I'm so excited today to bring you an interview with the amazing 0kmidnight ! Marion is a photographer from France, and I was so happy when I first came across her work on DeviantArt. It's filled with beautiful colors and a soft, romanticism that I immediately felt drawn to. Even more exciting has been watching her work grow, change, and improve in so many ways. I hope you enjoy this interview with this wonderful artist, as well as find inspiration 
What made you decide to photograph people? And were people the first subject in front of your lens?
I guess I want to photograph stories rather than fashion, and that means two things: first, you have to think through all the details of the stories, character, location, outfit, makeup… Everything is important in a fashion story. Second, people always want to know why, why you photographed this in particular, what does it mean. And what I like about fashion photography, is that it doesn’t have to mean anything, there is no explanation needed. There can be a hidden meaning in your work, but I don’t think the viewers have to know about it, they can interpret it the way they want. That’s what I like about fashion photography!
I started photographing flowers, nature in general, as well as taking portraits of my little brother, my very first model!
Please, tell me briefly describe your fashion photography style.
Melancholic, colorful, romantic.
Are you self-taught or formally educated in photography? And if you're self-taught, what resources have you found to be the most helpful on your journey?
I’m self-taught, although I did take one class a few years ago to learn studio lighting, but it wasn’t really helpful and I ended up quitting the class and learning by myself at home. I’ve learned a lot by watching youtube videos, reading articles online and in photography magazines, and mostly experimenting and trying new things, and paying attention to what other photographers do.
Do you think in this age of technology that photography is "easier" or more "accessible?" And does this matter for the industry?
Yes, I think it’s definitely more accessible now, but I wouldn’t say easier, since I think many people have access to good quality cameras but still don’t know how to use them. I guess it’s both a good and a bad thing: it allows more creative people to experiment with photography and maybe find their path as a photographer, but it also lowers the prices for professional photographers and makes it more difficult to find clients who understand our work, and the time, budget, and quality needed for it.
What do you find most inspirational for your creativity?
Literature, music, cinema, nature, emotions, all of these things inspire me continually. Looking at other photographers’ work is also very inspirational for me, but not necessarily in a good way, as it tends to give me a lot of stress, and makes me want to start new projects when I haven’t finished the ones I’m already working on.
Do you plan out your photoshoots extensively beforehand? Or are you a bit more spontaneous when creating a fashion series?
It depends! I have some series carefully planned beforehand, with style, moodboard, and team ready to work with a few
weeks in advance. But I also work spontaneously a lot, especially since I usually work with the same people, models and makeup artists. So a friend can just call me, and say hey, do you want to shoot in this location this afternoon? And I’ll just grab some clothes, take my camera and go for it.
What has been the most important piece of advice you've been given on photography? And what advice would you give to a fashion photographer trying to start out?
Some good advice was not to pay too much attention to what others do, but I’ve already talked about it, so I guess… Always try, never stop because you think you’re not good enough. And don’t leave things to Photoshop that can be fixed the day of the shoot, because you will quickly become tired of retouching photos as it takes all the fun out of it.
What is your favorite and/or most successful photo-shoot you've created?
My favorite is the fashion editorial “White Doll”, shot last year in Paris, with a great team. I had only two days to put everything together, and I was working with these people for the very first time in my tiny apartment in the city, and it turned out great, and we had a lot of fun! It’s been one of my most successful ones, although my last series “Bruises” has had a lot of success too, which I’m super happy about since it’s a series I intend to continue.
Putting together teams for photoshoots can be difficult, and many new photographers don't know where to start. How do you find people to work with? What kinds of qualities do you look for in a creative team?
I started looking for makeup up artists and models on Facebook groups dedicated to photography in my area - Paris. At the beginning, it was difficult to find good people to work with, but I wasn’t that good myself and I needed to learn a lot, from photography itself to managing a team, communicating my ideas to the people I was working with, etc. Luckily I met some talented people I’m still in contact with today. And the more you work on your portfolio, as well as your relationship with people in the field, the more other talented people want to work with you. I’m so happy now when someone I’ve noticed a few years ago and thought they would never want to work with me contacts me for a project!
Nowadays, I find models on Instagram mostly, although I’ve met some people thanks to Deviantart too, including one of my closest friend Angelika aka akModel, and you Ashley!
I’m looking for creative people, with a lot of ideas, and most of all, fun people. I believe the atmosphere during a photoshoot has a lot to do with the result!
How do you connect with your models when they're in front of the camera? Do you do lots of model directing on photoshoots?
I talk a lot during my photoshoots, so I guess that helps me connect with my models! I like to know about the people I’m working with, and if they are nervous, I just tell them silly stories about me and my life and that usually works ahah.
I always start by showing some photos for inspiration, explaining what type of poses I’m looking for, and where I like the models to look – usually I like them to alternate between looking in the camera, towards the light source, or closing their eyes. Then, depending on whether I like what they are showing me or not, I give more or less directions.
What kind of goals are you currently working towards with your photography?
I would like to try other styles of photography, weddings, food… My goal is to find the time! Ahahah
