Interview With Yan Zhang

October 16, 2011 by Greg Brave

I first saw Yan Zhang’s photos on 1x.com and I loved them. Then I followed the link to his own website. Needless to say – I wasn’t disappointed. Yan is a very talented and passionate nature photographer. Luckily for me and you, my readers, he kindly agreed to an interview for Photopathway.

Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Yan Zhang !

Click on the photo to enlarge.

Tell a little about yourself. What do you do for a living?

I am a computer scientist, currently working as a professor in University of Western Sydney. I have been in academia in last 16 years.

How did you get involved with photography?

Well, this is an interesting question. I had a manual SLR camera before 2007, but only used it when I travelled. In 2007 I noticed that digital SLR cameras had become more and more popular, and I decided to buy one as well. I just went to a camera shop and asked which camera was good. The shop owner showed me Canon 400D, and said this was the best camera so far. So I bought it :).

Since I had my Canon 400D, I started to shoot around and during traveling. Sometime around 2008, I developed a deep interest in landscape photography, and since then, landscape photography has become my unique focus in photography.

Photo by Yan Zhang. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Your landscapes are magnificent. How do you choose your locations?

I think locations for landscape photography are not as hard to find as people usually think, except for those extreme places. In fact, some of my landscape photos were taken just around my home or my work place. For instance, the following photo (Reeds) was the first photo I sold since I had my first digital SLR camera in 2007 and it was taken at an unnamed small pond near my home. The next photo (The Touch) was taken in my university campus this July.

Photos by Yan Zhang. Click on the photo to enlarge.

In general, I always pay special attention to subjects that have certain characteristics. Once I found something attracting me, I then imagine whether it would look interesting under suitable light and weather conditions. Photograph “The Touch” was made this way: In order to capture the best light and sky, I went to this location more than 30 times within 3 months.

Since I am living in Sydney, I think I am very lucky to have the access to beautiful coast areas near Sydney. The following images were made on the East Coast of Sydney this year:

Photos by Yan Zhang. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Nevertheless, most landscape photographers believe that travelling to those unique places probably is essential to make original and stunning photographs. In recent years, I have travelled a lot to several places overseas to make photographs. China and New Zealand are the two special countries that I go for my landscape photography, because these two countries have many unique landscape locations and are relatively easy for me to travel to.

When you are planning your trip abroad, to the place you’ve never been before, how do you decide on your photographic locations? 

This is a hard task indeed. Usually, I do a lot of research before I go. Looking at other photographers’ works on those candidate locations is very helpful. Traveller’s guide is also another information source. However, sometimes I think it is more important to discover some places that haven’t been considered by other photographers. In that case, it takes me a lot of time to find such interesting places abroad. However, once I found one, I would come back again and again to make good photographs.

Photo by Yan Zhang. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Where do you draw your inspiration? What motivates you?

I have a deep passion for the nature, which always motivates me to experience such a pure beauty only existing in the nature’s wilderness. For a very long time, I knew that I was so passionate about the nature, but somehow I did not know how to express that until I started landscape photography in 2007. For me, I think photography probably is the most effective way to get close to the nature.

Do you hike and photograph alone, or you have a partner?

Most of the time, I travel only with my camera and make photographs alone. However, since I’m living relatively close to Blue Mountains area of Sydney, almost every weekend, my wife and I spend one day hiking in the Blue Mountains. Sometimes I take my camera gear with me on our hike.

What photographic equipment do you use?

As I mentioned earlier, I started with Canon 400D, then in 2008 I bought my Canon 5D Mark II full frame digital SLR camera. Now I am still using it. Since I only focus on landscape photography, filters are critical to my photography. I use both Lee and Singh Ray graduated ND (Neutral Density) reserve and graduated ND filters. I also use CPL (Circular Polarizer) filter sometimes for certain subjects such as waterfalls.

For landscape photography, I think that having a complete filter system and mastering it in practice are very critical to achieve high standard landscape photographs. A stable tripod is also essential.

Photo by Yan Zhang. Click on the photo to enlarge.

How do you post process your photos? What software do you use, and what are the main adjustments that you perform? 

I believe in the principle of “getting it right in camera in the first place” in my photography practice. During the process, I always put great efforts in the field to make proper shots. Nevertheless, post process is an unavoidable procedure in current digital photography. I always shoot in RAW format and process in Photoshop CS 5.

Generally speaking, my approach to photo adjustments in CS 5 is quite standard: first open raw file in Adobe Camera Raw, perform necessary adjustments there, then load it to CS 5 to perform further adjustments, such as using layer masks, curves, contrast, etc., to adjust the photo to meet my vision.

However, from time to time, I apply a specific Photoshop technique to do a certain adjustment. It is called Tony Kuper (TK) Luminosity Mask technique (http://goodlight.us). It is a very powerful technique allowing you to do some very subtle adjustments on certain pixels to increase/decrease their brightness, and so on.

Photo by Yan Zhang. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Do you have any specific goals that you want to achieve in or with your photographs? 

I said earlier that I started my digital landscape photography in 2007, and I sold my first landscape photo in the same year. Since then, each year I would sell some of my photographs through various art exhibitions in my area. In September 2010, I established my own photography website. Recently I sold several large prints. As an amateur photographer, I feel I am very lucky to be selling photos.

Having said that, I should stress that my photography goal is not just to make my works to be of some commercial value. More importantly, I wish my works to be recognised by the professional photography community. This was the main motivation that brought me to get involved in 1x.com photography website’s activities.

Photo by Yan Zhang. Click on the photo to enlarge.

This one is a selfish question, but I had to ask it :). In my photographic portfolio, landscapes section, did you see a photo that you particularly liked? And if you did, what did you like about it?

Yes. I like this shot:

because this image presents a nice mood with mist in the forest. The vertical trees in the mist create a good depth of field, which makes me try to explore this wilderness.

And finally, my traditional question. If you had only two advices to give to a beginning photographer, what would they be?

My two advices for beginning photographers who are dedicated to landscape photography would be:

(1) Originality – I believe that originality is the key to make photographs that differ yourself from other photographers;

(2) Persistence – to make outstanding photographs you have to be persistent, to stick to the idea you have in mind and then try every effort to fulfil this idea or adjust it in the field.

Photos by Yan Zhang. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Yan, thank you very much for this interview, and good luck in your future artistic endeavors!

You can see more of Yan’s beautiful photographs on his website:

http://yanzhangphotography.com

Interview With Alexander Petrosyan

March 30, 2011 by Greg Brave

Recently I wrote a post about magnificent photographer Alexander Petrosyan. I was very impressed with his work, so I wrote him an email asking for an interview for my blog. And guess what? He kindly agreed!

Everybody, please welcome Alexander Petrosyan.

Click on the photo to enlarge.

Tell us a little about yourself. What is your occupation, how did you get interested in photography?

My introduction to photography was terribly banal: as well as many of my peers back in those years, I was presented with a camera named “Smena” on my birthday 🙂 Since then I periodically quit and came back to photography many times. Currently I am a full-time photojournalist for publishing house “Commersant”.

Photo by Alexander Petrosyan. Click on the photo to enlarge.

How many of your shots were initially conceived in your mind and then “materialized”?

I don’t have many such shots. Much more often happens the following scenario – I have an idea in my mind, but according to the situation this idea transforms into something else, which in turn on the photograph again looks different, and the viewer sees what he sees. That’s why the title of my blog is “In reality things are somewhat different than in real life… ”

Photo by Alexander Petrosyan. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What is the story behind your shot titled “Graduates” ?

Photo by Alexander Petrosyan. Click on the photo to enlarge.

This photo was made in the most ordinary way – I saw this couple, which was very different from the rest of the crowd of graduates, and I just ran in front of them shooting continuously. Technically it wasn’t an easy shot to get using Canon 20D, because its max ISO was 1600 while I had to shoot hand-held, running backwards in front of the girls. I nevertheless managed to get a fairly sharp shot.

How do you manage to be in the right place at the right time?

It doesn’t happen too often, at least not as often as I would like… in simple cases what helps is the analysis and prediction of the situation. In more complicated situations I just hope to get lucky.

Photo by Alexander Petrosyan. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”. Who are your giants?

The saying, which is actually closer to my perception is “Do not make yourself an idol”. There are not a lot of key figures in photography, and they are known to anyone interested in the subject. But to narrow the circle and take for example my colleagues from St. Petersburg, who I have met in person, I would name an urban photographer Boris Smelov, and photo-essayist Sergei Maximishin.

Photo by Alexander Petrosyan. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What are your thoughts about Cartier-Bresson’s work?

What do I think about Cartier-Bresson? Well, that’s like asking, for example, physicists, what do they think about Newton or Einstein 🙂

Photo by Alexander Petrosyan. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What equipment do you use and why?

I use whatever equipment is available to me. Currently it is a DSLRs from the publishing house where I work with a standard set of glass:16-35, 24-70, 70-200… nothing special, but it is sufficient for most of my work.

