Behind the Lens: Boutique Photographer's Linda Gumieny

After studying painting and sculpting in college, Whitefish Bay's Linda Gumieny discovered after graduation day that the world of art galleries was not for her.

Gumieny decided that she wanted her artwork to be more than a painting on the wall, and she wanted to work with real people. Slowly, she started to discover that she could find personal interaction as well as artistic expression in the world of photography, which was coincidentally her father's profession.

After 20 years as a professional portrait and event photographer, Gumieny has gained a reputation for bringing out a genuine side of each of her subjects.

"For me, the things that work really well are things where there's a little bit of anthropology involved," Gumieny said in a recent interview at her Whitefish Bay studio. "I feel like it's a very privileged place to be able to go in and document these private aspects of people's lives. It's been a really rewarding relationship with my clients."

Working within a studio space above Winkie's for the past year, Gumieny has also thrust herself into the center of Whitefish Bay community life, particularly by voluntarily photographing the Fourth of July and Holiday Stroll, as well as hosting a photo booth during the Business Improvement District's trick-or-treating event the past two years. 

Gumieny said she is comfortable working in all types of environments, whether it be a wedding, a studio portrait session or a 100-degree Fourth of July parade. She said she lets her customers talk about what they are looking for, and then she is able to provide them with a variety of options.

"I talk to people about what they want, what they're inspired by, what they've seen before, what they've had in their family traditions," she said. "Once you get an idea for what they're excited about, then I can start showing them different things. I can craft what I'm doing to what's a good fit for them."

Gumieny recalls one client, a doctor, who had a very warm personality but froze up in front of the camera. When she noticed that he was expressing himself with his hands, she was able to talk to him about what she was looking for and how to bring that part of him out in front of the camera.

"All of a sudden this whole thing started to come out," she said. "I know what I want, and I have a lot of experience and the ability to reinvent quickly to make it a really great shot."

Visit the Boutique Photographer website to learn more about Linda and view examples of her work.