handmade feature & giveaway | tina crespo photography

So I looove Tina Crespo. Her vintagey photos of birds and beaches make me want to hop on a plane right this second and head somewhere quiet and close to nature. I just bought this, this, and this, and I'm dying to get them home and up on the walls! She's having a spring cleanup sale right now with photos starting at only a buck fifty, so I highly recommend you shop it up right now. Like now - seriously. She's also one of the nicest people on Etsy (because I've encountered all of them...?) and a pleasure to work with! Aaand once you see her epic hat, you're gonna love. this. girl.

Q. What's the story behind Tina Crespo?

A. Oh boy, I'm not sure if there is a whole story. I'll break it down to the basics: I make awkward jokes, I read books, I photograph things (...duh, Tina.), envy dog owners, wouldn't mind living in a zombie movie (if I was properly equipped, of course.) & love spending time outside.

Q. Let's talk pets: cats, dogs, barracudas, kangaroo rats? 

A. I have one amazing cat, Piggy aka Ms Piggles, Wiggles, Chief Wiggums, Wiggly, Mama. She's a sassy tux kitty. Charlie boy, my dad's dog, is a newer member of our family. He's basically my shadow, following me around like the little brother I never had.

Q. What sage bit of advice do you have for the shell-shocked just starting out on Etsy?

A. Breathe! The day that I was all ready to list items, I must of looked crazy because I was talking to myself and trying to whiz through the whole process (I had previously written down the descriptions of photos and what not to be more "prepared"). My hands were shaking and I was afraid of...well, I don't know exactly. You feel a lot better after your first 10 items are listed. After that, you pretty much need to advertise your site nonstop. Whether it be family, friends, Facebook friends, people on flickr. Just get your name OUT there! I didn't sleep a lot that first week.

Also keep in mind, most people don't sell the first day. Maybe some do ::shrug:: but whatever you do, don't get discouraged. Keep at it, and good people will find you.

Q. If you could snap a portrait of any one person in the world, who would it be? Where?

A. I think I really would have liked being a photographer during the Dust Bowl era. Trucking around with a 4x5 Camera & sheets of film, capturing the faces and world that crumbled, would have been a monumental experience.

Q. As a food photog, you've probably seen some pretty  epic dishes. What's the most interesting or intriguing thing you've ever eaten?

A. I'm half Puerto Rican (as well as German and Native American), and my grandmother makes Pulpo Salad. Yep. Octopus. I've tried it, but can't say it's my go to dish. Interestingly enough, I love Eel Sushi.

As a food photographer, one the strangest things we've photographed has got to be L.A Weight Loss food. Every dish, whether it be the beef stroganoff, veggie lasagna, chicken cacciatore - it all smelled exactly the same. A weird, plastic-y, non food smell.

Q. What photographer most inspires you and your work?

A. When I was younger, I adored David LaChapelle. I still do, as well as Kareem Black. Which is kind of funny, because they are both really outrageous "portrait/celebrity" photographers. Totally not what I am doing. 

The fine art work, I suppose, is mostly inspired by nature and things outside of reality. It's about creating a moment or feeling in someway.

Q. You've taken some pretty stunning nature pictures, so I'd love to see what you could do in Semuc Champey, Guatemala (Google it, people!). Where in the world would you most like to capture nature?

A. I seriously need to get to Thailand. End of story. :)

Q. Tell us a joke.

A. A family of three tomatoes were walking downtown one day when the little baby tomato started getting behind. The dad tomato walks back to the baby tomato, stomps on her, squashing the little tomato into a red paste and says "Ketchup!"

Haaaaaaaaaaaa ba dun..dun. Funny? No? Ok, don't ask me to tell anymore jokes.

Q. What do you think will be the biggest difference in the world in 50 years?

A. This is seriously a hard question. It can go either way, really. Um, there will be lots of robots doing every day things for humans, cars that drive sideways, cops who have shoulders and arms made from the same material that robots are made of and grandmothers who make super amazing sweet potato pie.

Wait...I might have just described the plot of I, Robot.

Q. I'm an absolute quote junkie. What's your all-time favorite quote?
A. "Look!!! Applesauce!" ".....That sign says Applause, not applesauce."

"Oh, this photo is the only one I have of me with a camera. A lot of my friends hate that hat, which amuses me to no end. Now they have to look at it forever :) Hah! Anddddddd you can quote me on that." Definitely worth quoting!!

a little more tina:

website

blog

Facebook

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The Giveaway 

One lucky Shrimper gets to choose any two matted 5x7 photos or one matted 8x10 from Tina Crespo, so you'd better get started picking out your goodies. With these incredible prices, you could knock off half your Christmas list in one fell swoop! This giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, April 4.

• To enter visit Tina Crespo, and select a favorite item. What do you love most about her photography style? This step is mandatory, and please make sure to leave your e-mail address in your first comment.

Additional entries (Leave one comment for each entry.):

• What one thing would you most like to have a picture of?
• Become a follower of Shrimp Salad Circus (the blog) using one of the blog subscribe options on the middle sidebar or at the top right under the search bar.

This is up to three entries per person. Feel free to help me spread the word by Tweeting, blogging, Facebooking or grabbing my button for your blog's sidebar!