Photo by Alexander Petrosyan. Click on the photo to enlarge.

And last but not least my traditional question: if you could give just one piece of advice to a beginner photographer, what would it be?

My advice for beginners is not original, but it comes from my own experience: look at the works of masters, and shoot as much as you can experimenting a lot… and of course do not be embarrassed by critique or its absence and show your work to lots of different people… But, perhaps the most important thing is to shoot what you really love!

Photo by Alexander Petrosyan. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Thank you Alexander for your time, your knowledge, and your photographs!

If you liked Alexander’s work and want to see more of his great photographs check out the links below:

Here are the only two links to English resources with Alexander’s photos

Link 1 (Alexander is also known as Yan Petros, so don’t be surprised to see this name here)

Link 2

You can also see Alexander’s photos on his LiveJournal stream, where he adds new photos as they come, and also on Nonstop Photos website. These two last resources are in Russian, but everyone understands the visual language of photography.

Interview With Ursula Abresch

February 4, 2011 by Greg Brave

Ursula has very unique photographic style, and a lot of talent. I first saw her work on 1x.com and then followed to her own web site. I find it very fascinating how through abstract forms and colors Ursula manages to convey various moods, feelings, and emotions. I was very happy when Ursula agreed to this interview because I had so many questions to ask her!

Everybody please meet Ursula

Tell a little about yourself. Are you a full time photographer?

I was born in the north-eastern part of Argentina, not too far from Iguazu Falls. I grew up in both Argentina and Chile. I moved to the USA to attend university, and eventually moved permanently to Canada. I now am Canadian, living in the interior of beautiful British Columbia. British Columbia is a beautiful province. It’s a mountainous area, with lots of trees, lakes and rivers, waterfalls, rocks, and wildlife. For me, it’s a great place to live.

I am married. My husband and I have five children. I have a degree in Education with a major in Art and History. Currently I dedicate most of my time to photography.

Do you have other hobbies?

I don’t have any hobbies at this time, although I love beadwork, hiking, and reading mysteries.

Can you describe the “mental” process of creating a photograph? What I mean is how do you decide to take a photo? Do you see something that catches your attention and photograph it, or first the idea of a certain photo comes to you and then you execute it?

It’s a variety of things.
At times I set out very deliberately to make a certain kind of image. For example, “bounce” is such an image. I participate at DPChallenge occasionally. One of the challenges last year was “Point of Color”, where the assignment was to capture an image where a point of color is the main subject.

Photo by Ursula Abresch. Click on the photo to enlarge.

I decided to photograph a group of paper strips taped together at one end for this challenge. I entered a different photo into the challenge, but “bounce” was the result of this assignment. The composition, the setup, everything was quite deliberate. “Coastal dawn” is a similar story. I had been experimenting with waterscapes, closeups of reflections on water in a pan, and I deliberately set out to create a sunset/sunrise impression. Most of my studio work is quite deliberate.

I prefer to work outdoors though, in natural light. When working outdoors I usually have a theme for the day. For example, “an autumn song” and “late fall” are both made on days when I set out to capture the mood and the spirit of Autumn. One was made in October, the other in November of last year.

Photos by Ursula Abresch. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Sometimes I set out to work on a particular technique. In those cases I am not so interested in the subject, but more in the potential of the subject for a particular technique. Two examples are “bittersweet” and “burn”. The objective was to make photos that would be good for HDR processing techniques. I think they worked well for that exercise.

Photos by Ursula Abresch. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Same with “needles”: the idea here was to practice using the Lensbaby. The subject/final photo wasn’t planned, what was planned was the method. I am happy with the result nevertheless.

Photo by Ursula Abresch. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Sometimes a photo just happens. “Hunter” is such a photo. I was driving home to Canyon Village in Yellowstone National Park on a rainy evening, and this scene happened. I am glad it did.

Photo by Ursula Abresch. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Finally there are the photos that are conceived over time and carried out mainly in Photoshop. “Revelation” and “my BC” are like that. “My BC” uses 2 pictures, one made in April of last year, the other in August. They are combined in Photoshop for the final image. The base photo for “revelation” was made in the Fall of 2009, the idea for the final image didn’t come to me until a year later, when I was experimenting with adding texture files to images to create more visual interest and intensify the story. I think the process worked well in both instances.

Photos by Ursula Abresch. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What are your sources of inspiration?

The place where I live, British Columbia, has become an important source of inspiration in my photography. It is a subject for some of my more representational images, and also for many of my more abstract images, where I try to reflect the essence of a subject, or where I use a subject to express emotion. For example, many of my closeup images of the Columbia river are an attempt to reflect my own thoughts and feelings in pictures.

Painters from Canada, in particular Western Canada also influence my work. We live in the same world, so I like to see if I can see what they saw the way they saw it. The works of Emily Carr, especially her fantastic studies and paintings of trees, are a constant source of inspiration for my photos. For a while, and even now, I was quite inspired by the works of Takao Tanabe, a more recent painter than Emily Carr, especially his waterscapes. Lately I’ve been looking at works by the Group of Seven, in particular Lawren Harris and A.Y. Jackson – I find their work very inspiring!

Last, I’ve been trying to familiarize myself with at least some of the printmaking by First Nations people in British Columbia, trying to find ways to apply some of their concepts to my photography.

Do you try to learn from other photographers?

Yes. I look at the work of other photographers all the time, and try to learn from them. Some names that come to mind are Freeman Patterson, Dorothea Lange, Alfred Stieglitz, John Shaw, Galen Rowell, Tim Fitzharris, Irving Penn (especially his still-life work).

But as mentioned in the last question, more so than from photographers I learn from painters.

What makes great photograph to stand out from other good photographs?

Good technical skills are essential. But photograph that stands out is a creative visual composition with one or more of the following: excellent light, captivating mood, compelling story, irresistible graphic appeal. Not all are present in all great photographs, but some always are. Some pictures draw you in because they tell such a good story. Others because you can strongly feel the mood when you look at it. Yet others simply overwhelm you with the beauty of their design. In my view, the more characteristics combined into one photo, the stronger the overall appeal.

You have beautiful abstract photos, such as “Femininity”, “Firewater”, “Coastal Dawn”, “Drifting”. How do you create them? Is this made in camera or there is Photoshop involved?

There is Photoshop involved in all of my photos. For me, and for any digital photographer, it wouldn’t be possible to make a final print without using Photoshop or some other photo-editing software at some stage. Making the final print is the goal, and in the digital world you can’t do that without software.

Photos by Ursula Abresch. Click on the photo to enlarge.

The four photos you mentioned are all done in studio. Three (“firewater”, “coastal dawn” and “drifting”) are closeups of reflections in a pan of water. “Femininity” is also a closeup of a reflection in a pan of water but with a glass vase partially submerged into the water as the point of focus. Imagine being by a calm lake in Autumn, sun behind you shining on the beautiful trees at the other side of the lake. What do you see on the surface of the lake? A beautiful reflection of the Autumn colors. That is essentially what I am doing here, using a pan of water and reflective materials on the far side to make closeups of these reflections on the surface of the water. For added interest, the water in the pan is not still but moved around. The setup is quite simple, and the results are somewhat predictable but not entirely, at least not yet, for me. The variable is the water movement.

Photos by Ursula Abresch. Click on the photo to enlarge.

In “coastal dawn” I deliberately put a red dot on the blue reflective material with the intention of simulating a sunset or sunrise. I think it worked. In “femininity” I put the vase in the water and moved water over it while photographing because I wanted an interaction between the very hard edge of the glass and the soft movement of the water. The other two, “firewater” and “drifting” are simply closeups of the colorful reflections on the surface of the moving water.
I have to add- this method is not my invention. I learned to make this kind of pictures from Willy Marthinussen at 1x.com.

How did you learn to use Photoshop?

I started out editing my images in Paint Shop Pro. I switched to Photoshop in 2007. I learned mainly by trial and error, but also by asking questions of other photographers on the net at sites such as DPChallenge. I have worked my way through a few online tutorials, and that also was helpful.

I can’t help it, but I have to know technical details. What equipment do you use?

I started out with Nikon digital because I liked the name “Nikon” better than “Canon”. I also liked the intuitive menus, the way the Nikon fit in my hands, and the slightly less creamy look of the photos.

Camera bodies:
Nikon D200 and Nikon D7000

Lenses:
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8
Nikon MF Nikkor 200mm f/4 AIS
Nikon MF Zoom-Nikkor 75-150mm f/3.5 E
Lensbaby 2.0
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX APO Macro EX DG HSM
Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro
Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4.0 AT-X Pro DX

Other:
Manfrotto 055PROB tripod with Manfrotto 486RC2 ball head

Processing:
PSCS4 and Photomatix on a MacBook Pro connected to a Cinema Screen
HP B9180 Photosmart Pro printer

Do you use flashes and light modifiers ?

