Interview with Freelance Photographer and Creative Retoucher Lucie Kout

Lucie is one the most talented photographer we found in deviant community, at the very first sight I couldn’t keep my eyes off her beautiful and vibrant work.

You can have the most expensive cameras and photo retouching software but to get the result like Lucie’s work it needs lots of dedication, creative thinking, and eye of an artist.

Lucie has covered different forms of photography including fashion, human & pet portrait, and surreal on her website.

Hope you’ll enjoy this interview session with Lucie!

1. About Her

Hello! My name is Lucie Kout and I am a female photographer from the Czech Republic. I live in Budweis (South Bohemia) and I started with photography a few years ago while I was attending a graphic design school.

Somehow I found out it´s making me happier than anything else and when I graduated, my main subject was photography already.

But to be honest, I had zero knowledge from teachers, all I learned came out from playing with photography myself.

Later I started seeing connections between light, subject and concept and I am trying to master them every single day.

2. What’s on your gear list?

Actually I work with full-frame cameras Canon 5D Mark II and 5D Mark III. I have several lenses from Sigma 12-24/f4,5-5,6 DG HSM, Canon prime lenses (24-70/f2,8, 70-200/f2,8), Canon 2x Extender, Canon 85mm/1,8, couple of Metz system flashes, several studio strobes, an uncountable amount of light modifiers, umbrellas, softboxes, reflectors, dishes, filters… and I am collecting more and more gear and I think I will never have enough of it.

But you know what´s funny? I didn´t have my own camera for almost 5 yrs of taking photos.

3. How did you land your first client, describe your experience?

My first commission came to me 3 months after I took a camera to my hand for the first time. A lucky coincidence. I took band promo pictures and got a few bucks for it. I had a school camera, school studio, zero experience, and plenty of enthusiasm :-).

That´s the way it started and the way it is till now except I have my own gear and way more experience.

4. You have amazing photographs of both people and pet, according to you which one seems more difficult for you to handle or photograph?

Well, animals act way more natural than people so it is easier to work with them. But there is a simple rule for both, people and animals. If you want them to do something, then you should give them a reason to. Need a dog to raise the head? Easy, they almost always follow a treat :-).

With people it gets more complicated, some people are shy, nervous and that´s the place where psychological access must take a place. With animals it´s more relaxed but also quick because they get tired easily and with people it´s way more about empathy, talking, praising and explaining.

5. Can you describe briefly your secret sauces for making an image stand out so sharp?

Secret sauces? There is nothing special. I use standard methods and software as everyone else. I shoot raw, I try to get most out of it. I have my own workflow that I find most effective for me. I talk about it a bit more on my blog at www.luciekout.com

RAW
compositing & liquify
general retouch
dodge and burn
colorization and grading
fine-tuning
sharpening

6. Being a photographer what has been your proudest moment?

I think the moment when I came fulltime pro was the latest most exciting moment. I am proud I can do what I love. Of course, it´s nice when your work is exposed in galleries, magazines, books et cetera but the proudest moment?

I found my lifetime job and joy in one. That makes me perfectly complete.

7. Where do you find inspiration to make your photographs?

I watch tons of other artists, I read articles, I go out, I talk with others… so living life is an inspiration itself. I had these creative tensions ever since I remember. I wanted to do something just because I had this inner need to create so anything can bring an unexpected association.

Even a dog, coffee with a friend, people on the streets. That´s also a reason why I make notes all the time. Sometimes they get unused for years and then suddenly I find a great way to apply them.

8. Your advice to other aspiring photographers?

My advice is to be yourself, be curious, be creative, and live your life the way you want. You have my best wishes!

Here are few glimpses of some of her amazing past work.

It was so nice and generous of Lucie to answer all the questions we asked her. You can view these images in high resolution and get the latest updates by visiting her website and becoming a fan of her Facebook page.