Beach Walk. Photo credit: Estelle Doro
Picture this! You submit your photo to a competition hoping for some recognition and on the night of the ceremony, your name is called as having won the first prize. You walk up to receive your prize, in shock and surprise. It’s a surreal moment! Estelle Doro had firsthand experience at the opening of last year’s 2018/19 IPS annual exhibition. Her photo ‘Beach Walk’ won first place.
Estelle Doro is a communications consultant here at the Bank and a member of the IPS executive council.
I caught up with her to find out a little more about her photography and if she had recovered from the pleasant surprise.
Qn: So how are you doing?
Estelle: I am great! Getting over the shock, I couldn’t believe it for the longest time.
Qn: How did you start your photography journey?
Estelle: Well I travel a lot on my personal time and take a lot of pictures. My interest in photography piqued in ‘J’ (Journalism) school. I took a photography class and it was cool. You had to develop your own photos in black and white, so that was interesting. I liked it. When I came to the Bank and was looking at different clubs, I was told there was a photography club, I joined and that’s how my passion for photography was rekindled.
Qn: What kind of photos do you take?
Estelle: I like people and travel photography.
Qn: What camera do you use?
Estelle: I use my phone a lot. The photo that won 1st prize was taken with my phone. Look, I was lying on the beach. I didn’t have a camera, I saw this lady and used my cellphone. Phones have pretty good resolution these days.
Qn: Who has influenced your photography?
Estelle: I really do not have influencers but there are obviously great photographers out there like Annie Leibovitz – she’s a good role model. I like her style, especially because she takes controversial photos. Photos that make you think, question things. When I take a photo I would like to get a reaction from people – what are they thinking? I look for a wow factor.
My teacher in college, Anne Zelle was a great influence too, she made me love photography. I only took one class with her, but she made me think I could do something with photography.
Qn: Do you approach your subjects?
Estelle: Yes, I do. I mean, for the winning shot I did not, she just appeared, and I thought wow! I need to capture that moment.
Qn: What struck you about her?
Estelle: She had so much self-confidence, the lighting was perfect. I was lying down on this small beach in Italy, in a small town not far from Genoa, the beach was more gravel than sand so the landscape was already unusual and then the lady showed up. I keep thinking, if I was only taking photos with my camera I would never have captured that moment.
Qn: What are your dreams and hopes for your photography?
Estelle: I have this hopeless dream of winning a Pulitzer in photojournalism. It doesn’t hurt to dream.
Qn: If money were not an object what camera would you get and where would you go shoot?
Estelle: I’m not sophisticated enough in that area to answer that question. It doesn’t matter what type of camera. I know sometimes the camera is good but to me, it’s more important to get the moment. So, to me, it doesn’t matter what kind of camera. I would like to do a series somewhere in Africa, on youth, especially the empowerment of young girls.
I’m grateful for IPS because without joining the club I wouldn’t be able to take my photography to that level of seriousness and now I’m thinking I can do something more with my photos. I’m even thinking of an exhibition at some point – all thanks to IPS. There are so many great photographers in the club, any one of them could have won the prize so I’m really humbled.
It was great talking with you Estelle, we wish you all the best. Do not forget to invite IPS members to the Pulitzer award ceremony :-).