I use available light most of the time. I do have a Nikon SB600 flash that I use occasionally, for example in the creation of waterscapes such as the four images you mentioned in your question about my abstracts.

And finally, my traditional question: If you had only one advice to give to beginner photographer, what would it be?

Always remember that technical skills are essential, but it is artistic perception that finally makes the photo.

Thank you Ursula for taking time to answer my questions and for your beautiful and inspiring work!

If you liked Ursula’s work and want to see more you can visit her page at 1x.com or her own website at www.ursulasphotos.com/

Interview With Scott Hotaling

October 7, 2010 by Greg Brave

Scott Hotaling loves nature and outdoor activities and photography was a natural extension of his passions. Scott’s love and appreciation for nature can be clearly seen in his beautiful photographs. I was lucky to get an interview with him, and without further adieu please welcome Scott Hotaling!

Click on the photo to enlarge.

Tell a little about yourself. What do you do for a living? How did you get involved with photography?

I’m a North Carolina native and I’ve spent a majority of my life exploring the southern Appalachian mountains. Despite a good bit of travel across North America and stints living elsewhere I still consider western North Carolina my home. Currently, I’m spending several months focusing solely on my landscape photography work but in January, I’ll be starting a doctoral graduate program in Lexington, Kentucky. So, for the time being, I’m working solely as a photographer for the first time in my career. As for getting started, it was simple cause-and-effect for me. I loved exploring new places but never managed to shoot photographs that translated the beauty I found to those around me. Most of the time I’m still trying to figure it out but every once in a while I luck into something good.

Photo by Scott Hotaling. Click on the photo to enlarge.

How do you pick your spots for taking pictures?

For me to do my best work I have to be physically drawn to a place. It’s not uncommon for me to visit a location ten or more times under a variety of seasons/conditions before I get the photo I’m after. The process can take years but it’s one I respect and enjoy. But despite frustrations and bumps along the way, at the core of it all, is a deep appreciation for a specific place and the desire to showcase it under optimal conditions. I carefully construct what the perfect conditions would be for a location in my head then do my best to capture them. In most cases, the right conditions include a certain season, landscape condition (fall color, fresh snow, etc.), time of day, cloud cover, and more.

Photo by Scott Hotaling. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What inspires you to take photos?

The natural world and the infinite combinations of light, dark, rock, plant, water, etc. that make every photograph different from the next. From a microscopic to global scale we live in an incredible place and I want to see as much of it as humanly possible, my camera simply comes along for the ride.

But, specifically, I’m particularly drawn to places with dramatic views – mountain summits, ridges, cliffs, etc. And, particularly those that aren’t easily accessed or less widely known. For example, a winter sunrise from a remote mountain summit is the best case photographic scenario I can envision.

Do you hike and photograph alone, with someone, or in a company?

Usually alone. More by necessity than choice, my schedule and plans dictate my hiking company more than my personal preference. But, I’ve been lucky to have a wide variety of wonderful people join me for adventures and that’s always much more fun.

Photo by Scott Hotaling. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What photographic equipment do you use and for which tasks?

I like my kit to be simple. I don’t need nor want a bunch of stuff to lug around. My workhorse camera is the Canon 5D. I don’t subscribe to manufacturer debates over which system is better – it’s all the same to me. My 5D has gained my respect over the years because I can’t seem to break it. It falls on icy glaciers, gets soaked in the rain, sees temperatures below 0° F regularly in the winter and despite plenty of other daily torment, it never misses a beat. When it does finally die, that’ll be fine, I’ll just get another one.

From a lens perspective, people are often surprised to find out that I only have two – a Canon 17-40 f/4 L and 70-200 f/4 L. Much like my camera bodies, my lenses take a good deal of abuse and don’t seem to mind.

The often unheralded piece of gear in my bag that truly does the dirty work are my HiTech neutral density filters. I carry five, four graduated and one non-graduated, and use them nearly every time I’m out. My sunrise and sunset photos would be impossible to capture in one exposure (I don’t use any HDR or similar techniques) if it weren’t for those filters. I highly recommend any beginning landscape photographer look into purchasing a set.

Photo by Scott Hotaling. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What is the average weight of your hiking backpack?

Average weight is a tricky subject. If I’m backpacking, my pack is probably in the 20-35 pound range depending on season and trip length. I try to stay as light as possible, despite carrying a tripod. If I’m only day hiking, I would venture a guess of 5-15 pounds.

I have this issue with tripods – I can’t find the perfect tripod for me. Which tripods do you use and why?

I’ve been using the same tripod for years. Many photographers would consider it too small, or too heavy, or too cheap but it works great for me. Both head and legs are made by Manfrotto – the head is a 466RC2 and the legs are model 3001BPRO.

Photo by Scott Hotaling. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Recently I wrote an article about using UV filters to protect lenses. What is your opinion on that issue? Do you use UV filters?

I don’t use UV filters at any time. The only use I see for one is protecting a lens when photographing in a place that has unavoidable, major hazards to the lens glass present. From a purely photographic standpoint, it doesn’t serve any purpose in my opinion.

Photo by Scott Hotaling. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Do you post process your photos? What software do you use, and what are the main adjustments that you perform?

I post-process all of my photos using Adobe Bridge for RAW conversions and Adobe Photoshop CS3 (or maybe 4?) for the rest. I avoid major processing work as much as possible – the tools I stick to are, in no particular order, spot removal, levels, contrast, color balance adjustments, and localized color tweaking. Dodging and burning is a major part of my processing as well and adds depth to the finished image.

Photo by Scott Hotaling. Click on the photo to enlarge.

If you had only two advices to give to a beginning landscape photographer, what would they be?

Get off the beaten path and shoot what you love.

Thank you Scott for this great interview. I hope to see more photos from you in the future.

If you liked Scott’s photographs, you can visit his website at

http://lightofthewild.smugmug.com/

Interview with Ilia Shalamaev

July 30, 2010 by Greg Brave

Before reading this interview I suggest reading my Introduction to Interviews with Photographers.

Ilia was born in Uzbekistan. When he was thirteen he moved to Israel with his parents. Ilia’s affair with Mother Nature started when he was a young boy and continues to this day. The breakthrough in his photography happened in the year of 2000 when he bought his first digital camera, and since then you can find Ilia’s photographs in many books and leading magazines such as National Geographic, Practical Photography, The Guardian, Daily Mail, Telegraph and many more.
Ilia also specializes in bird photography and has a large collection of magnificent birds photographs.

Ilia kindly agreed to this interview and made time in his busy schedule to answer my questions.
Please welcome Nature, Bird, and Wildlife photographer Ilia Shalamaev!

Click on the photo to enlarge.

How do you choose the locations to shoot your beautiful landscape images? I mean how do you know that from a certain location you’ll get a great image?

Choosing the right location is the most difficult part of the job. I try to look for right places before I actually bring the gear to the field. Second thing is to decide in what season and hour of the day the subject will look in its best. What left is to wait for the right moment to give it a shot.

Photo by Ilia Shalamaev. Click on the photo to enlarge.

The colors in your landscapes are absolutely magnificent. Is this due to post processing enhancements, good lenses, or just perfectly chosen weather conditions and time of the day?

Most of my landscapes I take in the magic light of sunrises or sunsets, the harsh light of midday, especially in our region leaves no chance for a decent image. In addition, the right use of polarizer and set of ND Grads (Neutral Density Graduated filters) really enhances the color saturation and dynamic range of the images I take.

Photo by Ilia Shalamaev. Click on the photo to enlarge.

I understand that in order to get some of your beautiful images you had to hike quite a distance outdoors. Could you share some of your tips regarding hiking with photographic equipment in the nature?

There are some must things for traveling in the wilderness: Good hiking boots, pro backpack for the gear, light tripod, a lot of water and a light thermal jacket with you. The backpack should be very comfortable and protected from rain. As to photo gear, try to take with you the minimum you need. Usually on a hike I don’t take more than two lenses with me .

Photo by Ilia Shalamaev. Click on the photo to enlarge.

In your image “The Charm of Light” you managed to beautifully capture sun rays spilling over the waterfall. How did you do it ?

In that case most of the credit should go to Mother Nature. Rays of sunshine on that warm morning melted the last remaining snow and filled the air with mist that joined millions tiny droplets of water, created by the 60 meters high waterfall. All these combined created this celebration of nature.

The gear I used for this shot is canon 5D, canon 17-40mm f/4 lens, 2 stops soft ND-Grad, tripod.

“The Charm of Light”. Photo by Ilia Shalamaev. Click on the photo to enlarge.

You are also a professional bird photographer, having a wonderful collection of high quality images.

What are the most important aspects of bird photography?

It is a bit difficult for me to pick just one so I will mention two of them:

a. Patience – you will need a lot of it, in order to success in this field of photography. Sitting for hours in a tiny hideout with 45 degrees Celsius inside, without moving or making a noise, is just one example of bird photographer’s reality.

b. Knowing your subject. Bird photographer should understand his subject and in many cases predict its behavior, in order to get intimate images of it.

Photo by Ilia Shalamaev. Click on the photo to enlarge.

I assume that technically to be able to create such shots you have to use some professional equipment. What equipment do you use specifically for your bird photography?

I use Canon gear. Canon 5dMKII body and canon 500mm f/4 IS L lens, Gitzo basalt fiber tripod. Occasionally canon EX 580 flash.

Photo by Ilia Shalamaev. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What photographic equipment do you use for everything else?

For my landscape photography I use the same

5D MKII body
Canon 17-40mm f/4 L lens
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L lens
Sigma 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens
BW, Marumy, Singh-Ray, Cokin, Hightech filters (polarizer, ND, ND-Grads)
Slick Carbon fiber tripod with RRS ball head and L plate

There is no other camera body on the market that can compete with output quality of the 5D MKII in even close to its price range, due to 5D’s full frame, high resolution sensor and its reasonable price. So it’s obvious that this body is an ultimate tool for landscape photographer. Many will say that its focus system is not match for Nikon D700 FF camera and will be perfectly right, but I don’t even use automatic focus when shooting landscapes, so it’s not an issue for me.

Photo by Ilia Shalamaev. Click on the photo to enlarge.

You also conduct nature photography workshops in Israel. Tell us about your workshops. How can people sign up for your workshops?

I give master classes of landscapes and birds photography, mostly in association with “Galitz” school of photography. Next start date, for 5 meetings Landscapes photography workshop, is in 26 of September 2010.

It has become my tradition to ask this question – if you had only two advices to give to a beginning photographer, what would they be?

1. Watch and understand your subjects before thinking about taking pictures.

2. Do not choose the easiest target – find one that not many have photographed. Better choose subject that you have repeated access to, and concentrate on it. Eventually you will obtain the pictures you first imagined.

Photo by Ilia Shalamaev. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Ilia, thank you very much for your time, effort and knowledge, and keep up the great job that you are doing!

You can see more of Ilia’s work on his

Nature Photography Website

Interview with Michael Lidski

April 8, 2010 by Greg Brave

Before reading this interview I suggest reading my Introduction to Interviews with Photographers.

Michael Lidski is a professional photographer currently living in New Zealand. He has lived in several places around the world and traveled in many more. Michael kindly agreed to give me this interview, in which he reveals parts of his life story and also shares his professional opinions on photographic equipment that he uses, all this together with many examples of his beautiful photographs.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to present you – Michael Lidski !

Self portrait by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Tell a little about yourself. Where are you from?

I am from USSR (remember, once upon a time there used to be a USSR?) – and left it when it was still called a USSR, albeit falling to pieces.

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

I was born and grew up in the city of Kiev – the Mother of Russian cities, today it is the capital of Ukraine, which is trying to be an independent country.

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

I am Russian by language and culture. It always was a bit of a love-hate relationship, because on one hand Russian culture, especially Russian literature is great and I’m proud of it, but on the other hand, while living in USSR, I always wanted to leave it, because I considered it a totalitarian police state inhabited by a rather barbarian people.

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Doctor Zhivago’s self-sacrifice always seemed wrong to me, because the people whom it was supposed to be for were unworthy of it. One of my favorite jokes about Soviet Union is about a young guy who appears in court for killing an old woman in the street at night to rob her.

The judge says:
– Young man, how possibly could you have killed a poor old lady – and for what?! For just one rouble you found in her purse?!
The defendant replies:
– Well, your honour, look at it from my perspective: 5 old ladies buys a bottle of vodka, ey!

Unfortunately, it seems that the only thing that changed over there since then is the price of vodka.

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

This is the miners wives’ strike – their husbands didn’t get paid for several years. Translation of their banner: “Independent Ukraine has everything but God, Truth and Honor”.
Having been forcibly stripped off my Soviet citizenship (and having had to pay for that, too) – no great loss, by the way – I immigrated to Israel when I was 29 and spent the next 15 years there…

Photos by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

…unsuccessfully trying to become part of the great Zionist idea for the first 10 years and then for the next 5 years trying to figure out where to go to have a normal life. I traveled quite a bit in the meantime…

Photos by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

…gaining some ideas about how different can life be in different societies. Maybe, like Bulgakov’s Master, I haven’t earned the Light, but have earned my Rest – New Zealand became my Eternal Refuge, and here I am today…

Photos by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

…living in a place probably as close to paradise as one can find on Earth, in the city of Christchurch:

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

The following image has nothing to do with me, it is a humorous portrayal of New Zealand by an artist whom I would like to thank for using his work:

Click on the photo to enlarge.

How did you get involved in photography and how long have you been into photography?

I became interested in photography quite early, my first works were published 25 years ago, when I was studying to become a biologist. By 1990 I became a pro photographer instead, working at the ‘Radyans’ka Ukrayina’ state publishing house (department of artistic postcards, calendars and photo albums).

By now I have more than 3.000 images & 500 articles published in various books, magazines, newspapers, calendars, postcards, etc. Artworks in private collections in Christchurch, London, San-Francisco, Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem and Kiev.

What was your first camera?

I got my first camera as a birthday present when I was 7 years old, it was an ‘Etude’:

Click on the photo to enlarge.

and it was the worst camera ever made as far as I can tell, no way it could take photos!

What projects are you involved in nowadays?

I am currently doing several different things in terms of photography:

1) Private customer orders, like portraits, events, technical photography, etc. Those are mostly rewarding in terms of $$$.

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

here you can see more examples

2) Digital art based on photography:

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

My canvases exhibited (and occasionally even sold) in art galleries; here you can see more examples of my digital art.

3) Nature photography: Critters, Landscapes, Nature, and I love doing it. I also love shooting Cities

4) Last but not least – studio photography (it’s a fairly recent thing for me and I’m enjoying it!):

Photos by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What gives you inspiration in photography and how do you keep creative and improve?

Difficult question. First and foremost I would like to say that my beautiful wife is my inspiration – I couldn’t live without her! Second – I would say that the most important thing in photography for me is not to register the reality, but rather to express myself through portraying it. Like an artist expresses himself in his paintings, like a composer expresses himself in his music, like a poet expresses himself in his poems. Only sometimes I think that ‘inspiration’ is more like a transmission of a divine ‘radio’ signal, for which an artist simply serves as a receiver. I am like a camera obscura, a pinhole through which the divine light passes into this world…

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

…creating images for people to admire. At least I hope I am…

What do you like to shoot the most?

I am always concentrating on what I’m shooting and processing now. My most recent shoots were a young couple double portrait session done in the studio and outdoors, a shoot of rare birds from a boat in the ocean, and a landscape session in a remote location which was difficult to access.

What equipment do you use?

Canon 5D, Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 15mm fisheye:

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Canon 17mm TS-E L:

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Canon 85mm F1.2 Mark II L:

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Canon 28-300mm IS L:

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Canon 200mm F1.8 L:

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Canon 2x TC:

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Kenko automatic extension tubes:

Photo by Michael Lidski. Click on the photo to enlarge.

My additional equipment includes:

Canon Speedlite 580EX Mark II flash, UNI-LOC tripod MA2300, 3 ancient Broncolor studio lights, ring flash diffuser for macro, a small and a large (14 inch) beauty dishes, flash remote cable, Manfrotto flash bracket, LowePro SuperTrekker back pack.

Now, that’s rather dry – what should I add? From my perspective, there is no ideal camera as of today. We are talking strictly Canon here, and should probably start with why. Wide format gives better image quality, but is rather limited in it’s use due to available focal lengths of lenses and the absence of higher ISO, not to mention the prices and weight/size.

Nikon D3x is not a bad camera, but I would never switch because of the lenses Nikon doesn’t have (2 of which I own and enjoy). Cropped (castrated) sensor cameras have image quality visibly inferior to full frame. Of course, it would be nice to use different formats, cameras and systems for different purposes, like, wide format only in the studio, etc., but that’s just too expensive. So that limits us to the cameras listed, right? Of those I’m not happy with either one, because 5D is ancient (no highlight tone priority, no usable ISO 6400, slow AF), 5D Mark II has issues (noise and banding at base ISO visible in post-processing, red/inky blotch colour issue, slow AF), and 1Ds Mark III is in respects inferior to 5D Mark II (monitor, higher ISO) – so I’m anxiously waiting for Canon 1Ds Mark IV, which I’ll buy as soon as it comes out.

I hope I won’t have to wait much longer. Well, bodies come and go but lenses stay, as they say, so about the lenses: my fisheye is a very sharp lens, but not an L lens due to inferior build quality (went to warranty repair and back recently), disgusting chromatic aberration and – oh, I wouldn’t mind if it could focus closer, but there is no alternative. Of course, there is a comparable Sigma, but it is not better than Canon…

17mm TS-E is an awesome lens, very sharp, easily usable handheld with liveview in spite of no AF, the one and only wideangle.

28-300 is surprisingly good optically for its zoom range and very versatile.

85/1.2 is bloody awesome, same as the 200/1.8 – unique bokeh, creamy, beautiful – and razor-sharp where the focus is:

In this thread on dpreview forum you can read (and see examples) about my Holy Grail – Canon 200/f1.8 L series lens

And finally, if you had only two tips to give to a beginner photographer what would they be?

A) Choose a different profession which would guarantee you a well-paid, reliable regular job and let photography be your hobby.
B) Have fun while you are young!

Thank you Michael for this wonderful interview. Personally I enjoyed it very much, and I am sure that all my readers will!

Good luck to you in your present and future projects!

Cheers,

Greg.

Interview with fashion photographer Oleg Igorin

March 12, 2010 by Greg Brave

Oleg Igorin is a fashion photographer currently working in New York. He has a pretty busy schedule but he was able to make time for this rather short interview. In compensation I get to show here quite a lot of his magnificent work!

Oleg Igorin. Click on the photo to enlarge.

First of all a little about you.

5 years ago, in Moscow, I bough a compact digital camera and started photographing. My first models were my friends. In time I got many clients, and it allowed me to set up my own large studio Moscow that gradually turned to my own rental business. Half a year ago I decided to move to New York, which is the capital of world’s commercial photography, and now I am working on creating my own studio and making connections with people in fashion industry

Photograph by Oleg Igorin. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Were you always interested in fashion photography or this interest developed over time?

Yes, I was always interested in fashion and beauty photography. I liked to paint and now it helps me to feel better the photographs that I make.

Photographs by Oleg Igorin. Click on the photo to enlarge.

How would you describe your photographic style?

With my work I want to show the beauty of people and fashion.

What does it take to be a fashion photographer?

It is very hard work that takes most of my time. But this is also a very interesting part of my life.

Photographs by Oleg Igorin. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Do you find your models or models find you?

Models are the part of my work. They appear when I need them.

Photograph by Oleg Igorin. Click on the photo to enlarge.

And now to more technical questions.

When you are photographing your models on the streets of New York city, how do you do that? I mean do you just take the model out on the street, take out all your gear and shoot ignoring the people around you, or you make certain preparations, ask people not to interfere?

New York is very “photographed” city and shooting on the streets doesn’t take a lot of people’s attention. For me it is much more interesting to take shots not in touristic places, but in the real New York – places that are usually not crowded.

Photographs by Oleg Igorin. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Where do you prefer to shoot – in your studio, or on location, and why?

I like studio, and I also like outdoor shooting. But I don’t like shooting in interiors. I don’t like it when a certain interior “forces” it’s story on my work.

Photograph by Oleg Igorin. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What photo and lighting gear are you using?

I use Hasselblad H3D-II 31MP, and for lighting I use Hensel equipment.

Can you share with us some of your favorite lighting techniques?

I like to experiment with lighting techniques, making a lot of discoveries every day. And I think that every photographer needs to do the same.

Photograph by Oleg Igorin. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What advice would you give to beginner photographers that want to start in fashion industry?

One of the best way is to work as an assistant of fashion photographer. You will get experience, connections and self-confidence.

Photographs by Oleg Igorin. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Thank you Oleg for your time and for sharing these great photographs with me and my readers!
Greg.

You can see more of Oleg’s work on his website

Interview with Katerina Lomonosov – Part II

December 11, 2009 by Greg Brave

Before reading this interview I suggest reading my Introduction to Interviews with Photographers.

This is the second part of my interview with Katerina Lomonosov. Click here to read the first part.
To read the whole interview in one piece click here.

Let’s talk about the following photograph:

Photograph by Katerina Lomonosov. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Looking at it I feel vague associations with some of my childhood fears. What did you want to communicate through this photograph?

This photograph is named “Philosophy of Unfreedom”. At first this photograph is simply gives an impression of prisoned child staring outside from the “cage”. But I put also a hidden meaning here. Pay attention to the child’s hands. Look how hard he clings to his “cage”. How often we, being unfree in the literal or figurative meaning of this word, are afraid to loose our “cage”, fear to make changes in our lives, and feel comfortable in our unfreedom, though not always admit it?

Such interpretation doesn’t lie on the surface, and if a viewer won’t take time to “decipher” it, it will remain hidden. But even without it the photograph turned out to be deep, memorable, and strong – mostly thanks to a good acting of my five years old son ☺.

Photo “October…” I liked the most. It breathes with tenderness and freshness of the autumn… Tell us a bit about the creation of this photograph.

Photograph by Katerina Lomonosov. Click on the photo to enlarge.

This work is one of my favorites. The model is a young woman who came to me. She wanted me to create beautiful photographs of her. So she wanted to look good in the pictures, and my goal was not to disappoint her…

The idea of hair-tree came immediately to my mind, but post-processing took several hours. Then I was ready to send the work to my customer, but something stopped me…
I was returning to work on it each day of that week – tried to add various elements, but nothing worked. Until one day I had the idea to add falling leafs to the tree… Then everything fell into place, and the photograph got its final look.

Tell us about the accessories that you use in your work.

Each composition gets its own accessories. Sometimes it’s gloves or a fan, often different types of fabric, sometimes flowers. I also like to use fruits and vegetables – they seem “real” to me, just as the nature created them, I think this is important for my work. Once I even brought a stepladder from work – it complemented the background of the composition, and I made some very nice pictures with it.

Photograph by Katerina Lomonosov. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What equipment do you use? How important is quality equipment for photographer?

I started with a small point-and-shoot Fuji A210. Many of my early works, which are made with it, now participate in international exhibitions and competitions. Later, I bought Canon 350D and used it for three years. My best works are made using this camera.
Now I have Canon 5D Mk.II. I gladly switched to full frame, but still think that the photographer’s eyes and mind create the photograph and not the camera.

My opinion is that in most cases it is not essential which camera captured the picture – most important is when photograph reaches deep inside and touches your feelings.

Tell us a little about your work with light. What lighting techniques and equipment do you use?

Lighting? I use natural light that reaches my living room through the windows. Nothing more. I don’t use flashes, umbrellas, or reflectors. The important thing for me is to have free time during the daylight hours.

How much time you devote to Photoshop? What features of Photoshop you use the most?

Post-processing in Photoshop is crucial to me. I devote quite a lot of time to it. I work on each photograph for several hours. I use color-correction, add various textures, and work a lot with masks and layers.

Photograph by Katerina Lomonosov. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Is it possible to buy your work, and if so, where?

I sell my work in galleries on the internet, some of them are presented in the Moscow gallery “Fotoloft”

You can also purchase my work directly from me.

If you could give only one piece of advice to a beginner photographer, what would it be?

I would advise to photograph with your “soul”. To put a maximum of “yourself” in what you do, and the result will not be long in coming.

Photograph by Katerina Lomonosov. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Thank you Katerina for your time and knowledge! It has been a true pleasure talking with you.

If you liked Katerina’s works, you can visit her Gallery.

You can also contact Katerina regarding purchasing her work through her email: lomonosov.katerina at gmail.com

Interview with Katerina Lomonosov – Part I

December 9, 2009 by Greg Brave

Before reading this interview I suggest reading my Introduction to Interviews with Photographers.
To read the whole interview in one piece click here.

Katerina has a unique style in photography and she is a winner of many international photographic competitions. I was very lucky to have a chance to interview her, and she also turned out to be a very nice person.

It is my pleasure to present you Katerina Lomonosov!

Click on the photo to enlarge.

First of all please tell us a little about yourself. When did you start getting interested in photography? Which stages of your development as photographer were the most important?

I was born in 1975, in Ukraine. As a child I liked drawing and graphics. In 1997 I moved to permanent residence in Israel, where I live now. From the year 2000 I am working as graphic-designer in an advertisement company.

I got interested in photography back in 2005. It so happened that at that time, a certain kind of emptiness appeared in my life. I wanted to fill that emptiness with something interesting, beautiful, bright… That “something” turned out to be photography…

I grow and evolve with my every new work, I’m a painter, I live, think and feel with my creations… Creative photography has become a crucial part of my life… I take part in various projects in the field of documentary and art photography, and I plan to grow and develop further in this area.

Photograph by Katerina Lomonosov. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Where are you drawing inspiration and ideas for your works?

Inspiration and ideas for my works come in different ways… Sometimes idea just pops up from the subconsciousness, and some things come from pictures of other authors on the Internet. Some of my works are inspired by paintings of famous artists. There are also ideas on a particular subject, which are literally “nursed” in my head for a long time before they find their way out to be captured in a photograph.

Who are your models? Are they your relatives, acquaintances, or maybe professional photo models? How do you choose them?

My first models were my children – my son, who was then five years old, and a daughter, she was thirteen back then. Later, some of my friends and acquaintances were added to my arsenal, and also friends of my daughter. Nowadays many professional photo models would be honored to participate in my photographic work.

The most important thing for me when I choose a model is not the professionalism of the model but his/her natural body language and an expressive face, especially the eyes.

For me it is important to show in my photographs not only the beauty of lines, and location of light-spots, but also something from the depths of human nature, you may call it the “soul”. In my work I always strive to give depth of meaning to my photographs, so that they would make people think and try to understand what I wanted to express. I want my photographs to reach for the person’s deepest feelings and emotions.

Photograph by Katerina Lomonosov. Click on the photo to enlarge.

How do you find and choose locations?

Most of my photographs are a created at my house’s living room. I just move the furniture aside and make a small “studio”, but it is more like a simple corner. Occasionally I get out with my friends to take pictures outside. When shooting outside I prefer abandoned houses, but with walls and windows still intact , so even outside I seek places that look like my familiar environment at home.

How much time in your weekly routine is given to photography?

In good times, every Friday is all about photography. One day a week. Sometimes I also shoot on Saturdays. But I also have busy periods, when I have to sacrifice my hobby for other matters, and several weeks can pass without me creating a single photograph.

* * *

This is the end of Part I of my interview with Katerina Lomonosov. Click here for Part II.

If you liked Katerina’s works, you can visit her Gallery.

You can also contact Katerina regarding purchasing her work through her email: lomonosov.katerina at gmail.com

Interview with Jairo Abud

December 6, 2009 by Greg Brave

I was introduced to Jairo’s work on Flickr, and I liked it very much. In my opinion Jairo has very good eye for people and different situations that involve people. I frequently visit his Flickr account and enjoy great new photos, which he posts pretty often.
Though Jairo has a very busy schedule, he kindly agreed to this interview, and I am very grateful for that!

First of all a little about you.  Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living?
My name is Jairo Abud and I’m 52 years old. I was born in Brazil and live in Sao Paulo. I’m professor of economics at a Business School.

When did you start getting involved in photography?

I always loved photography since I was a teenager. My brother-in-law had a darkroom back then. I used to take pictures in B&W and he would lend me his chemicals and his darkroom so that I could learn and get used to developing my own photos at the age of 16. After I graduated from college, I got involved more with work and did not have much time to spare for my hobby, so I slowed down with photography.
I used to photograph with Praktica (brand of camera manufactured by Pentacon), which is still working pretty well. But two years ago I decided to get a new camera and bought a Sony Alpha 100. And my love of photography came back stronger than before, I guess. My wife told me about Flickr and I decided to start sharing my photos with other people.

Photograph by Jairo Abud. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What do you like the most about photography?

Unlike in movies, I believe that people have different interpretations and feelings when they look at a photo. Your life experience is the main interpreter of the photos. I really believe that photograph can touch you and set your hidden feelings and sentiments free.

Photograph by Jairo Abud. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Which subjects are your favorite to photograph?

I would say I’m a people’s photographer. I always like to see a human as subject when composing the whole photo scene. I like to take pictures in Sao Paulo downtown where I can compose images in which the architecture plays an important role, though the major role is played by the people of the city. As you know, Sao Paulo is the second largest city in Latin America, and you can find many different personages there – lonely people, people with sad or happy faces, and people with different life experiences. I like it when my photos try to illustrate that.

Photograph by Jairo Abud. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Is there photographers that you are inspired by? Who ?

I like Sebastião Salgado, a Brazilian photographer – he always put the human being in the foreground. And I’m also a big fan of Bresson’s art (Henri Cartier-Bresson).

Photograph by Jairo Abud. Click on the photo to enlarge.

And now, a little more details for us, keen amateurs 🙂

What advice would you give to a beginner photographer?

I consider myself as an amateur too. And I always will be an apprentice. In my opinion the first step to take good photos is to observe and study different photos taken by different known photographers and try to make similar ones. It’s just like a painting learning process. Painters also try to emulate great painters of the past to learn their technique before painting their own art.

You can also do that as a photographer. With time, you will start to compose by yourself and to create your own style. It is a learning process. But this was my recommendation for a first step… The next, and most difficult one, is to be yourself, and take pictures the way you like taking pictures and not because other people like that style. After you have found out what you like, stop worrying about what others would say about your photos and just take them.

Photograph by Jairo Abud. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What photographic equipment do you primarily use?

I use a Nikon D90 with 3 different lenses: Tamron 10-24mm for landscapes, a 18-200mm for general purposes and a 80-200mm for photographing people. I also believe that good equipment is fundamental for you to improve your photos.

Other important thing: you have to know your equipment really well, and have control over it, to have the camera as an extension of yourself. My next camera will be a full frame, for sure.
I also use Photoshop CS4 for processing – especially for contrast and minor adjustments.

Photograph by Jairo Abud. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Could you tell me a little bit about your typical photo-shoot?

I always invite friends to go out and take photos. After a couple of hours we take a break in a coffee shop and start to look at each other’s photos. That’s very interesting because you can realize that, even when you’re on the same spot, you find completely different photos among your friends.

I always try to take photos of people spontaneously, but if I see an interesting face that I would like to photograph, I ask that person’s permission and start talking to him or her to make them comfortable. And I always focus on their eyes, where the real emotion is.

Lately I’ve been trying a different way of taking photos: I don’t look at the camera display right after taking a photo – I think the movement of looking at the display will distract me and make me miss other important shots.

There is no “decisive moment” but a “decisive sequence”. After that sequence, those series of moments, you can choose the best shot.

Photograph by Jairo Abud. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Thank you Jairo for your time. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

If you liked Jairo’s photographs and want to see more of his work, visit him at:

Jairo’s Flicker Account

Interview With Scott Stulberg – Part III

November 26, 2009 by Greg Brave

This Part III of my interview with freelance stock photographer Scott Stulberg. If you didn’t, please read Part I and Part II.

To read the whole interview in one piece click here.

Before reading this interview I suggest reading my Introduction to Interviews with Photographers.

Let’s talk about your beautiful panoramic photographs. I understand that choosing a composition and waiting for the right moment are deeply personal skills, but there is also a technical side to it. Which lenses are you using for panoramic photography and how many frames do you stitch together for your final image? What software do you use for that?

Panos? Well… I do love shooting them. They take some skill and a lot of patience. When the right moment and location hits you, it is time to lock and load. A good tripod is a necessity. So is a good ballhead. Making sure yo are perfectly level is crucial. I swing my camera from side to side, even if the level says I am level. You need to make sure that the horizon is at the exact same level on the right edge of your frame as on the left side side. You need a good ballhead to let you pan nice and smooth. A cheaper ball head that does not let you pan smoothly will never work. Always remember this!

Photograph by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photo to enlarge.

As far as lenses – I use a nice wide angle or even a closer to normal lens, but usually on the wider side. I guess my favorite lens to use is my 16-35 2.8 L lens. Usually at a pretty high f/stop too.

I span the entire width a few times and decide how many shots I want to stitch together. You can shoot vertically and stitch more, or shoot horizontally. I usually like to shoot horizontally and not go too crazy… Maybe 4 to seven images total, and you have to make sure that you are in Manual mode. Anything else and you will mess up your exposure, as camera will try and vary your exposure automatically. So manual is a must. Tripod can’t move even a millimeter, which makes a good tripod also a must… not a cheapo, nothing too light or flimsy. A cable release is also a must.

Photograph by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photo to enlarge.

And then starting from the left, you shoot one frame and then move across to the right, overlapping the image about 20 percent or so each time till you get to the right side. There you have it… easy as pie.

Then I use Photomerge in Photoshop. Works like a charm. Love shooting Panoramas. My shot of Santorini, Greece that I did in the rain years ago, is hanging up 72 inches wide in the new UCLA Medial Center here in LA. I love how powerful panos look and it is the best feeling to nail a good one! The one in Santorini was one of the most memorable times shooting in my life. When the rain started out of the blue, all of the people went back inside, giving me just what I wanted – an uncluttered view of the spectacular town of Santorini. And instead of a beautiful sunset, I got intense clouds and a very moody feeling that gave me something that most people do not get. What a moment for me!

Photograph by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photo to enlarge.

What your advice for a beginner photographer would be ?

Read …read…… and then read some more. Everything you can. And also use the best tool in the world, the one I did not have growing up. The Internet. Wow… at the touch of a finger, you can see and read about every photographer in the world. This is a gold mine. You can learn from all the pros this way. Look at their style, learn their secrets, and understand so much anytime you want.

The computer has changed our lives in so many ways, but as far as a learning tool, there really is nothing better. But also, nothing beats having a camera with you at all times. The best camera to own is the one that you have with you. Make sure you remember that. Sometimes moments pop up out of the blue and you will be pretty bummed without that camera nearby.

Study and shoot all the time. Schools are fantastic, any classes will be the most helpful. Being around other students is so motivating too!! Nothing beats that!!

Photograph by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Thank you Scott for this informational and interesting interview! I learned a lot from it and I am sure that many of my readers will benefit from it too.

If you liked Scott’s photographs and want to see more of his work, visit him at:

www.asa100.com

Scott also has a blog where he writes about some of the stuff he shoots and gives Photoshop tips:

Scott’s Blog

You can also purchase the book that Scott mentioned in the interview on Amazon:

Interview With Scott Stulberg – Part II

November 25, 2009 by Greg Brave

This is Part II of my interview with freelance stock photographer Scott Stulberg. Part I can be found here.

To read the whole interview in one piece click here.

Before reading this interview I suggest reading my Introduction to Interviews with Photographers.

Now let’s get to a more technical stuff.

Could you give any tips on shooting stock photography?

You have to be great at shooting people. You need to get rid of any inadequacies of being able to approach someone and ask them if you can shoot them for stock. So much of Stock photography has people in the shot, and the biggest tip I can give is to focus on capturing people in your images, no matter what the subject is. Look at ads all over the place, even on TV they include peole in every aspect of life and their daily routines, from drinking beer to working on a laptop.
You also should either focus on one subject , and get great at it…or be pretty diverse, and that’s what I like. I don’t want to just focus on shooting food, like some people do. I want to try and do many things. But travel shots are my favorite.

Photographs by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photos to enlarge.

Please describe your typical work flow after you click on the shutter release button.

Hmmmm. This interview is getting longer by the minute I see. My workflow? Well, I make sure that I back up my memory cards that night, whether at home or at the hotel. Open up my images in Photoshop, which is still my program of choice. After using a program for so many years like I have, and in my case, I have been using Photoshop since version 2, it is hard to change. I do like Lightroom and also Aperture, but I prefer to use the original and it works for me perfectly.
I work in Raw of course, and in Bridge, I flag my favorite files pretty quickly and save them into a “best raw folder”. Then I go over them again, giving a higher rating on my second pass. Then I open up my favs in camera raw and go to town on them. Feels good to be fast in Photoshop and so often I know exactly what a certain image needs.

What photographic equipment do you primarily use?

I have been a Canon shooter pretty much since the late 80’s when Canon switched over to the EOS system. That changed the whole ball game and I left Nikon and have not looked back since. Although, Nikon has finally come back with a vengeance and some of their stuff blows away Canon now, and finally we have some good competition that will help us all out.
Have a ton of lenses from super wide, my 15mm Fiisheye all the way to my super telephoto 500mm f4. Carbon fiber tripods, Lowe Pro camera bags and backpacks, and of course I work on a Mac. There really is no substitute there.

Photograph by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photo to enlarge.

On your site I saw beautiful photographs from the Joshua Tree workshop. How these workshops are conducted? How to choose a workshop to suit your skill level and needs ? Could you recommend certain workshops?

Workshops? Well… There are so many ways to go on a workshop. Many schools have them available all over or you can just look in the back of photo magazines. They are usually in the back pages. You can also go online and scout them out. Workshops are possibly the best way to become a better photographer in a matter of days. You go out with other folks that want to learn too…and you pick the workshop that suits you the best.

The Joshua Tree Photo Safari I did was such a cool time for everyone, including the models. I invited 2 beautiful girls, had them bring plenty of nice clothes, and we all learned how to shoot them in the beautiful early morning and late afternoon light. People learned how to pose them, compose the whole feeling and how to understand the lighting in many situations. I showed them how to use reflectors and diffusers, flash the right way and even how to dress them with the right clothes for the right feeling. I even posed them for some stock ideas.

I brought up a piece of old luggage and put Kristin, the taller model in old jeans and a cool red sweater and then we bought a cool cowboy hat. I had her pose on the side of the road at sunrise, hitchhiking. Tried her in different poses, walking towards me and away from me, standing with her thumb out, sitting on her luggage, acting kind of bummed… and it was a super cool time. I even let everyone use my 500 telephoto to see the compression effect from using a long lens. Was a great stock shot that I loved getting. Knew I wanted to get it before I got to Joshua Tree and walked away with several different variations. The students loved trying it too.

Workshops are a great way to practice and learn a ton of new things. I like the Julia Dean workshops. My friend Paul Renner, also does some here in California and Africa. I have led some with him in both places. His site is rennerimages.com. My friend Art Wolfe also does some, out of Seattle. I teach up in Art’s Photography Center in Seattle and he is such an inspiration to me too. We both love the same things to shoot pretty much. He has been one great mentor to me.

Are you doing any kind of post-processing on your photographs? If yes, could you tell a little bit about it?
I try and get my images just how I want in camera for the most part. But I do have to make them as perfect for a magazine as possible in Photoshop too. I make sure the color balance is right on first. Clean up any distractions next. Could be dust on the sensor, a cigarette butt on the floor, or even a person who doesn’t belong. I do what the magazines need and what I tell all of my stock students is: “Photoshop is a photographers best friend!” If you want to make money from your images, you need to get good in Photoshop.

Photograph by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photo to enlarge.

One thing that I use a lot also are Photoshop Plug-in filters. These are filters that you can buy and install into Photoshop to give you an amazing variety of effects and other options to make your images really shine. I recently co-wrote a book called the Digital Photographers New Guide to Photoshop Plug-ins. I show some of the best plug-ins out and how they work with many examples. They really do help a lot and the looks you can get with some of these super cool filters are amazing, and all in a matter of seconds. You don’t have to be a top Photoshop user to benefit from these things!

This is the end of Part II of the interview. Click here to read part III.

If you liked Scott’s photographs and want to see more of his work, visit him at:

www.asa100.com

Scott also has a blog where he writes about some of the stuff he shoots and gives Photoshop tips:

Scott’s Blog

You can also purchase the book that Scott mentioned in the interview on Amazon:

Interview With Scott Stulberg – Part I

November 24, 2009 by Greg Brave

Before reading this interview I suggest reading my Introduction to Interviews with Photographers.

To read the whole interview in one piece click here.

Scott Stulberg is a professional photographer who travels the world and mostly shoots stock. But this is very dull description of him. I know him mainly through his photographs, and I can say that his photography is very much… alive! Just by seeing few of his photographs I could tell that this is a person who loves to take pictures. For example Scott’s photos of horses are among the best I have ever seen. In them Scott succeeded to show both the dynamics of the herd, the interaction between horses, and the tenderness of this beautiful animal.

Photograph by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photo to enlarge.

I am honored to interview Scott on the pages of Photopathway, and without further ado, please welcome Scott Stulberg!

First of all a little about you.

When did you start getting involved in photography? Was there any kind of special event that triggered your interest?

I started to love photography at around 10 years old when my dad bought me a little point and shoot. It was a plastic camera with roll film that you just dropped in. So easy….but that was the beginning of a very long love affair. My mom and grandfather had been photographers and I guess I had it in my blood.

Why do you like to take photographs and which subjects are your favorite?

It’s pretty easy to love to shoot photos. Having a camera with me is just instinctual. It is just so natural, almost like putting on my clothes. It feels like part of me and I love the ability to capture any little slice of life at any particular moment. And not just a piece of life, but getting it from my point of view. Putting my little twist on it, with my thought process. It is very much like when a painter has a blank canvas in front of them. They decide what it will be……what their take on this piece of art will be. After all, photography has it’s roots from painting. So, to me it is very similar.

Photographs by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photos to enlarge.

When did you decide to go pro and why ?

Not sure how many years ago, but it was while I was still a Landscape Designer. I went to school for Landscape Architecture, and designed gardens for people’s homes for many, many years with my mother, who was a great Landscape Designer. We both had a ton of fun working with plants and trees, flowers and everything else you can do in a garden. But I was always shooting back then. At night and on the weekends. I used our huge guest house as a studio and just practiced my shooting skills every day. We had a swimming pool also and I joined the Los Angeles Underwater Photography Society and learned how to shoot underwater. That was a whole new world for me and I fell totally in love with doing that too.

Is there photographers that you look up to? Who ?

So many. So many of the early pioneers from the photo journalists like Robert Capa, whose images still knock me out, to Ansel Adams, whose work sort of guided me in so many ways… His methods also helped me tremendously in the darkroom, where I could be found almost every night till the wee hours.

Modern day, I am lucky to know so many professionals and learn from them and also shoot with them. One of my mentors is one of the best fashion photographers of all time, Melvin Sokolsky, and his work is incredibly iconic. His vision, methods and imagination is off the scale. Being around him is like if you were in love with painting and you could hang out with Michelangelo. I have been pretty fortunate with knowing him. Yesterday, I helped him shoot Anthony Hopkins and Andy Garcia for German Voque Magazine. Was such a mellow time, in the Chateau Marmont Hotel here in Los Angeles, in a bungalow much the same as where John Belushi died of a drug overdose. Was pretty wild being in the same place as that tragic event. But whether you are shooting famous actors or shooting architecture at night, it just feels right to know that you are capturing some special memories in your trusty little camera.

