Hi there,  welcome to T I N K. My name is Thea Cogill, owner and photographer here at  T I N K. Usually     there would be a little biography of myself and how i got into photography and all those kinds of things,  but i thought i would do things a little different. Below you will find the questions and answers from a recent interview by the ladies at a blog called Ruby and The Swallow, it should give you a bit of insight into what   T I N K  is all about.

R. S  :  How did you get into photography? Was it a hobby that expanded into a business, or has it been a dream since you were young? 

T I N K : I wouldn't say that photography was a dream of mine since I was young, I dreamt of adventure and going all over the world and seeing new places, right alongside also wanting to become a game ranger and fighter pilot..(i know!) I just never considered any of these as a viable career option as I was of the persuasion that I had to study something” proper”, you know? So, I went to the University of Stellenbosch and I studied a Degree in Applied Value and Policy Studies majoring in Economics, with the intention of heading into Documentary Journalism, but soon realised that it wasn't what I wanted for my future, so I finished the degree and proceeded to do a small photographic course in the evenings, which just confirmed to me that my heart lay in photography. I was then privileged enough to do a 2 year internship with a local advertising photographer (Kim Thunder) where I developed the technical expertise I needed in order to pursue a career in professional photography. 

R. S : Tell us about yourself in three words.

T I N K : Wow,that is tough! , so I am going to cheat, I am going to split it into Work Thea and Normal Thea. Work Thea is determined, efficient, creative. Normal Thea is adventurous, practical, perceptive

R.S : How would you describe your photography "aesthetic"?

T I N K : I have a very natural and “unposed” approach to photography . When I am on a shoot I try to make sure that the” personality” of the subject comes through, whether it be of the couple I am working with or the brand I am photographing, all the while staying true to my style.

R.S : What inspires your photography? 

T I N K :  I tend to be inspired by my immediate surroundings, by what I can hear, smell, see and the emotion it evokes within me. I love to travel, I find it gives me a fresh perspective and I always come back refreshed and energised and with a whole heap of new ideas. I also make a habit of checking out new places, markets, coffeeshops, restaurants, etc, there are so many amazing things to see and experience in and around every city, you just have to lookout for it.

R.S : Besides photography, what are your other loves?

T I N K : I love travelling, reading, surfing, running,  Interior decorating, my boy Lennox, my family, design, Jesus, playing piano, clothes, music and pizza. I really really love pizza.

R.S :  As a design and wedding blog, we have to ask: do you enjoy photographing weddings?

T I N K : Ha, there is a question that can get you into trouble!! I will answer it as follows: When I shoot a wedding I am always very aware of the pressure to produce amazing images as it is somebody's once in a lifetime event, so if you are dealing with a difficult bridal couple, I feel that pressure heavily, so I cant say that I am having a ball, but when you have a couple that is relaxed and in love and trusts me to do my job, then I can honestly say that I drive home with a smile on my face!

R.S :  What do you see in the future for yourself in the next few years? 

T I N K :  Gosh, there are so many different things I want to do and see and create so I will need to start prioritising a bit, otherwise I am not going to get any of it done! I find it a bit difficult to plan too far in the future as you never know what tomorrow is going to throw your way, so if I can think of an immediate goal, it would be to finally finish designing my new website (which i have done if you are reading this)  and to take a course in Graphic Design, I think it is an amazing plug-in to photography. 

R.S : Please finish the following few sentences : 

Right now i am happy about... being healthy and fit and able to balance being a mom and a business owner.

I am so grateful... for the people in my world. My son, my family, close friends, they are what life is all about.

People would say that... I am level headed

When I wake up in the morning... I think of coffee,  sometimes I think of morning coffee before I even go to sleep :)

I don't understand... Yup, That pretty much sums it up!

If I had a million Rand I would... take a couple of friends and snowboarding somewhere in Europe, stop for a surf in Morocco on the way back and then probably invest the rest :)