Diamond in the Rough: Ep1- The Night Swan

i would like to kick off my newest segment called "Diamond in the Rough" the right way; with ladies first. And what a lady she is.



Nadine Olivia Stewart, aka the NightSwan, is an up and coming fantastic photographer who's style and professionalism is beyond her years.

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Nadine got her start at a very young age from an unusual place.



"7th gradish, my Keyboard teacher lent me his film SLR camera," Nadine recalls. "I shot a whole roll, wrote down all the exposures. When I went back to school to figure out how to open the camera, come to find no film was in there"

She did not let this false start deter her in any way. Nadine goes on to explain how her family influenced her.

"My dad is also a photographer, more nature than anything, and gave me my first DSLR, and got me interested in the technical and equipment part of photography. I used to sneak my mom's little film camera in my bookbag all the time, and take pictures of my friends at school, landscapes, and more, with rolls being developed as often as we went to Walmart. My cameras would be closer to me than my cellphone, always on my hand and ready to shoot a memorable event, moment, or unique view. It has been this way for the past 5 or 6 years as I have grown to love my instruments, and the art and memories they allow me to make"

And the rest is pretty much history. Nadine kept up her photography with mostly black and white film, developing and printing her photos from scratch. And now, at age 20, she has a plethora of unique poses, backgrounds, and subjects.





With her careful eye for details and amazing abilities to capture her subjects in both a real yet rugged point of view, of course i had to ask her what she considered her "style" to be. And her answer did not disappoint. Her major focus is on fashion, lifestyle, and beauty. "Exploratory," is the word she likes to call it.

"I like to go out and see where a potential shoot can be. My ideas sometimes are created on location, as I survey the area and see potential shots in the simplest of places. With my photographic eye, I see shapes, contrast, colors, and compose with all the components. In my head, I superimpose the model in various locations, poses, and can most times achieve that 'on film' for others to see."





And what, you might ask, inspires such amazing photos? Don't worry, folks, i took care of that question,too. Nadine's major inspirations come from her High school photography teacher who pushed her to work harder and look for new things and, interestingly enough, 'America's Next Top Model'.

"I love their ideas and how they break things down. Very good to see behind the scenes and all that goes into photography and its industry."

And just like the Great Tyra Banks, Nadine is not just a photographer, but a fabulous model herself (WORK!)






Nadine's big focus with her photography currently is getting her name out locally, and hopes to work on other projects like weddings, maternity photos and couple shots.

"As I diversify more, I will be able to reach a greater target market and show more of what I can offer. I want to be in the memory making business for a long time.
People may age and change over time, but photos remain the same. They can be markers or reminders of a past time, and I work to make that a pleasurable experience"

Ya know what that means? i'm sure she is looking for some new models to shoot and work on. i know i'm planning on scheduling a shoot some time in the future. And with the way Nadine photographs, i know i'll come out gorgeous. (fo'sho').









If you want to check out the rest of NightSwan photography, schedule a shoot, or get to know the talented young woman behind the camera, like her official Facebook page www.facebook.com/NightSwanPhotography or check out her website www.NadineStewsArt.com


And now, some closing words of advice from the lady herself.

"Everyone has the potential to be photogenic. Don't let bad words or bad photos bring you down. Allow yourself to be brought up through the best of what you see and how great you look or feel."



i would like to take this time out to say, thank you Nadine for your time your trust and your insight. You are truly a Diamond in the Rough.

That's all for now. Keep a close look out for my next Diamond in the Rough post coming soon.

Until then,
Happy Blogging,
Theory

(All quotes, photos and web information was given by the consent of Nadine Stewart)