Kristine Cofsky
Photographer
What do you remember about your first big job as a photographer?
I remember having the wildest imposter syndrome. I am entirely self-taught, so I always felt like I was in way over my head no matter the job for the first few years. I distinctly remember one of my very first bigger-scale commercial shoots for a clothing brand, and that I had to painstakingly edit the white background in every single photo to fix all the mistakes I had made with lighting on the day :)
What has been your most memorable experience so far? What has been the most challenging?
One of my most memorable shoot experiences was doing a promotional gallery shoot years ago in Toronto for a popular television show... it was just such a fun and busy day, and we really nailed the vision. The whole experience left me feeling really inspired and confident. Some of my more challenging experiences came when I was dipping my toes in the wedding photography industry in my earlier career days. Those days could be wildly stressful and unpredictable, with the added pressure of it being one of the most important days in the clients life. No big deal ;)
Where do you hope to be in your career in five years?
I've been very lucky so far in my journey, and have been able to really explore many different aspects of photography as a career. In five years, I'd love to be incorporating more travel, magazine and on-location work into my life as well.
Is there anything you would tell an aspiring photographer at the beginning of their career?
Just keep shooting. Create your own work, reach out to collaborate with other creatives, go to art shows, watch beautiful films, and let the world around you inspire you. Photography was just a hobby for me for many years before it evolved into a career path, so just keep building your portfolio and practicing.
