Meet Charley Star. Her work is charmingly seductive, brilliantly subtle and stunningly sweet. Based out of Los Angeles, Ca, Charley Star is stepping out and making a mark in the industry focusing on wedding, portrait and lifestyle photography. Once an actress, she has taken her creative character and jumped into the photography pool capturing life as it unfolds before her. Her unique vision has brought in celebrity clients, including her latest wedding of Alanis Morrisette and Mario Treadway. We love her fresh take on life and her ability to capture sweet simplicity in a world of chaos. As the mother of one and another on the way, Charley has worked hard to perfect her craft and make a name in this ever evolving industry. Well Charley, we’re glad you are here and couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity to share you with the world!

Charley Star Photography:
http://CharleyStarPhoto.com/
Charley’s Blog:
http://www.CharleyStar.typepad.com/

The road trip you’ve been dying to take. Where to and why?
Marfa, Texas. I have a friend who’s been several times and always comes back raving about the place. It’s a really small town in West Texas, in the middle of “no where,” but with some of the coolest people, inspiring art galleries, cool boutique hotels and amazing food that you wouldn’t really expect to find in such a small town. Plus, there you can see tons of artist Donald Judd’s work, and – most importantly – all of that gorgeous Texas landscape – the perfect photo op!

If you were given a free day, how would you spend it?
Sleep in… cuddles and giggles in bed with my hubby and daughter…. hanging out with friends and family, with long walks in the woods or on a beach… afternoon swim in the ocean…. a nap in the hammock with an ocean breeze blowing… reading design magazines … and cap the day off with a delicious, gourmet meal cooked with friends. Simple pleasures, really.

With a new baby on the way (congratulations by the way…) what has become the biggest challenge of working.
The waddle! In the beginning it was definitely the all day morning sickness. Now as I near the home stretch, the challenge is maneuvering (waddling) through crowds and being as physically agile as I tend to be during shoots while carrying this watermelon-sized belly!

The soundtrack to your life would include…
Ah, geez, hard one. There are too many to say, but it would definitely be eclectic, a different sound for every mood– everything from Billy Holiday and Sara Vaughn, to Kruder and Dormeister, to Groove Armada to MIA to Chemical Brothers, with a little bit of hip hop, Indie and World Music thrown in. Luckily my husband is a DJ with very eclectic taste so there is never a shortage of musical variety in our house.

So in love with ________ right now! And why?
Well other than my daughter, who is a constant marvel to me and my biggest inspiration, I’d have to say the work of fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh. His B&W images of women are so arresting. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he photographs some of the most strikingly beautiful women on the planet, but his images are really more soulful and emotional than normally seen in fashion and commercial photography. I just love his aesthetic.

How would you describe your style?
Hmm… it’s hard for me to describe my own work, but others have used terms like “artful,” “emotional,” “intuitive” “slightly dreamy”…. so I guess I’ll take that!

How do you decide what to photograph?
Follow my heart and trust my instincts. I try to photograph what I love, what moves me. This has led me mainly to shooting people and their major life events: weddings and children. I’ve also begun shooting more commercial stuff and editorial stuff which I like. In my personal work I also photograph still lifes, landscapes, portraits…. I think it’s important to follow “the Muse” and photograph when inspiration strikes, even when I’m not on a job and am just shooting for myself. In fact, I think shooting for yourself is essential to keep things fresh and keep the inspiration flowing. It’s a burnout prevention.

As far as how I decide what to photograph when I’m on an actual shoot, I’ll have a loose plan or idea of what I need/want to do, but I mostly tend to feel my way through a shoot. I look for the decisive moments and the things that inspire me. I’m also more careful now about who I decide to work with, selecting clients and projects that will be creatively inspiring and challenging, and that are a good fit for my style and personality. I think sometimes as photographers and business owners, we feel like we have to take everything that comes our way. But experience has taught me that we have to select our clients as much as they select us — sometimes it’s just not a fit. In those cases, I try to steer the client to another photographer whose style or budget better suits them.

What type of camera do you use?
Canon 5D M II. I also have a Holga that I love to play around with.

What is your favorite photography accessory, other than your camera?
My new ThinkTank Airport Security bag. This baby totally saved my back on my last trip– so much better than lugging heavy camera shoulder bags through the airport! I also take it with me on local shoots to lug all my extra gear, and then I’ll transfer just what I immediately need into my Shootsac.

If you had to choose one lens which one would it be and why?
Probably the 50 1.2, but the 85 1.2 is a close second. They’re both creamy and buttery and yummy!

What’s the best decision you made when you first started out as a photographer?
To follow my heart and just put myself out there…. I also made it a ritual to photograph every single morning, first thing. That “morning photos” series was my first long term project and it really helped me grow as a photographer… Also, I’d say don’t think too much about it—just do it, otherwise you may stop yourself before you even began. (Oops, I think that was 3 things.)

I’ve learned the most from…
In a general sense, from taking risks, dreaming big and then pursuing those dreams… which inevitably lead to some “failure,” but that’s also been a great teacher. Also, my daughter and my husband have helped me grow so much. I think I’m a much cooler person from knowing them!

In terms of photography, I learned so much in the beginning from just shooting, shooting, shooting, and then editing my own photos to give me a chance to really study them to see what was working, what wasn’t and why. It helped me to figure out what I liked as a photographer. I also look at a lot of art photographers’ work for inspiration.

What advice would you give to the photographers that may be starting out and new to the business?
Begin! Don’t over think it. Just start shooting, and then shoot some more. Give yourself a long-term project to work on if you have to, anything to motivate you to practice. And edit your own photos, at least in the beginning (see above). In the end, i think it just comes down to trusting yourself that if you just keep doing it, you’ll will grow and get better and your style will evolve. Oh- and don’t undersell yourself! Charge more money! Most newbie photographers don’t charge enough for their services in the beginning (and I was no different) because they either don’t have the confidence yet, or they are portfolio building or they just don’t understand all time and expense it takes to run a successful business. But I think you have to ‘fake it ‘til you make it” in some sense, and believe in yourself enough to know that your session fees are worth more than $50 and your prints are worth more than what the local One Hour Photo charges (ok, a lot more). I’ve had a lot of photographers email and ask me about pricing and the business aspect. It’s hard for some people, myself included. I’m not saying you have to charge $5,000 right out of the gate, but my guess is that if you’re not just a wee bit uncomfortable in the beginning asking for your rate, your rate’s probably not high enough.