[ENG] Tracie J. Maglosky

by Ugo Baldassarre and Domenico Valente

The American photographer Tracie Maglosky is one of the best-known Olympus Visionaries. Her work ranges from wedding photography to portrait photography, with particular attention to newborn and maternity services. Her photos are spectacular but at the same time not very artificial, in an elegant mix of energy and warmth. Let us get to know her better in this fourhanded interview

Hi Tracie, and thank you for accepting to answer to our curiosities. You are mentioned in several photography magazines, you hold portrait seminars all over the world, you are a speaker and teacher, Olympus Visionary since 2013, you joined the Miller’s Speaker Team in 2018 and since last year, you are Profoto Legend of Light too.

Tell us briefly how you have achieved these important goals and how your career has progressed.

As with any goal or dream, achieving them takes time, practice and a little bit of luck! I started out as a “momographer”. Back then my greatest goal was taking good pictures of my boys. As time went on, I would say that my greatest asset was curiosity. I always wondered in my work what would happen if tried this or that or moved the light here or there. Every single thing from trying different settings to taking a new perspective or angle of view grew my photography vocabulary.

 

foto di Tracie Maglosky – tutti i diritti riservati

 

You are a great inspiration for many photographers. What does this role mean to you? What does it mean for you to be an inspiration to others?

Honestly, this may be the best question anyone has ever asked me. The answer may surprise you. Above all else, in my life my most important goal has always been to be an inspiration to others. Only in the last 14 years has photography been the vehicle for that inspiration. It has been my highest purpose to encourage and inspire others to the greatest version of themselves whenever possible.

 

You are a photographer very busy with seminars, workshops, dissemination and teaching: what is your favourite aspect of this role?

Yes!! I love to inspire others to their greatest potential in the business of photography as well as the techniques of photography. It’s always my hope to offer inspiration to photographers to push themselves past the boundaries of their current knowledge and experiences to reach for the next best image that they can create.

 

Many of your images have been awarded internationally and you have been mentioned among the 30 most inspiring photographers in the world.
How did your successful photo come about? Is there a secret “ingredient” in the preparation?

Tony Robbins has been quoted as saying, “Success leaves clues.” I agree with this sentiment. Every success I’ve had in my life can in some way be credited also to everyone who inspired me. The ingredient, if there is one, is total disregard to failure. Literally, choosing to see failure as the roadmap to success versus trying to avoid failure at all costs. Every amazing image that I’ve ever made was accompanied by some terrible shots that were made on the way there.

What is the part you love most about your job?

Still nothing gives me greater joy than creating. I love the time I spend gathering the pieces for an artistic shoot, preparing the model, setting up the lighting, letting the scene develop and finally, editing the perfect moment in time; captured in one tiny frame that shuts out the rest of the world for just a fraction of a second.

And what road, in your opinion, should a young aspiring photographer take to achieve success today?

Learn technical things as  you go. Don’t let a lack of knowledge of the technical keep you from feeling your way through an image. What you develop with your eyes is as important as what you learn with technical knowledge. We are all still learning. Stay hungry! Let that hunger drive you to take a million terrible images and study them so that the good, better and best images can rise from you.

 

foto di Tracie Maglosky – tutti i diritti riservati

 

When did you understand that Olympus was your perfect system? What is the aspect you would never give up on your equipment?

Many people don’t know that Olympus is the only brand I have ever used professionally. It started as a love affair when I received my first Olympus point and shoot as a gift. I’ve never deviated. The most important thing about any system for any photographer is its ability to feel like and extension of yourself. My favorite thing about my Olympus cameras is that they do not ever get in my way…not in weight, speed, sharpness or image quality. Creativity deserves a clear path to come about. I’m so happy that my Olympus gear offers that to me.

 

foto di Tracie Maglosky – tutti i diritti riservati

 

What’s in Tracie bag and how do you choose the right equipment for each service?

I’m so lucky to have an assortment of gear available for the work I love to do. My very favorite of those items would have to be the OMS E-M1X and the Zuiko Pro Prime lenses… yes, all three of them (17mm f/1.2, 25mm f/1.2, 45mm f/1.2). I’m also a huge fan of the Zuiko  7-14mm Pro f/2.8 for specialty shots like flowing gowns. No bag would be complete without lighting! So I choose the Profoto B10 Plus Kit. My favorite modifiers are the 2×3 Softbox with a grid and the XL Silver Umbrella with a soft diffuser.

What are your photographic references? Do you have someone or something that inspires you?

I’m inspired so much in our modern world! We are all just a click away from beautiful imagery all over Instagram or Google. What a time to be alive!
I do love the work of Lola Melani! I’m also a huge fan of Annie Leibovitz.

 

Tracie Maglosky . Olympus Visionary

And finally, what does Tracie do when she is not on set or engaged in some photographic work?

Great question! Prior to photography, I was a singer in a band and I love music. So, you might catch me singing! I consider myself a deep thinker and I love to read as well, so I spend a fair amount of time reading books and writing.

We thank you very much for the time you’ve given us.

Thank you!

 

Links:

www.traciejeanphoto.com

www.instagram.com/traciejeanphoto

www.facebook.com/traciejeanphoto

SUPPORT US!
Did you like this article? Support our site and our commitment with a small Paypal donation

Commenti all'articolo

Lascia un commento

Il tuo indirizzo email non sarà pubblicato.

19 − 8 =