Meet Lisa & Emile deRecat

Lisa and her husband Emile are originally from Los Angeles, California. Lisa has a background in the film industry while Emile’s background is in the fashion industry. They both have been photographers for over 20 years and have recently opened up their new studio in Gig Harbor, WA, specializing in portrait photography.

Lisa and Emile, diving right into what I call the million dollar question, why photography? What launched your passion?

Lisa and I have always appreciated the arts, and in particular, photography. Our first apartment was a two bedroom with one bedroom converted to a darkroom. Lisa, being a professional artist, became the creative visionary and lead photographer when we started this journey over 20 years ago. My (Emile) passion in photography has always been on the technical side. Lighting, retouching and printing are my passions. When we were married, we hired a professional photographer working for the Hollywood studios taking stills on movie sets. We wanted something different and unique and that is sadly, what we got. Our photographer was drunk and his work was an abysmal failure. Out of focus, poorly executed and no special lighting to speak of. We were heart broken and lost a moment in time that could never be recreated. Ironically, this experience inspired us to create our own photography business. It has been our number one priority to give our clients photographs that they absolutely love and will enjoy forever. We love to make our client’s photoshoot a fun and memorable experience. We make sure that they receive the royal treatment the moment they walk through the door. They come in a little nervous and leave feeling like supermodels.

As a commercial photographer, where do you find your inspiration to create such captivating images for your clients?

Inspiration comes from everywhere. Lisa, being a professional painter and also having a degree in art history, draws from the masters. We both love fashion, design, architecture, people and traveling all over the world.

What do you enjoy photographing outside of your work related projects?

Street photography, capturing everyday life. 

We are currently working on a personal project creating a photo essay on the forgotten war vets who are suffering major medical issues and are not getting the crucial financial or medical help they deserve.  Our hope is to create a book of as many soldiers and their stories to be sent to everyone in Congress urging immediate legislation to help those who protect our country.

Out of the wide variety of lenses on the market, what’s your favorite one to use?

By far the Schneider 80mm & 110mm lens. These lens are essential when creating timeless portraits as they give sharp prospective and great depth of field without fringing and distortion.

Lighting plays a major role in telling the story of your image. What are your favorite lighting techniques to tell your story?

We love working with the broncolor Para 133 and 88 as our main lights. They are so versatile that they eliminate the need for variations of hard and soft light modifiers. broncolor is our choice of lighting systems, but still use some Profoto for travel.

In which ways do you two see your work evolving in the next 5 – 10 years from now?

If only I (Lisa) had a crystal ball! I can’t tell where I will be artistically five to ten years from now. Hopefully, I will continue to evolve as an artist and create more interesting images without repeating myself. I myself (Emile) am looking forward to the continuous advancements in digital technologies. I know Capture Integration will be at the front of the line offering these to their clients. I love working with Steve and seeing what products will enhance our photography business.

If you could have given yourself any advice when you first launched your career in photography, what would it be?

Marry rich! If that does not work, just shoot and study from the masters. Learn your craft so it shows in your photographs and the way you talk to others. Build confidence and trust in your community. Join network groups. Get noticed. 

What was special about Capture Integration that made you choose us as a partner?

Three things. First, Steve Hendrix. From the moment we first talked with Steve, we felt he was interested in what our needs were and not how much he could sell us. Any question we had was always answered in detail and followed up on immediately. Steve made purchasing these amazing products fun and with purpose. Second, Dave Gallagher whom I met only once but was impressed with his passion for what he does and his integrity as a business owner. He showed me more than once he was interested in a lifelong customer and not a quick buck. Third, the whole team at CI has always been there to help us out whenever we have had a question or problem. I would recommend no one else but CI for purchasing equipment.

Connect with Lisa & Emile:

Website: www.derecatphotography.com

Instagram: @derecatphotography

Facebook: @derecatphotography