Pushing the envelope: Photographer Michelle Garthe

Singer, actress, photographer: Michelle Garthe is talented. From a Nikon point-and-shoot in 2007 to a high-end Canon DSLR and a portraiture business, Michelle has come a long way in a short time. Her work has graced the covers of several magazines. In her own words, her passion is capturing people and still life.  What drives Michelle Garthe? How did she get started? What is her vision? Learn more about Michelle in this week’s edition of Photog Friday.

Name: Michelle Garthe

Country of residence: United States

Brief Bio: Michelle is an award winning professional singer and actress for nearly 18 years (see www.michellegarthe.com). She runs Garthe Photo Arts which specializes in babies, children, family and maternity photography in Hong Kong. Her works are seen on the cover pages of American Women’s Association of HK magazine, The List magazine, Sassy Hong Kong website, Kanga News (Australian Association of HK magazine), Time Out Magazine, walls of US Consulate Hong Kong and Hong Kong Cultural Center.  She also does graphics designing and photography for Community Advice Bureau.

How did you first get interested in photography?
It all started when my husband Lou and I took a trip to Queenstown, New Zealand in 2007. Armed with a point and shoot Nikon camera, I was fascinated in capturing its enthralling landscapes, picturesque towns and fascinating culture. I purchased my first DSLR Nikon D40 and experimented on still life photography. Then I realized I needed a camera with bracketing capabilities so I sold my D40 to my brother and purchased a Canon 450D. I experimented on HDR (High Dynamic Range), clone effects, Dave Hill effect and high speed photography. I also began studying lighting techniques as well.