Rosalina & Tina

Let’s go English again! We are back with our english interviews. Today we speak with Tina Vehage Lorien, also known as T-Lorien on iStock. Tina is a danish photographer who lives in Italy, she speaks also a perfect italian. I am sure that everyone here on the blog at least one time in life had an image added to the famous “Italian Lightbox” managed by Tina , she is also an inspector and today we are going to know a little bit more about her.

Hi Tina, thanks for accepting my invitation, it is awesome to speak with you. Please tell us a little bit more about you and your professional activity in the “real world”.

Ciao Giorgio – I know we share a common love – somehow for Italy…. I have lived in Tuscany for the last almost 19 years – & I am now returning to Denmark, – … This all is happening for many reasons – but my other life in the “real world” is working with a danish sculptor. We have worked together for 18 years – & I love to be a part of creating eternal pieces – as pieces in bronce & marble are… This is somehow the same feeling I have with “images”…. They last! As my “boss” is danish – & the market we have, mainly is in Denmark – plus other private things; as me becoming a grandmother a month ago, my daughter starting boarding school in Denmark & the desire to joint my life with a long lost boyfriend from my young age that I was lucky enough to retrack 1 1/2year ago… – all of this has brought me back to my native country. I will continue to go to Italy for the castings – & to work on future models etc. So this is all exiting. Best thing is that t will give me more time to concentrate on my passion ; “iStock”. Also it is great to have had kids at a young age – becoming grandmother at a relatively young age – leaves my energy to deal with it all – & to get more time to photograph! looking forward for that.

You are a member since November 2003… that is long time ago. How did you discover iStockphoto in that era?

I discovered iStock cause I was an early member of SXC.HU. A lot of “members” vanished into the iStock world – & I was curious to see what attracted them… I started very slow – still with my main foot in the SXC part… I really enjoyed the part of “sharing” for free our images there – cause it brought back an incredible amount of feedback of how your images was used etc. When I finally decided to be exclusive – it was a hard decision – though one I never regretted

In the last 7 years I guess you have seen big changes on iStock. What do you think are the biggest changes we had in these years?

Personally for me – the most exiting thing was when the Vetta image collection was launched – & to see it become as succesfull as it is – pleases me on a daily basis.

You are also an inspector, what do you think is the best thing a newbie can do in the first period on iStock?

The best advice I have to give a newbie – is patience -& more patience. The eager to learn. Look & learn. Study the other photographers images, – improve – find your own style – & dont be afraid not to be commercial. Experiment. It takes for most people a bit of time to build up a good portofolio – to learn about using your keywords right etc. But Patience & Passion are the keywords….

You are managing a lot of Public Lightboxes on iStock, how do find the time to do this great job?

I must admit – after becoming an inspector – I am not as good with it as I was before. I do my best to maintain them & go through new images – mainly while in the inspecting proces. But for me – it is an important thing to do – I find a lot of of inspiration, – & the mere joy of people who can catch a moment – freeze it – & give you a feeling. Thats so nice. Also I have a small hope that it helps some of these files in the searching systems

Canon or Nikon? Windows or Mac? Pizza or Pasta? Wide angle or Tele? Daylight or Night?

I’m a Canon woman now But that again is iStocks fault – I was stubbornly clinging on to my Olympus camera untill I had the great luck to win my EOS 5D from iStock… That opened up a whole new world for me Forever gratefull for that opportunity, cause I did not have the means to get myself such an expensive camera.

I am a true Mac diciple. I find it more “beautiful” in all ways – more user friendly. Love my mac!!!!!

Pizza – & pasta. I am a danish who was brought up with near to none food culture – my years in Italy has given me a fantastic appreciation of simple & good food.

I prefer dayligt shooting – I am merely a person who loves to catch moments – I find it difficult to create my moments. But thats a thing I will work more on now that I have time.

I mainly use tele – hardly ever wideangle.

What is your favorite keyword?

hahahahahah – thats a good question. Cant answer though, but if I should pick one it would be “love”

Who are your favorite iStock photographers?

My fav. photographers….. Uhhh, – there are so many.  I think I will skip this one – check out my lightboxes – & you´ll see Though I would like to mention that one thing I found very inspiring are the photographers from out of the “western” world….. They bring a tremendous new way of seeing things to iStock….

Describe iStockphoto with one word!

Passion!

Thanks a lot for spending your time with us, it is a great pleasure to have you on the blog, I am totally honored!

Thank you! I am now closer to you – so maybe one day. Copenhagen, Berlin, Milan – who knows!!!!

Love – Tina Lorien