Photographer Stephanie Kindermann

—First and foremost – whom can you name as the best photographer in Brisbane, Australia? :)

—Ha! There's a mad, crazy hoard of us.

—Are you photogenic?

—Yes, and I'll tell you why – I have a high threshold for embarrassment. The less self conscious you are, the better you photograph.

—How did you get in the photography industry?

—So here's the story – my father had been a wedding photographer and so I had my first little film disposables from about 5 years old. I’d shot probably thousands of rolls by the time I made it to photography college, but it was the moment where I was standing in the darkroom seeing that first image rise out of the chemical trays that I remember. Everyone else around me was fairly cool about the whole process but I couldn’t stop laughing with this electric thrill. This was the moment in my life where it became absolutely clear – I knew this is what I was going to do now. Weddings? Everyone loves a party. And a wedding is the best kind of party to shoot.

—What are the most important components of a good photo in your opinion?

—Good visual narrative – all the elements needed to give you context.
The split second – at the high point of madness.
The feels – something that makes your heart hurt or leap.

—Do you love traveling?

—I live for it.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—Learning the world's secrets.
I'll share some of them with you.
No one cooks better than a Greek mama or parties as hard as a Croatian groomsman. Vietnamese elders are the bravest karaoke singers, the French do the best cigar and whiskey bar (not to mention the cheeses) and that Ghanaians will crush any dance floor. Chinese door games can be a hair raising experience, and it is deeply moving it is to see Maori women sing a welcoming song to the bride.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—When the alternate drop arrives, the chicken is always overcooked. Always.

—What will be the future of photography?

—Wow this is cool, I hope it will be some sort of virtual reality with a fully rendered 3D capture from the entire day. You'll be able to bang on your head set and take a walk through the entire event from any time and angle.

—What is special in the photography genre you specialise at?

—Often having a professional photograph your family is a very rare event. With this in mind I always devote a lot of time and care to capture portraits of treasured people – grandparents, GREAT grandparents, brothers, sisters, children.

—How do you handle criticism?

—I walked through a lot of fire in my early years of learning to shoot, and I'm still here :) Think of my teacher as being that old guy from Kill Bill who strokes his beard a lot.

—Are there any trends in photography?

—Yes, and they're mostly so cheesy. Things like making love hearts with your hands.... plz no!

—What should be the criteria for a customer to choose a photographer?

—Love the work – don't employ your photographer then ask for an aesthetic from another artist!
Vibes! Would you want to drink a beer with them? Ideally you start the booking process with good vibes, and finish the wedding singing bad karaoke together.

—What things are to be avoided when shooting?

—Hunger. Bride, groom, photographer and squad members should be loaded up with snacks. Picnic style canapes and champagne if you're fancy, sausage rolls and red bull if you're not.

—What details that usually pass unnoticed can a photographer notice?

—Ha! "Common people," love it.
One of my favourites is the tight-lipped, crazy-eyed stage-whispered threats of a parent to errant child – usually during a particularly tender moment during the ceremony.

—What influences the value of a photo? What are its elements?

—The value in a photo is, I feel, in how valued the subject is in it.
For example, a wife will always love a portrait of her husband that has captured how she sees him. If he's a charismatic person, than a genuine laugh. If he's a quiet person, then a photograph of him unaware, relaxed and thoughtful.

—What person can be the symbol of the 21st century in your opinion?

—Elon Musk. Billionaire, genius, puts a model car in his real car then launches it into space. What a legend.

—Who do you want to take photos of?

—People madly in love.

—Do you have any professional taboos?

—I am a woman of no limits.

—Who would you like to shoot with?

—Jonas Peterson. He seems like a very relaxed, interesting fellow.

—What do you worry about, and why?

—Mostly I have dreams where I've overslept my alarm and a bride is calling me, asking where I am, and I'm a 2 hour drive away. I guess that's my biggest worry.

—What is the most impressive moment in your life?

—Once, driving home very late from a wedding (of course), I saw space junk or a comet or the worlds most massive shooting star – so bright it illuminated everything around me. It travelled directly down the line of the straight highway I was driving for a full 10 seconds before burning out. An exceptional moment.

—If you were a cartoon, book or movie character, who would you be and why?

—Trinity from The Matrix. She was cool and wore latex before lip injections and enormous butts became the symbols of beauty.

—Who inspires you in your life and why?

—Jimmy Nelson, photographer and author of Before They Pass Away. His is a body of work that is truly exceptional and of historical value.

—How do you define success? How do you measure it?

—Can't measure it but you can feel it – are you getting enough quality sleep? Are you eating well and sharing good wine with friends? Do you have leisure time with your loved ones, and does your work fill you with pleasure?

—Would you rather be liked or respected?

—Not everyone will like you all of the time, but you should always conduct yourself in a way that people have no loss of respect for you.

—What is the biggest mistake you have ever made at work?

—Working at a camera shop, shipped two very expensive video cameras to someone who turned out to be fraudulent. OOPS!

—When you're going to travel, what do you take with you and why?

—My husband, because he can read maps.

—Is there anything among your gadgets that you wish you haven't bought? Why?

—No, but people love to "gift" me their defunct camera gear. Please stop doing this baby boomer friends.

—How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

—I spend A LOT of time on lovely curation sites like this one.

—Whose work has influenced you most as a photographer?

—Steve McCurry (again). Portrait photographer for National Geographic.

—What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?

—That the rules don't actually matter, and only diminish the potential expression of true moments.

—What do you want to say with your photographs?

—This is a mirror of your life in this moment.

—What motivates you to continue taking pictures?

—I have no other talents. LOL, no I can cook quite well. But photographing is my true purpose.

—Should your parents have been more or less strict?

—Less. I was raised conservative Catholic. Not allowed to watch The Simpsons when you're 17... come on!

—If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

—I wouldn't bother going to study, and instead buy a great kit and apprentice myself out 3 years earlier instead. I did the ol' highschool > study > apprentice > professional route. But study is now a moot point with online resources like Linda.com.

—What about life on other planets?

—Oh jeez I hope so. Certainly spices things up.

—Who are your heroes?

—My colleagues, for lifting my heavy, heavy camera bag up and down stairs and into the car innumerable times.

—Who do you have no respect for?

—Paedophiles

—What do you do in your spare time?

—I punch through Netflix series like a karate master does bricks.

—What's the side of you that the public never sees?

—Lying around in pyjamas, no makeup, orange Dorito stained fingers, unshaved legs.

—When are you completely satisfied with your work?

—When a couple tells me they cried seeing the pictures. (With JOY).

—Do you believe in the traditional roles for men and women?

—There are definitely things men are better at, like being muscly and crushing rocks with their bare fists. And there are definitely things women are better at, like looking good in high heels and jean shorts.

—Do you make friends easily?

—Yes

—Where would you like to live?

—I'd love a couple of years in Istanbul. I'm a big fan!

—What's the stupidest thing you've ever agreed to do?

—To go on a VERY long bush walk, mere hours after getting home from a pub crawl.

—Is there life after marriage?

—YES! It just keeps getting better!

—Do you have a favourite joke? Tell us.

—Any Gary Larson comic ever published. He might be the funniest man on earth.

—Do you like dogs or cats?

—Cats. I'm not embarrassed.

—Who or what do you hate?

—Celery. Eww

—The best thing in life is:

—Champagne and cheeses with friends.

—The most annoying thing in life is:

—People farting next to you on flights.

—Is there anything around you that you would like to change?

—I'm about to try my hand at home renovation, in a very literal interpretation of that question!

—What would you like to change in yourself?

—I would love to learn Chinese. And sign language. And also do some pottery. And learn to ride horses. Probably should exercise more too.

—What would you like to change in the world?

—Let's turn down the level of racism shall we, it seems to be gaining momentum instead of losing it.

—Can you give a few tips for photographers who are just starting out?

—Sure! Don't train yourself out of -not- shooting things. Such as the weird, or awkward, or funny or embarrassing moments. These are some of the greatest photographs you could take!

—If aliens come to the Earth and you are the first person they meet, what will you tell them?

—I guess I'd ask them if they wanted to join us for lunch, I know a good place...

—If you are called to shoot a movie, what genre will it be?

—Whatever genre Monty Python calls itself.

—Tomorrow I will go and do...

—EDIT! Pat my cat. Email clients! Poke around the fridge and hope for the best. Print some albums! Look at memes!