Five Questions with Kendra Richard of Spilt Photography

Interview and photo by Jason Setnyk

Cornwall, Ontario – Kendra Richard is a family and wedding photographer working out of her downtown Cornwall studio. Kendra Richard’s Spilt Photography and Jason McNamara’s Framed Photography share a studio space at 150 B Pitt Street next to The Happy PopCorn Co. Whether it’s working in the studio or at a location, Kendra is a fan of storytelling and vintage vibes.

Five Questions with The Seeker

1 – Tell us about your creative process.

“I’m inspired by films I enjoy, and I like to look up vintage photos to draw inspiration from. I have an entire folder of inspiration I’ve taken from various media’s. My favourite images that I create with my clients are ones that (I think) look like stills from a film. I am always location scouting when I’m out. If you’ve been on a drive/outing with me, you’ve heard me say, “I wonder who owns this field” or “wow, it would be so cool to shoot here!” It’s hard to turn that part of my brain off. The way the light hits at certain times of the day is also a mental note I make. When it finally comes to the photoshoot, I prefer a storytelling style, but I’m also not afraid to pose my clients if I think it will match the vibe I’m trying to create. I’m lucky to have clients who let me have creative freedom more often than not, but I’m also always open to their input, and we can agree on the vision for our session. Next is editing, which is where I can really complete the vision. Since I draw inspiration from films, I always lean towards a more cinematic edit. I use Lightroom and photoshop to achieve this!”

2 – What is your favourite piece of photography that you’ve created, and why is it your favourite piece?

“This is a tough one. Technically it’s not the best photo, but I captured a surprise engagement once and was lucky enough to capture a tear in focus (at 1.2, which is actually a little difficult to do), and the rest of the image was a little out of focus. The image was full of emotion and movement, which is exactly what was happening at the moment. It was also my client’s favourite image of the set too. Definitely one of those “as if this is my job” moments.”

3 – What are your thoughts on Photoshop and heavily editing pictures versus making minor adjustments in Lightroom?

“When I first started photography, I took every single image into photoshop. Fast forward a few years, and I definitely use Lightroom more, but I’m still a photoshop gal. Lightroom is great for helping to make the photos more interesting to cull through. But when it comes to cleaning up and editing the images, I find photoshop way more precise.”

4 – How has your photography changed compared to when you first started?

“My photography has changed so much over my career. I’m not as heavy on some editing techniques, my approach to posing my clients has completely changed, and my confidence to shoot in different light has allowed me to capture some photos I’m excited about. When I first started, I was terrified of full sun; now some of my favourite images were taken in full sun. Having a studio has also forced me to grow with flash photography and that has been challenging but fun.”

5 – What makes your photography unique and authentically you?

“It’s hard to articulate exactly what it is because photography is a very personal process. When I see the people and locations I’m shooting, the images I create reflect how I see the situation. So these images are a little snapshot of how I’m processing the moment. I would also say that I pride myself on being able to help people’s personalities shine during a session, which helps me to organically capture these moments so that these moments are equally as much theirs.”

Follow Kendra Richard’s Split Photography on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/spiltmilkphotography