Amanda McIntyre~Between the Pages

I'm not entirely certain where the summer disappeared to, but here we are looking at school starting, the Halloween costumes are showing up and in some stores, even the Christmas season is beginning to take shape!

Doesn't it make you sometimes what to yell, " STOP!"

Alas, no one ever asks my opinion on such things. Go figure.;) As I improve with age, I've discovered that there are treasures to be found in the ordinary moments. Maybe that's because I am blessed to be able to watch my grandson during the school year and have done so since my daughter-in-law returned to teaching. Even after four kids, I am amazed still at how quickly kids grow and learn. Every age has been fun and I look forward to seeing him continue to discover the world and his purpose in it! This year our mantra is " Be kind and brave." And while I have a little sign posted on his toy box, it serves as a reminder to me as well-1) that learning never stops and 2) you're never too old to be kind and brave!

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Today, I have the pleasure of sharing  with you the talents of a woman I first met Stacy Powell has an electric smile and a heart as big as the moon and it shows through in her work and her personality!
at the Deadwood Reads Conference in Deadwood, S.D. (a great smaller conference in early June in one of the most picturesque and historical areas of the upper Midwest!)

Stacy does photo shoots for cover art as well as runs a commercial photography studio. I've utilized covers from custom shoots to "premades" and find the "art" of the photography fascinating!  I caught up with Stacy  with her busy schedule and managed to ask her a bit about her work!

Here's a bit about Stacy Powell!
My name is Stacy Powell, owner and photographer of SP Photography. I'm a wife, mother to three girls and grandmother of three boys. I've been a photographer since I received my first camera at age ten and professionally for over 25 years. 


Amanda: How did you get interested in photography and especially for cover art?

Stacy: MY DAD gave me my first camera when I was 10 years old. Photography let me tell stories through the images I captured. As I became an adult, a friend told me about a job photographing children and families with a well-known portrait studio company. That interview resulted in 20 years with the company and growth in my skills telling each person's story with my camera.

A friend invited me to go to an author event about a year after I "retired" from the company I was with. I went having no idea what I was walking into and how that day was going to change my path. 

We walked around meeting author after author and I was having a blast! Then I saw HIM. I met my first cover model. He was entirely too cute (and oh he smelled so good). We stood and talked with him and the author he was there with. I turned to my friend and said "You mean I've been photographing crying two-year olds when I could be photographing HIM???" We all laughed and moved on. Well, that idea took hold of me and I found a new inspiration, a new reason to be a photographer. Exactly one year later at the same event I introduced myself to the authors as a cover photographer and my business has taken off!

Amanda: Admittedly there are a great many wonderful cover models out there looking for their big break on a book cover! It's much harder to achieve that than to publish a book, so  I've been told! Your help in getting them galleries where their modeling( and your creativity and skill) has to give them a leg up on the competition! How do you work with an author to produce the perfect cover?

Stacy: THIS IS A HARD question since each author I work with has different

needs for their covers. Some, choose a "stock photo" which is one that I've already taken and is available from a gallery on my website. Others tell me which model they'd like and what genre I need to photograph them for. This is called a "custom cover shoot". These are my favorite because I get to bring their characters to life. We talk about a particular mood, feeling or part of the story that the cover needs to convey. We then discuss wardrobe, location and props to be used. Next, we bring the model into the conversation and prepare them for the role they're going to play. They like to have an idea of the character and what looks I need from them before we start. Finally we all come together and rock out the shoot!

Amanda: How much of marketing sense goes into creating a good cover?

Stacy: HAVING A  background is very important. My job as the photographer is to create an image that will be the first impression the reader gets of the book so it sells them on buying it and diving into the story. I try to capture images during stock photo shoots that will be marketable to a broad spectrum of authors. Because there are so many genres out there and levels of "steaminess" this is a challenge sometimes. I just do my best to capture a variety of expressions and poses so there is something in my portfolio for everyone.

Amanda: What are the most popular styles of covers for various genres right now?

Stacy: THE TIDES ARE CHANGING right now. We (myself, the models I'm shooting with soon and their talent managers) actually were discussing this recently. The most popular in the past have been shirt off for men with lots of abs in suggestive poses. Now, the authors are asking for couple photography, clothed models and themed images. I'm really happy to see that there are even authors reaching out to photographers looking for curvy females for their covers. Beauty doesn't come in one shape or size and I am thrilled to see it becoming part of the book community.

Amanda: Do you have "favorite" style images that you love to photograph?

Stacy: MY FAVORITE IMAGES to capture are couple images. I love to capture the connection between them. That fire, that sweetness, that intensity..... those are the shots that give me chills. With that being said, make them cowboy or motorcycle couples and I'm simply giddy. Oh how I love a dark brooding cowboy and the girl that can make him smile. Motorcycles make everything sexy so when I have the chance to add one in to a couple shoot I get really excited too!

Amanda: I certainly admire not only your creativity as a photographer, but also your skill in staying on top of the trends to know what authors are looking for! Thank you for stopping in at GLIAS, Stacy! Where can people learn more about you?

Stacy: I can be reached at spcoverphotography@gmail.com or visit my website at www.spphotography.rocks

Follow me on social media https://www.facebook.com/SPCoverPhotography/ or https://www.instagram.com/spcoverphotography/