Think about your favourite photo. A scratched polaroid from your childhood. You, when you were younger, wearing your best and favourite outfit. The candid Instagram you snapped of your daughter blowing bubbles just last week. The four-by-six of your high school besties that’s tucked safely into an album.
That’s the magic of photography, it’s instant time travel.
Do your favourite photos immediately transport you back to that time? Do they make you feel safe, happy, nostalgic, or completely horrified by your 80s hair? It’s instant time travel. That’s the magic of photography, it helps us to remember those candid moments; those tiny seconds in time that might not be perfect, but that mean everything.
And that’s the magic of a good photographer – being able to capture not just posed portraits but connections and unscripted expressions between families and friends. It takes more than knowing your stuff about apertures and ISO to take the kind of photos you’ll want to pull out and return to over your life. You need to be able to put people at ease, to see what others miss.
Which is what Pip Williams, of The Real Deal Photography, does. Specialising in documentary style family photos and small weddings, Pip’s portfolio is stacked with evocative, candid, real life moments – a result of both her talent, and her warm, engaging approach.
Read on for more about what got her business started, her love of black and white photography, and what people can expect when working with her.
How long have you been a photographer?
A little over 12 months I’ve been working for myself as ‘The Real Deal’ but before that I had been playing around with my camera for years. I’m basically self-taught.
When we moved up to Toowoomba I wanted to get stuck into my photography because I was really starting to love it and I realised I had a knack for it. Ever since my kids were born, I think that’s when I started wanting to learn more about my camera, and how to get the best out of it because I was forever taking photos of our children.
How many kids do you have?
I have two daughters: Harriet and Parker. Harriet’s in grade one and Parker is in kindy. They are my inspiration.
That’s how it all started actually – those two girls – just photographing them constantly. I was always practicing on them and posting my photos on Facebook or Instagram and my friends would comment ‘oh that’s a nice photo’ etc. And then one day an old friend from high school contacted me and said she loved my style of photography and how I capture my children. Her son’s birthday was coming up in a few months and she wanted me to document his party: AND she wanted to pay me! So that’s how it all started.
What do you like about being a photographer?
I love that I can capture beautiful and soulful moments of life and our everyday that tend to get lost amongst the chaos of a family. I love that we can eternalise a memory in a photograph and be able to have that moment as a visual forever.
I also love being able to capture connections between people and then being able to show my clients just how evident and special their family bond is. I’m all about emotion – I strive to capture it in every session.
…I suggest to my clients that we shoot in their home and I photograph them all hanging out being a family…
I noticed your style is quite natural, no one is really posed. I really like that. Is that why you came up with The Real Deal name?
Yeah, I started out as more of a lifestyle photographer, but it’s now slowly morphing into documentary, which is great.
Documentary fits perfectly with my real life approach to family photography.
I want to capture your family as it is. When I suggest to my clients that we shoot in their home and I photograph them all hanging out being a family, I think a lot of people are worried that their house isn’t ‘nice’ enough or clean enough, or the kitchen’s too messy. What I want families to understand is that I’m not there to photograph the house. I’m there to photograph the people in it and to capture the beautiful connections they share. The house is simply the backdrop, not the subject.
I also find if I photograph people in their own home they are more relaxed and I can get a better feel for who they are. The clients give ME the real deal – the real them. That’s how I came up with the name. I think it reflects my style perfectly.
Families or weddings – which do you do more of?
I do more family sessions, but in saying that I love doing small, intimate weddings because they’re just like an extended family session anyway! I’ve done a few weddings now and they have all turned out to be a really wonderful experience. Everyone there is so happy and they all know each other and share a common connection.
I want to capture your family as it is.
You shoot a lot in black and white. Why do you like it?
I find the emotion translates better in my images through black and white. I feel it also evokes a feeling of nostalgia. When I shoot, I’m usually visualising in black and white already, before I have even pushed the shutter button.
Do you do any shooting in film or is it all digital?
What I offer is all digital. I haven’t done any film since high school. It was a totally different process working with film and the darkroom. I really enjoyed it though. It’s something I’ve thought about trying again one day.
Are you a Canon or Nikon person?
I use a Canon 6D. I recently purchased the Sigma Art 35mm lens and it doesn’t leave my camera. I’ve found it’s been the perfect lens for my photography. It’s pretty versatile; I love it. I can get up nice and close or I can step back and take it all in.
I’m not all about the technicalities in a photo either. I like a bit of blur and I like a bit of movement. I think that’s a difference in my photography. I don’t aim for a technically ‘perfect’ photo.
I’ve had a few clients enquire about what I do in post-production – ‘do you do a lot of Photoshop? Can you nip/tuck me here and there?’. Because my photography is very true to life I will almost never re-touch someone. I’ll remove a pesky spot that maybe appeared on your face that morning – but that’s about it! If I was to edit the photo to make someone look 10kg lighter, then that would be hypocritical to my style.
Do you do prints?
I work with digital images as everything is digital these days. I send my clients their gallery on a custom USB which they are then free to upload, email or print as they wish. I do however have a printing company that I urge all my clients to use.
But I think it’s so important to get your photos printed! Why go to the effort to have your family photographed if you’re never going to share them on your walls or in family albums. You’re not printing the photos for you: you’re printing them for your kids, and their kids…That being said, I’m currently looking into album options for my family and wedding packages.
So when you have people who feel uncomfortable about having their photo taken what do you tell them to feel comfortable?
I just tell them to have a few beers before I come over – no just kidding! Firstly I will give them a brief outline of what they can expect from the session, and then when I arrive I will stand back for a bit and try to blend into the background.
When I see everyone starting to warm to the idea of a photographer being in their home, I start to joke around to let them know I’m not too serious myself. I don’t force any situations either. I tell everyone involved to just chill out, not to look at my camera and just have fun with each other. I can almost guarantee my sessions end in the back yard – relaxing and laughing with my clients.
Do you tell people what to wear?
No – people will ask me what to wear and I’ll say whatever you want! Just as long as it’s something you feel relaxed and comfortable in and more importantly something you can usually be found wearing. And if that’s your favourite AC/DC shirt that’s perfect.
I’ve got a family I’m photographing in a few weeks time and the mum said her husband’s not really excited about the whole ‘family photos’ thing because ‘I think he thinks we’re all going to have get dressed up, wear matching clothes and have to look at the camera with cheesy smiles. I told him this session was not like that. I’m looking forward to being in my ugg boots’. When she told me that, I was like ‘yes!’. That’s what I want to hear! It’s good when you get those clients who are on the same wavelength.
Toowoomba Tip
Our interviewees give us an insight into their favourite things to do and places to go in Toowoomba.
I’ve been to Sofra a few times. I love their casual dining and their food is just delicious! I’ve never had a bad plate come out.
I recommend Ground Up Espresso Bar for their cold brews.
Urth Café has a scrumptious and healthy menu. I recently had breakfast here and had trouble choosing from their menu. I can recommend the Urth Breakfast Board!
To see more of Pip’s work and view her pricing visit her website therealdealphotography.com.au. You can also like her on Facebook or give her some double tap love on Instagram. She’s available for family sessions and weddings and will travel to you.
All photos are courtesy of The Real Deal Photography.
