Team Spotlight: Lona Moody
ProMaster products are designed, marketed, and sold by camera enthusiasts. Everyone on our team is interested in photography and videography on some level. Some are featured in gallery shows, published in photobooks and magazines, while others are building a following on Instagram.
I recently met with Lona Moody, a team member on our purchasing team. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Lona has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting, loves to cook soup above all else (direct quote: “I’ve never met a soup I didn’t like”), and is willing to go that extra mile to get that perfect shot of the Milky Way.
1. What do you do here at ProMaster?
I’m part of our purchasing team and work with suppliers around the globe to secure a consistent supply of top-quality imaging products. It’s been a thrill to be in this role! I have been a fan of ProMaster since my days working at camera stores in St. Louis.
2. How did you get into photography?
I was born loving all things art. When I went into high school, I took every art class that was available to me, one of which was a darkroom photography class. And that was kind of it for me. From then on, I was in love with all things photography, especially film photography at the time.
When I went to college, I pursued it further. I intentionally took more darkroom classes and got into experimental photography. Ending up at a camera store shortly after graduating was a direct result of how much I love photography.
3. What is your favorite photo memory?
My partner and I recently went on a roadtrip to the “Mighty Five” national parks in Utah. At Arches National Park we set out to photograph the Milky Way behind Skyline Arch. While you can view this arch from either side, the trail takes you to view the arch from one side. We quickly realized we can’t see the Milky Way on that side; you have to be behind it. But there's no trail to get behind it. So we started meandering to find the back so we could capture the backdrop of the Milky Way. It was super late, completely dark, and there was no one else around. We managed to get lost. We eventually found the perfect spot though, and we did survive. I took some of my favorite photos I've ever taken that night, so it was definitely worth it
4. How would you define your style of photography?
100% of what I do is landscape photography, maybe 97%. I really like long exposure photography, so astrophotography, specifically the Milky Way, and waterfalls tend to be common themes in my photos. You can see more of my photos on my Instagram page.
5. What makes for a successful photograph?
Successful photography is definitely a subjective idea. I think it's the photograph you like. If you take a photo that you enjoyed taking and like how it turned out – that is a successful photograph. You can talk about composition and balance all you want, but as far as a successful photograph is concerned, it's definitely seeing your vision come to life.
6. How do you improve your photography?
The really overused cliche of “practice makes perfect.” The more you take photos, the more you see what elements create a “successful photograph" in action. So go out and shoot. It's as easy as that. Not to say you can't study composition and practice manual settings and learn more about post processing, but there's nothing that compares to getting out there and shooting.
7. What types of cameras and lenses do you use?
I use a Sony A7III with different Sony G Master and Tamron lenses.
8. What are your favorite ProMaster products?
I have three. First, there's a ProMaster L bracket that is never not on my camera. It is in use almost every single time I use my camera. To take the kind of photos that I like to take, I'm typically using a tripod. The L Bracket is, by far, the easiest way to switch from vertical to horizontal quickly and maintain your center of balance. In my opinion, the L Bracket is a must-have for anyone who uses a tripod.
Number two, I use the ProMaster Advanced memory cards. They’re just good, reliable memory cards. And they're every bit as fast as what I need.
And last, but not least, I use the ProMaster 100mm square and rectangular ND filters. I think they're an important tool for landscape photographers. They allow you to control your lighting very effectively. They allow for long exposures in brighter lighting, and softened water, if you have moving water in your scene. They’re always in my camera bag.
9. Lastly, tell me a little bit about yourself outside of work:
I love reading science fiction novels, playing board games, and I’m frequently working on improving my Rubik’s Cube solve time (currently just over a minute). I am also a huge musical theater fan. I have been all my life. So when I moved to New England and finally made it to Broadway, I saw Strange Loop. It won the Tony for Best Musical last year.
I love to cook, especially soup. I specifically had to buy a 16 quart pot because I always wanted to make a double batch of soup and the pot that I had didn't fit it, so it makes monster batches of soup. I’ve never met a soup I didn’t like. That said, Corn Chowder is my favorite soup.
