work that influenced you.

A2  My Grandfather, Dad and Mom were huge influences.   Ryszard Horowitz, Nick Vedros, Douglas Kirkland, Seth Resnick, Struan Campbell-Smith and Tony Corbell are just a few of the many photographers that I got to learn from in-person.  They were all really inspiring to me, all very technical yet super creative.  They took the time to connect with me and shared and inspired with an openness and passion for photography.  I feel very lucky to have had so many amazing photographers coach and inspire me over the years.   

Q3 As the 2020 International Commercial POY what details do you believe make a strong photograph for a qualified competition?  

A3  Creativity.  Technical Ability.  Capturing the energetic Peak of a Moment.  Impact.  Storytelling.  Composition.  Lighting.

Q4  What is your thought process when selecting images for competition?

A4  For me it is less of a thought process and more of a feeling.  I visualize images I have taken in my mind.  Then I find them and go through them and if they resonate with me for the competition, I put them in a file.  Then I categorize them.  Then I compare feelings.   After all of that I look at the technical aspects and go from there.

Q5  What camera system do you use? 

A5  NIKON.   Currently 2- Nikon Z7ii and Z6ii and D5.   Broncolor Lighting.  Lowepro Bags.  Manfrotto Tripods. 

Q6  What are the top three software you use to complete the vision of your images?  

A6  I have been using photoshop since Version 1.  I even worked with Adobe in the early days on improving the software.   Photoshop is still what I use for most editing.  I also use Nikon’s software: Nikon NX Studio and Photo Mechanic for looking through images quickly and selection.

Q7  What calibrated monitors do you use to complete your work? Do you believe that a proper calibrated monitor is an important tool to the success of an image?

A7  I have Benq and Apple Monitors.  Calibration is critical to ensuring you can get the most out of your images and ensure that your clients see what you do.

Q8  What title or titles did you win during the 2020 Annual Awards and how has this inspired you?

A8  I won several awards and it always inspires me to push harder and strive to capture my best work on every shoot. 

Q9  Were you surprised when the winners were announced and you found out you had won one of the top spots in the MPI IIC Annual Awards?

A9  I am always honoured to be one of the top spots.  Competition is an opportunity to push past your own limitations.  Every year the field of photographers gets better and better and being a top spot reminds me that hard work pays off. 

Q10  What advice would you like to give to entrants of the MPI 2021 Annual Awards?

A10  Trust in the feeling you get from your image.  Trust in your vision.  Immerse yourself in your image.  Then look at it objectively.  Trust in your own process and no matter what happens use the competition as an opportunity to grow.

Thank you for opportunity to speak about my career and journey within the photographic industry. 

Kristian Bogner MPC
Kristian Bogner Photography

 

Interview by 
Tula Edmunds MPC, MPF, MPN