Why did you choose to shoot stock photography ?

Many years ago, I had a lot of friends that were shooting stock. What I loved was the versatility of it all. That one image could be of a herd of horses and the next of the Coliseum in Rome. It was fascinating to me. And then another shot could be something you manipulated in Photoshop and was your own creation. You could make money over and over, year after year, with the same images. I knew this was what I wanted to do. I knew back then, that I loved shooting many things and that I didn’t just want to shoot weddings, or just sports or any one field. Many people specialize in one thing, but I knew that after time, I would be bored. Then photography would be more like a job.

Photograph by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photo to enlarge.

I wanted it to be exciting and I knew shooting stock would be incredibly diverse. Plus let’s not forget about what really got me hooked. Travel stock. Going all over the world to capture images that would be used in magazines, greetings cards and so many other things. It is pretty awesome to pick up a magazine and see your images. It’s a great feeling that I love to this day. I just had a computer company in Africa ask me to use an image I did in Kenya of 4 Samburu tribes people, posing in the jungle with my laptop. They wanted to illustrate how they can bring technical awareness to even the remotest of places on this planet. It’s a nice feeling every time someone wants to use your images.

Photograph by Scott Stulberg. Click on the photo to enlarge.

This is the end of Part I of the interview. Click here to read Part II

If you liked Scott’s photographs and want to see more of his work, visit him at:

www.asa100.com

Scott also has a blog where he writes about some of the stuff he shoots and gives Photoshop tips:

Scott’s Blog

You can also purchase the book that Scott mentioned in the interview on Amazon:

Interview with Yvan Barbier

November 11, 2009 by Greg Brave

Before reading this interview I suggest reading my Introduction to Interviews with Photographers.

When I found Yvan’s web site I was fascinated with his macro photography. I couldn’t stop looking at his photos, and finally bookmarked it to come back for new photos that he would present. Unfortunately for me Yvan’s web site is in French so I couldn’t understand the “about” page. But I wanted to know about him and his work, and finally I had enough courage to email him and ask for the interview. He accepted my proposal and answered all my questions!

I hope that this interview will be as helpful for you as it was for me.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome – Yvan Barbier!

Photograph by Olivier Nowakowski

Hello Yvan. First of all a little about you.

Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living?

I was born in Belgium, a small country more known for it’s capital : Brussels. I live in the french speaking part of Belgium, at the south of Brussels. I have two kids and a charming wife. Basically, I am agricultural engineer but I also have a phD in biological sciences. I work for a regional administration which is in charge of nature preservation. My job consists mainly of administering species and sites databases. I’m also involved in some field studies on species but it’s a minor part of my work.

What do you like the most about photography ?

What I like the most is, first of all, the pleasure to be into the wild. It is for me a source of inspiration and a good moment to forget all the little troubles of the life. It’s a kind of way to rejuvenate myself. I like also to observe plants and animals, their habitats, behaviours, … Photogaphy is for me a way of showing all the beauties of nature. In a sense, I feel like an ambassador of nature for humans 🙂

Libellula Depressa by Yvan Barbier

From your site it is obvious that you like macro photography. Why is that?

I think it is for two reasons: I am basically an entomologist (I have published several papers on insects) and I like insects. They are so diversified in the way they live that I am always fascinated to observe them. Secondly, it is for practical reasons. Unfortunately, I cannot allow as much time I would like for photography. I would like to take pictures of birds and mammals but demands for a huge time investment and for finances that I do not have. You can do macro photography with a modest equipment in your garden. This is more difficult if you want to do the same with mammals or birds.

Are there photographers that you are inspired by? Who ?

I like very much the pictures of André Maurer, a very talentuous Swiss photographer. He has a lot of sensitivity and is able to communicate it into his pictures. Ther are plenty others but it is not possible to cite all of them here.

Plebejus Argus by Yvan Barbier

And now, a little more technical details

Please describe your typical work flow after you click on the shutter release button.

My typical workflow is the following:
– I always shoot in RAW format (NEF in my case since I use a Nikon body)
– Once at home, after a shooting session, I transfert all the pictures to hard drive 1
– My disk is organized chronologically (year/month/day-location)
– If necessary, I use subfolders to organize images by white balance
– I batch convert all pictures into jpeg medium resolution (1400×930 pixels) with preset files I have made (one for each main white balance). Jpeg files are saved on hard disk 2
– Only after that conversion, I use a viewer to view the jpeg pictures. I do a first pass to eliminate pictures that have technical problems (focus,…). I delete jpeg and raw versions.
– I proceed to a second pass to keep only the best pictures and remove redundant ones. When possible, I use to take several pictures of the same scene, varying aperture. Often, there is one image better that the others in a series.
– I make a backup copy of raw and jpeg files on hard disk 3 and, periodically, on hard disk 4 that is not stored at home.

Photo by Yvan Barbier

Are you doing any kind of post-processing on your photographs? If yes, could you tell a little bit about it?

I do “basic” post-processing on my pictures: white balance, resizing, sharpenning. If necessary, I adjust other settings like exposure compensation.

But remember that post-processing is also depending of the settings that are applied on the body. For example, in my case, I’ve choosed to apply a low contrast directly on the body. If necessary, I change the contrast at post-processing (often by applying an S curve on the histogram). Another example is the color space conversion. My body is preset for the “Adobe RGB” color space. When I convert my raw files to jpeg, I convert the color space to sRGB, which is better for web display.

What photographic equipment do you primarily use for macro photography?

For the moment, my main body is a Nikon D700. I use it for 10 months with a great pleasure. I was a little bit afraid when I adopted the full frame (I had a D200 before). But finally, I don’t have any regret. I like it very much. I just regret that the viewfinder doesn’t have 100% coverage. In some cases it is very annoying when you try to make the “perfect frame” but still get parasitic object in your frame because you didn’t see it in the viewfinder and then you have to crop your pictures in post-processing.

Of course I also use some macro lenses. The 105 micro-Nikkor has been my main lens during several years. It is a superlative lens and I do appreciate it a lot. But I am now using longer focal lengths : the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 is one of my favorite lenses. It is very sharp, even at full aperture. For some months, I also use the micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4. It is a very good lens but I would not recommend it for a beginner since it requires to be very carefull when handling and focusing. I also like to use the Nikkor 300mm f/4 to do proxy-photography. It is a very good lens for that purpose. It allows you to isolate the subjet more easily and to get very beautifull backgrounds.

For high magnification factors, I use the Kenko extension tube set.
I also use flash but I try to avoid it since it’s light is never “as good” as the natural light. I use it as fill-in or as the main light source for greater magnification rates.

Anemone Nemerosa by Yvan Barbier

When shooting insects, are you going to the nature, or bring them to the studio?

I always go to nature. It is at the base of my approach. I like so much to be in the field that it is my first motivation. I go out very early in the morning, when the light is beautiful and the insects are still quiet. I also like the end of the day for the same reasons.

What your advice for a beginner photographer would be?

The first advice I should give is first to learn about what you want to photograph. If you want to take photographs of butterflies, you need to know where they live, which species you can meet, in wich habitat, etc… It is also absolutely necessary in order to avoid distrubing them. If you don’t know their habits, you can seriously disturb them.
Then, you also need to know the basics of photography and camera settings. You need to know what is aperture, ISO sensitivity, speed, etc… before going out to take photographs. You also need to know the basic settings of your camera body. I see sometimes beginners who don’t know the difference between “A” and “S” mode!

And finally, I don’t think that the equipment makes the photograph! You can start in macro photography with very little stuff: an entry level body and a simple macro lens is quite enough. I insist on recommending a macro lens. I often see beginners who only have an entry level zoom lens for doing macro. To really see results in macro photography, you need a macro lens.

Thank you Yvan for your time, and good luck in your future endeavors!

–

If you liked Yvan’s work you are welcome to visit his web site with much more stunning photographs at:

www.yvanbarbier.com

Interviews with Photographers – Introduction

November 6, 2009 by Greg Brave

Ever since I started getting interested in photography I wanted to know more about photographers whose work I liked. I had many questions for them – how they started they journey in photography, what keeps them motivated, and of course technical stuff like what equipment they use and their workflow.
Having this blog created a unique opportunity for me – ask the photographers I like to give an interview for my readers.
I have been surfing the net for a while now searching for inspiration for my own photographic works, and occasionally I end up in a site not being able to leave it before I go over all the photographs there. I bookmark such sites and remember the names of the photographers. These are the guys that I will try to interview, and if they agree I will post the interviews here for the benefit of everybody.

I will also reveal a small secret – I already have one great photographer who accepted my interview proposal! So stay tuned for this interview, which will be posted sometime during the next week.

I would also really appreciate if you suggested photographers that you like so I could take a look at their work and learn a bit more myself.