InTouch with Southern Kentucky February 2020 | Page 22

FIVE QUESTIONS
5
Q uestions
Courtney
Ribeiro
with
BY CHRIS HARRIS
COMMONWEALTH JOURNAL
V
alen-
tine’s Day,
2013
brought something new
for Pulaski County to
love. That’s when Court-
ney Ribeiro first opened her own
local photography business. Today,
Red Shutter Studios continues to
serve clients in many different ways
— and several of them very roman-
tic, from capturing a couple’s big
day of matrimonial bliss to person-
al explorations of one’s beauty in
glamorous, sexy boudoir sessions.
Following are five questions that
InTouch asked Ribeiro about the art
of photography, and her responses:
1
How did you discover
you had an eye for
photography and what
has pursuing it done for
you?
Ribeiro: Around 14 years ago, I was
involved in a near fatal motor vehicle
accident. My SUV flipped several
times, landing upside down on a major
highway in Nevada. I don’t remember
what happened, and unfortunately, or
fortunately (depending on how you
look at it), my lack of memory didn’t end
with that incident. Entire pieces of my
22 • I n T ouch with S outhern K entucky 
Courtney Ribeiro
life were gone. My recall of
events, people, places, and
everything in within was
severely damaged. I would
also come to learn my ability to create
new memories was also affected and
would be a lifelong challenge for me.
As time passed, I learned some things
that helped, but sincerely I was just
thankful to be alive so it didn’t seem
fair to make it an issue. I attempted to
ignore it, or when it became apparent
in a situation I would make light of it,
and laugh it off. But...things change
drastically when you become a parent,
and the thought of forgetting my
daughter’s first words, first steps, first
day of school...all the firsts, the lasts....
the things between most of us take for
granted in our everyday life, scared me
into a full blown panic attack. To calm
myself I tried to make a list of all the
things that helped my memory......
Pictures!!!
I purchased my very first camera that
day.
In addition to all the beautiful
memories captured of my loved
ones, photography allowed me the
opportunity to do the same for others,
which organically grew into a business.
Creating Red Shutter Studios gave me
the means to go back to school and
become a nurse. Buying a camera that
day is what lead me to my husband, a
world renowned photographer, living
an ocean away in Portugal. Learning the
artistic aspects of photography inspired
me to paint again, as well as, create in
other mediums.
Honestly, I can’t reflect on when I
felt like “a real photographer” or when
I knew I had an eye for it, but I know I
wouldn’t be who I am today without it ...
and I’m forever grateful
2
From a creative and
technical standpoint,
what makes the perfect
wedding photography
package that the couple
will remember?
Ribeiro: Listening to the couple and
really understanding their specific wants
and needs. I love sitting down with them
and asking questions about how they
met, quirky things they love about one
another, what are some hobbies they
have...and letting them tell me the story
of what they picture for their perfect
wedding day. All the while, I’m paying
attention to: what gets them excited,
what people they mention. what they
don’t have planned out just yet, what
makes them nervous, etc. In doing so,
I am able to tailor what I do, to capture
where exactly their hearts are.
F ebruary 2020