We were so excited at the opportunity to speak with exclusive Fotolia Contributor Patrizia Tilly and learn a bit more about her foray into the world of stock photography, what inspires her and to see some of her favourite images in her portfolio and her reasonings why.

1. Can you introduce yourself, where you’re based and explain a bit your journey into how you started selling your photos on Fotolia?

I live in Austria, a beautiful little country with wonderful landscape and lots of lakes. I am an independent graphic designer and photographer. I started uploading my pictures to a photo community platform and there I started exchanging photos with  other people.  Then someone wrote to me saying that he thought my pictures are too good for this platform and advised me to sell them. I was surprised but I tried to follow this advice and came to Fotolia.

2. How would you describe your photographic style? What has influenced and shaped it?

My style is basically colorful and cheerful. I’m not a fan of dark and sad pictures full of pain – life is often hard enough – we hardly see anything else each day in the media. I don’t want to be connected with this very limited view of life. I am a Christian believer and I believe that God has given us a fantastic world to live in. I want to show how beautiful life can be and that we can enjoy it.

3. What is it about your photos do you think that has made them so popular?

I think it’s the joy, the emotions and the bright colors in most of them.

4. Has your photographic style developed since you started in the stock industry? If so, in what ways?

Yes, of course. My approach to making a good picture has improved. My experience has grown and my equipment has become more professional. I try not to get stuck in the same style, but like to experiment. Sometimes when I created a new kind of style it became very successful. This was so exciting and made me very happy. By the way, thanks to Fotolia for accepting my new creations.

5. What, in your view, are the key ingredients to creating a fantastic photograph?

First of all having a good model - a person who can bring out everything you want in an honest, natural way. If the model doesn’t have an authentic expression (e.g. laughing), the picture won’t be good. And secondly you need a good feeling for the whole scene, the background, the colors, the composition of the picture – these points are so important for the success of an image. Thirdly you need the perfect light. Under these conditions it doesn’t really matter if you have a camera or a smartphone.

6. Your images may not be considered typical ‘stock’ photos in that they portray some unique themes/characteristics and an original style. How do you come up with these and whom do you think they relate to the most in terms of clients?

I try to create images that are not completely mainstream but can be used in many different ways. I also spend a lot of time with Photoshop to give the pictures a different style or to create a photo composition. Because of this my images are used in a variety of business fields I think.

7. What is your favorite piece of photographic equipment that you use?

I nearly always use my Canon EF 24-70, f/2.8L II USM and lately my smartphone - I love it because it’s easy to carry :-)

8. What are you favorite images from your Fotolia portfolio and why?

Oh – this is difficult to say. I like several of my images.

I absolutely love this picture! It was inspired by the movie “Ratatouille” when the little rat named Remy was sitting on the rooftop and looked down on Paris at night. This scene has touched me.

Every girl wants to look like Marylin Monroe at least one time in her life. I made this dream come true for me by simply doing a photoshoot of myself. If I hadn’t been a photographer I would have never had this chance.

I took this picture last summer at the lake. I like it because I took it with my smartphone. I have never thought that you can do such a nice shot with a phone.

This is one of my favorite beauty shots. I like the light, the color and the model – she’s great – she can be what you want her to be.

This is one of my pictures I love the most It makes me happy when I see it. Zest for life!

 

I like the atmosphere in this picture. You can nearly feel the warmth of the sun.

9. Are there any photos in your Fotolia portfolio that surprised you because of their popularity? Or some you thought would sell better than others but didn’t?

Yes. This one was an experiment with a new style. I liked it but I didn’t expect it to become so successful.

And this one I thought would be more successful. I love it so much. But maybe it is not as good as I think and maybe I love it so much because the girl in it is my sister.

10. If you hadn’t of become a photographer, what do you think you would have done instead?

Most likely something creative. Maybe I would have become an artist – a painter or a designer of clothes or jewellery. Alternatively  (…I don’t want to  sound like Miss World but…) I could  imagine  being  a missionary/evangelist who brings the Gospel to the world because it liberates people  from a lot of fear and problems  in  life.

Thank you so much to Patrizia for taking the time to speak with us and sharing an insight into her beautiful work. For more of her photography you can find it on her Fotolia portfolio and her website.