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We had a wonderful time visiting Bambi Cantrell at her studio in Benicia last week. Winding our way through the sleepy artist town on the edge of the San Francisco Bay, we came upon her studio in a converted 19th century armory. Bambi greeted us with a smile and gave us a tour; I was immediately struck by her warm and welcoming personality and by this perfect environment for photography—immense ceilings, windows opening to the bay, tons of light and life.

Bambi is a total pro and when we were rolling she gave direct, spot on and immediately usable tips: How she identifies the key light in a room using her hand. How she puts her subjects at ease with her easy and playful approach. Her of course, anti-nerd reminder, “You have to know and f-stop from a bus stop but at the end of the day, cameras don’t take pictures, people do. At the end of the day, expression beats perfection”

Click to tune in and catch her great tips. Here’s a small sample of what you’ll see: