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[ 17 ]Who’s Who in the KelbyOne Community: Macarena Janninck
For Macarena Janninck, photography is her second act, and she does it because it brings her tremendous joy.
She loves traveling and finding new places and people to photograph. She‘s constantly working on her craft
by taking college classes and formal photography workshops, but she learns the most when she actually gets
out there and creates images.How important has Photoshop and Lightroom been
in your growth as a photographer?
I can’t imagine being a photographer without them. At the
beginning, I was extremely intimidated by Photoshop, but
I challenged myself to learn one new thing every week. Over
time, I’ve gotten better. I may never be the Rammy Kazemi of
Photoshop, but as I get better, my images get better. More
importantly, my shooting has changed because I have a better
understanding of what I can and can’t do in post.If you had to pick one genre of photography for one
year, what would you choose?
Milky Way and astrophotography. By astro, I don’t mean just
the planets or celestial bodies; I mean capturing how we expe-
rience the skies here on our planet, including earthly elements.
I’m very concerned about how light pollution and the
advent of more satellites are having an impact on our night
skies. I wonder if future generations will ever be able to expe-
rience the night skies the way we do now. That’s an opportu-
nity I want to make the most of before it disappears.How have you kept active as a photographer during
these difficult past few months?
I take COVID-19 seriously and I’ve adhered to the social
distancing and quarantine rules. While my portrait business
is non-existent right now, I’ve been able to focus more on
landscape and astrophotography, and even video. I feel I’ve
grown tremendously these past few months. Before the
virus, I would have never had the time to explore different
photographic genres.
I’ve also become more active in the KelbyOne Community.
I’ve made deep and lasting friendships with folks from all over
the planet who are also passionate about photography. It’s
a safe place where other members have pushed me to keep
learning and trying new things and have been there to lend
a shoulder through some photographic setbacks.What would you like to see more of at KelbyOne?
I’d love to see more diversity: new voices, new perspectives,
and new photographers. I love the quote by Ansel Adams:
“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring
to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the
books you have read, the music you have heard, the people
you have loved.” Every instructor brings a different voice and
perspective, and I want to see and learn from those artists. nWhat made you pick up that camera for the first time?
When my oldest son was a year-and-a-half, I took him to the
mall to get pictures for our Christmas cards, and the images
didn’t capture any of the things that made him unique.
I told my husband, for the price we paid for that session,
I could buy a “nice” camera and get better images. Even if my
images weren’t technically right or perfectly lit, I’d be able to
capture the essence of who our child was.
Before I knew it, I’d become his school’s unofficial
photographer. Soon after, folks were asking me to photo-
graph them. I love doing it! I love capturing unique aspects
of who people are.You mention on your website that you love to learn.
Who on KelbyOne has inspired you the most?
All of them! I simply can’t imagine my photographic life with-
out KelbyOne. I have a photography certificate from my local
community college, and I’ve taken classes at a photography
school in the Midwest; however, all my real practical learning
has happened thanks to KelbyOne.
The instructor who has completely broadened my photo-
graphic world has been Erik Kuna. I first watched his Milky
Way class out of curiosity, thinking it was the Mount Everest
that I’d never be able to climb. He made Milky Way photogra-
phy feel so approachable that I’m now absolutely fascinated
by it. I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking and fan-
tasizing about my next Milky Way shot.
Photography can take a lot of time and patience,
especially when you have a family. How do you plan
for something like your Milky Way images?
It’s hard! Milky Way photography requires a lot of planning
and scouting. Living on the East Coast of the U.S., I’m in the
most light-polluted place on our planet. Suitable dark skies
are about a four-hour drive from home, which usually means
an overnight stay. So I have to convince the hubby, and then
pack up the kids and the dog.
That Milky Way image of a cabin [see opposite page] took
three months of planning without being there or ever seeing the
location, yet I managed to get the Milky Way to line up as I’d
envisioned. Thank you, PhotoPills! Thank you, Erik, for teaching
me how to do that!
When I started out, I thought it was all about the gear, but
now I know it’s all about skill and planning. I’m now investing far
more time and money in my learning than my gear.