Interview with Winifred Whitfield: Portrait Photographer & Artist
“Don’t wait to figure it out – start…
You can’t go wrong here, because there’s power in just getting going. Do something… You can’t make a mistake here – just get on, like live, come alive!”
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Winifred Whitfield is an artist who specialises in making beautiful photographic portraits of women; “No matter your age or your weight, I will create a beautiful and flattering portrait of you as you would like to be seen and remembered”. Her process is twofold – the first stage involves a consultation during which she and her client visualise the final image together, and later the taking of the portrait in the studio; and the second stage involves Photoshop and Painter, her digital toolkit, where she blends photography with the appearance of traditional art.
The final portraits – “my vision and artistic expression of my client’s image” – can literally change the way her clients see themselves; “the look in their eyes and the tears of joy I get to share with them when they have their finished portraits… that’s inspiration!”
Here she talks to Michelle about her personal journey, which includes Wall Street, a herd of llamas, a bactrian camel named Gobi, a dromedary named Butterscotch and a large dose of fearlessness in approaching new challenges! In Winifred’s words; ‘what’s to keep me living my dreams or the life that I choose, except for the way that I think about it?… and if I do not block myself with “I’m afraid”s or fears, it’s all there for me…’
Winifred also talks about;
- How many women believe they are not photogenic or beautiful enough to have their portrait taken- until they see Winifred’s portfolio of ‘before and afters’ shots.
- What she loves most about her work “This opportunity to touch lives is just so powerful… and to alter the way women feel about themselves.”
- The ways in which we are all affected through the way we see ourselves.
- The story of the blue butterfly – enhancing the healing process – life transition and metamorphosis.
- Creating the perfect wedding venue – painting on a huge scale with plants and trees, land and textures.
- Inner transformations, experience, significance and the power of a ‘If I can think it, I can do it’ attitude.
- Fearlessness, taking each next step, keeping focused on doing good work and how we hold ourselves back.
- The importance of following your heart and what you truly want to do, despite current business ‘wisdom’ or what everyone else seems to be doing.
- The nurturing power of Work as Joy.
Winifred’s favourite locations include: New York, her farm and her calm, very creative, very alive, ‘active place inside of me’.
To see more of Winifred’s work, go visit her website!:
Intimate Portraits for Women – Seeing the Soul
Winifred’s Blog
Tags: action, beauty, creativity, dreams, empower, enhance, experience, fearlessness, fine art, gardening, holding back, idealised, image, journey, joy, life transition, llamas, look, metamorphosis, painting, portrait, seeing, self-image, self-portrait, step-by-step, transformation, vision, visualisation, women, work
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