An Interview With Kirstin Mckee: A Masterclass In Visual Storytelling
"It’s a pretty spontaneous process. I have a few go-to shots I rely on if I’m trying to tell a story about a new place, but more often than not I decide where to go over breakfast. Unless there’s an exhibition or museum I’ve read about in advance, I tend to let the day lead me."
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I first discovered Kirstin Mckee's work a little over a decade ago while working in the client services department for a stock photo licensing agency called Stocksy United. One of the best aspects of the job was being able to interact with stunning imagery on a daily basis while helping customers have a smooth experience from start to finish. While every contributor at Stocksy is exceptional, Kirstin's travel photography immediately stopped me in my tracks because the images felt almost tangible, as if for a moment I was actually there in the moment.
You see, Kirstin has the rare ability of perfectly capturing the essence or spirit of a location. Her photographs of Italy are exactly as I remember it when I visited twenty years ago fresh out of high school with my uncle.
Simply put, she creates aspirational travel images that make you feel compelled to go on an adventure. And if her images look like they should be in esteemed publications such as Conde Nast Traveler, well that's because they are.
Kirstin was kind enough to answer some questions that I've built up over the ten years that I've been following her work, and I hope you enjoy her thoughtful responses as much as I did.
How, and when did you find photography? What is your relationship with the medium?
When I met my husband in 1989, we were both interested in photography, and he later went on to study it. I would come back from a day at medical school to find our bathroom turned into a darkroom, with prints hanging in the shower. In 2000, when our daughter was born, we started posting weekly updates about her on a hand-made website so our friends and family could see what she was doing. I was largely responsible for the photos, as I spent more time with her.
We had a basic digital point-and-shoot. I often asked my husband for feedback and like to think I improved over time. But it was in the summer of 2009, when we visited Turkey, that something clicked. Our daughter was really into Ancient Greece and we were there to follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great.
Our son was almost four at the time and less than impressed with our daily diet of archaeological sites, so we would often factor a beach into the itinerary for him. One evening he was running around me through the shallow water on the beach as the sun set, creating sparkles as he did. As I photographed him, glittering in the sun, I felt the lure of being able to capture this magical moment.
Later that year we bought a micro four-thirds camera (they were the new thing) and I learnt about lenses and bokeh and submitted my first image to Flickr. I was sold. In 2010, I started uploading more images and joined a community of like-minded female photographers, who I continue to stay in touch with.
Our children grew up as I learnt photography, and something has rubbed off on them. Our daughter does phenomenal film photography with a specialty in double exposures, while our son is studying 3D game art and animation, and he really loves landscapes. They both have a very good eye for light. If I have taught them nothing else, it is to truly appreciate a good golden hour!
How do you go about choosing your destinations to photograph?
It used to just be on holiday, or day trips, but in the last couple of years I have been accompanying my husband on work trips, because our kids are old enough to fend for themselves. As he works, I head out and snap away. We have visited a lot of Nordic countries lately!
Do you like to plan your images with a shot list or is it more spontaneous? How much preparation is involved?
It’s a pretty spontaneous process. I have a few go-to shots I rely on if I’m trying to tell a story about a new place, but more often than not I decide where to go over breakfast. Unless there’s an exhibition or museum I’ve read about in advance, I tend to let the day lead me. We do however plan our meals as a focus at the end of the day. I like to take my photos with diptychs in mind, and I have an internalized formula that I use for when I’m doing that.
What makes a scene compelling to you? Is it the people, the architecture, the food?
All of it. But mainly the light. And how happy I feel also factors into how often I raise my camera to my eye. I tend not to be a people photographer. While I can take portraits I really only do this for people I know well; people who may have told me their best side, or how they like to look. I want people to be happy with the images I create of them.
Do you have an ideal focal length that you find helps you achieve your vision?
I use fixed lenses. My preferred lens is 35mm but my Contax Aria has a 50mm lens.
How important is your choice of camera in the creative process? Are you inspired to make the same image regardless of whether it was shot on film, digital, a phone, etc or do the tools make a difference?
This is such a good question. I will often try out an image on a phone or digitally before taking it on film. One of the reasons I started doing film photography was to focus on being mindful of the way I take photos, to really think about the composition and details before snapping.
I know you're also a physician, so I'd love to hear your take on photography as a creative outlet vs pursuing it as a full time career.
I started to take photography more seriously when it became apparent that I would be not be promoted at work. Photography definitely gave me a creative outlet and allowed me to lean into that side of my personality more. As a medic, even though I had done a degree in history along the way, I felt I hadn’t had much chance to explore my creative side.
So I took this as an opportunity. I started a cookbook blog in 2010 and I was asked to join a photography blog by a fellow photographer later that year, so I sort of fell into that and have been blogging ever since. So I’ve been thinking about my photography for the longest time.
Are there any photographers that have had a profound influence on you?
My fellow Flickr photographers in the group continue to have a profound influence. I have been so honoured to see their work progress in so many ways. We continue to create and share together. Jenny Zarins, Laura Edwards and Lucy Laucht are the photographers whose work I follow on Instagram on a regular basis They all take film and digital of food, travel and mood. Books I like to look through are by André Kertész, Gordon Parks and Saul Leiter.
Do you find it easier to photograph new places, or ones that you're already more familiar with? Does the initial excitement of the unknown play a factor?
Both. The initial excitement is definitely a factor, but I love to see how light the changes on the same scene.
What has been the biggest struggle or hurdle you've had to overcome as an artist?
I had a cataract for a few years which impeded my ability to take images. I’ve had that fixed, which was like getting new eyes!
Why is travel important to you? What has it taught you?
I’m always seeking novelty in all things, whether it’s food, or literature, or music. Going to new places is sort of the ultimate expression of that. New food to try, new landscapes, new languages, new things to explore!
Which destination do you keep going back to, and what continually draws you in?
Generally I prefer warmer places. Sicily is my favourite with its combination of light, food, and sea. Just being warm makes things feel so much easier. Recently my family have been taking me to cold countries and I am starting to be persuaded that cold can also be interesting.
Regardless of the location or timeframe, I sense a subtle common thread throughout your work. Are you aware of this, and if so, what do you think it is?
This was my favourite of all your questions! I would say it was the light. And maybe the sense that I’m happy. But that’s connected to the light. Go on, tell me what you think it is!
I think you said it best when you mentioned that you're seeking novelty in all things. Everything feels new, fresh, and a little bit unexpected. It clearly comes across in every image you create, and to me it seems like the key ingredient that makes your photography so rich and textured.
Outside of photography, what inspires you?
I recently did a masters in Medical Humanities which felt like a software update for my brain, as it taught me to think much more critically. I now read a lot more including nonfiction (focusing on history), something I didn’t do much of beforehand. Also food, gardening, exercise. I visit at least one museum or gallery every week. Oh, and music. And wine (I did a qualification recently so it's fun to try out my knowledge).
You can see more of Kirstin's work here:
