Stephanie J. Bartik – An Xperience Interview

Stephanie J. Bartik – An Xperience Interview – by Rob Smittix.

RRX: So happy to talk to you here today. The last time we spoke, you weren’t necessarily an award-winning photographer that I’m aware of, but you are now, so that’s really cool! Congratulations.

SB: I totally wasn’t expecting this.

RRX: Well, you deserve it, and I’ve been saying that for years. You literally are one of the best photographers around, and I think people finally got a chance to notice that.

SB: Thank you.

RRX: I knew that you were writing the book about your experiences because you told me a while back. Tell us about your book entitled “Front Row Life/Chasing The Light.”

SB: I needed to do something in my spare time because I was free from 3:30 in the morning until 4, so I had to fill in that time. Anyway, it was really strange, while I was out photographing the bands and doing what I’m doing, I had so many people ask me how I got there and to tell my story. They were saying, oh… you’re such an inspiration. But I’m not an inspiration, I’m just me, doing what I like to do. After so many people told me that, I thought that maybe someone would be interested in this. So I started putting it down, and as I started to write, more and more came out. Basically, it’s about my photo journey and the things that I have experienced through being an older female photographer in a mostly male-dominated field. It’s nothing against male photographers or anything like that, just experiences that I’ve had.

RRX: Now, what boggles my mind is the quality of your work because you haven’t been doing this that long. How did you become so good, so fast?

SB: First of all, I really appreciate that. I’ve had no formal training. I literally stood in front of a tree with a kit lens, and I took a picture of the tree in auto mode. And then I dialed it all back, and it’s like… what does this ISO mean? I moved it all the way up and took pictures all the way down. So extremely self-taught, I had to do it myself. As far as how I’ve progressed, I think it’s because I do it all the time. You can’t progress if you don’t constantly get involved. If I just took pictures once every six months, I would still be where I was 4 years ago. Whenever I’m mentoring a new photographer, the first thing I do is tell them, keep your camera with you. You want to be able to get different experiences. Low lighting, outside, people, trees, or whatever you want to do. I try to get them not to lock into one thing. Don’t go into it saying, I’m going to be a band photographer, keep your options open. You don’t know if you’re going to capture that picture of a flower, a bird, or maybe it’s street photography that will ignite the passion. I just think the more you do something, the more you’re putting yourself out there, the more opportunity you’ll have. If I take a picture and I don’t like it, I change something on it. What don’t I like about this? I look at other photographers, not to copy them but to get different feels for what people are doing. I’m obsessed with it, that’s all.

RRX: With all of the shows that you’ve done, I’m sure you probably lost count by now, but what was your first gig?

SB: My very first time ever in a photo pit was May of 2016 at a three-day Schaghticoke Music festival. It was funny because I think what happened was that they had a photographer scheduled to do the show, and for some reason it didn’t work out. So I get a call and they ask Steph, are you available to do this? I’ve never done that before, but before I could say no, I said sure. That was the beginning of this whole thing, if I didn’t say sure, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I remember running from stage to stage, and I had literally no idea what I was doing. Being the very first time, I’m allowed to photograph only during the first 3 songs, but I’m watching all the guys doing what they’re doing … I’m trying to keep out of their way because they’re the pros and I’m the oddball here. All of a sudden, I can move. I’m moving around, not bumping into anyone, I must be doing this well, I thought, until I get a tap on the shoulder from security because I was on my fifth song. Basically, I lost count because I was getting so involved in it.

The actual deciding moment for me was literally a shot to the heart. I was standing there taking photos in front of the speaker, I feel my clothes moving from the vibration. I really thought it was a cool feeling, and then Nikki Sixx hit this note, and it felt like an electric bolt, like lightning went right through my heart. I felt like either I’m having a heart attack, cause I was in my 60s, or this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. When I stopped, I paused, and I realized that I was still alive. So, I guess it’s what I want to do the rest of my life. I went home and made a five-year plan to retire from my state job, and within three years, I had my LLC. I hit the ground running, and I haven’t stopped. I’m kind of like Forrest Gump, just running and running until something else hits me. People ask, what else are you gonna do?  I don’t know, I keep my options open. I’m still saying sure. I may end up wanting to build a house. I’ve never done it before, sure. Who knows?

RRX: I love that about you. I also know from doing concert photography that some of the shows can be a little bit more rowdy. I know you’re up in front. Have you ever felt like you might end up getting kicked in the head by a stage diver or something like that?

SB: I was shooting a show and there were people all around me … I felt this whoosh right by my face … a combat boot was within inches of my face and all of a sudden, I was in a mosh pit! My main goal there was to protect my gear. At that time, I only had one camera, and if you kick it, that’s it. I didn’t realize that I take pictures differently than some people … I guess a lot of people, when they photograph, they close one eye and look through the viewfinder. I now shoot with both eyes open. I’m looking through the viewfinder with the one, and the other eye is scanning. I probably look like Marty Feldman, the guy with the weird eyes. I do this because you never know what’s going on over there, and I don’t wanna miss whatever that is.

RRX: Oh, that’s interesting. So, your book “Front Row Life: Chasing the Light’. A 70-Year-Old’s Journey into Music Photography and the Power of Saying ‘Sure’” was officially released on May 18th, or 518 Day as we call it, and now is available on Amazon.

SB: It’s out there. It is what it is, so who knows? I don’t see myself as Stephen King sitting in a dark room overlooking the ocean writing stories, but you never know. Maybe I will go into car sales.

RRX: Hey, sky’s the limit.

SB: Exactly.

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