Member Profile: Ann Kilpatrick

About me:

Who are you? Do you consider yourself a Professional/Semi-Pro/Amateur/Beginner photographer?

Kia ora from Aotearoa/New Zealand, my name is Ann Kilpatrick and TSOP invited me to introduce myself and some of my photographs to other members. I consider myself an amateur photographer who is keen to learn lots. Occasionally I am paid for some work.

I was previously an accountant, auditor and project manager. I am now retired with more time to do what I prefer to do. We have a lifestyle block 15 minutes away from the CBD and I have plenty of time to go walkabout with my camera and photograph whatever catches my eye. As Saul Leiter said “I go out to take a walk. I see something, I take a picture. I take photographs. I have avoided profound explanations of what I do.”

Your Photography Journey

On Friday, November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. CST in Dallas, Texas, President John Kennedy was assassinated. What, you ask, does this event in the last century have to do with photography and me?

That New Zealand summer day was the first day that I consciously photographed (recorded) what my sisters and I were doing as we played outside on the front lawns of our street. I wanted to make some memories so that, in the future, we could look back and see what we had been doing on that eventful day. Why was I aware of the President of the United States at our house in Auckland? It was because, not that long before his death, we had all gone to school one morning wondering if Russia and the United States were going to plunge us into war before the end of school that day. Anyway, enough of old memories.

Back to my photography journey. Prior to starting school my twin and I lived in several places that were not our family home, or with our mum. I grew up watching people, listening to the stories they told, the facts and/or opinions varying, according to their environment or audience. After we were in our own place, my mum had borrowed a camera, maybe a Rollex, and often photographed my twin and I as we played outside. Like the kids today, we pulled faces, made signs and were silly to stop her from bothering us with photos. But a photograph shows that point in time, not an amended version of the moment, depending on who is looking.

My first camera was one of those wee plastic ones, I photographed everything. I was often reminded that I should not take too many because developing the film was expensive. As I grew, I met new people and continued to photograph them and what was going on around us. Those photos, and memories, become precious with time and change in circumstances.

Long story short, whilst I was always interested in architecture, art, floristry, hairdressing and creative pursuits, I qualified as an accountant and project manager. However, I would take my camera to work if I knew there was to be a protest at Parliament or something else that should be recorded. Events like; the hikoi for the foreshore and seabed, the service for the unknown warrior, the teachers’ strike, the Radio New Zealand birthday bash. These were events that I thought were likely contributing to our collective history in New Zealand. It seemed important to me that they be recorded.

Around 2015 we bought a DSLR, and then, when it was coming close to retirement, I decided to learn how to use a camera properly. I am addicted to learning and am still a student photographer at Photospace Gallery. I am grateful for the TSOP lessons and other courses both on and offline. I have attended various courses and workshops since 2018 and participated in a couple of joint exhibitions.

Photography for me, is a way to chill, relax and just be me, be in the moment, experiment and see what comes out. It is meditative and allows one to forget the world for a while. For me, it is important to observe what is happening, document and make memories. For example, following the Kaikoura earthquake in 2016, many buildings in Wellington were damaged, practically fell or were subsequently demolished. It was interesting to me that this could happen without apparently being noticed by many. It is also important for me to play and experiment with photography and make my personal version of art, putting one or more images and/or textures together. Either in camera or afterwards, in Photoshop. To make images that may not be quite what they seem at first glance. To me, photography and playing in Photoshop is like colouring in, just restful.

With a camera in hand and a walkabout; around our section, the gardens, the waterfront or elsewhere in the city, the local beaches, a party, or wherever I happen to be, is my favourite place and way to be.

I don’t go out without my camera, I go to learn, to see and to practice.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned from TSOP?

This is a hard one, I think I joined TSOP way back in December 2019. I recall sitting outside with a fancy Lord of the Rings goblet, taking shots and trying to understand aperture, and yes I did the shots along the wall as well. Maybe that is the most important thing, learning how to understand aperture and shutter speed to get the desired result in a photograph.

I enjoyed Trudy’s course because it helped me immensely with understanding masks in Photoshop.

I always recommend TSOP to others, in person, or online when they are seeking photography guidance.

What inspires you to create photography?

A couple of my favourite photographers are Saul Leiter and Alexey Titarenko. Saul for his colours and reflections, and Alexey for social commentary and long exposure photos of crowds. I watch several You Tube channels that talk of the history and art of photography rather than just watching You Tube for technical and gear advice.

I do find myself frequently reverting to making multiple exposure images either in camera or Photoshop or a combination of both.

My favourite photograph:

My favourite photo that I’ve taken ©*Ann Kilpatrick*

What is your favourite photograph that you’ve taken?

One of my favourite photos is one I took at one of the first public celebrations of Matariki (Maori New Year) in New Zealand.

There were decorations, installations and performance all around the Wellington waterfront. I was sitting in a bar on the waterfront and saw some performers on stilts coming towards us, it was night time, I grabbed our tripod and took this shot (Matariki_Magic, 6 sec @ F/11 OSO 250) I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it after downloading my photos.

What’s next for Ann?

I am about to spend a couple of months on my own which will be lovely. I will have time to work on my projects for a course and exhibition at Photospace Gallery. And, to repeat, start, and finish all the TSOP courses. One of my projects will include mixing up real and AI images.

Conclusion

I really value the courses and YouTube videos that TSOP provides. And I particularly enjoy the Facebook Community which must be one of the kindest, most constructive, sites in cyberspace, long may it continue.

Where can people follow you?

You can find my work in the following spaces:

Photospace Gallery 1

Photospace Gallery 2

Excio