Ian@NZflickr

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: Ian@NZFlickr


In Prague early one cold autumn morning I had one of my best photography experiences ever. The sun rose behind the spires of the university and fog drifted off the river onto the Charles Bridge. After 80 minutes, when the sun went behind thicker clouds, I suddenly realised how cold I was but until then I had been too enchanted to notice.


Our youngest daughter was growing tired walking around a cathedral in Madrid and sat down right in a pool of stained glass light. Then my wife joined her and I had my picture.

1: How long have you been involved in photography?
I started using a Plastic Diana camera at primary school and started going to a camera club at high school and still go to one now.

2: Equipment you use?
Nikon for the last 30 years. Currently enjoying D700 full frame which allows me to use my fisheye lens I bought secondhand 20 years ago.

3: Mac or PC?
Bilingual but mostly PC these days.

4: What inspires you?
Usually the way the light lies.

5: Preferred subject matter?
Landscape, the sea, cities, people, birds... almost anything

6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that
you REALLY want to capture.
It would be fun to take some aerobatics photos from one of the planes involved, at least in my imagination :-)


7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?
These days I just post to Flickr. I have some commenters with well defined opinions.


8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop
Self taught


9: Plans for the future?
Photography will remain my favourite pastime


10: In one word, describe your photography.
Improving

**Krissy**

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: **Krissy**

This is a ridiculously beautiful Japanese Maple Tree and every time I see it, I find something more beautiful that the last. This is also my most viewed photo to date.


This is another of my favorites. I love a cityscape at night and this one has an interesting "spin" to it. Such a simple effect and I have not been able to replicate it again. City scape, reflections and night lights...what's not to love?


1: How long have you been involved in photography?
I took a little photography in college as part of my Journalism degree, but really started enjoying it about 3 years ago.

2: Equipment you use?
I use my Nikon all the time. I started 3 years ago with the D50 and in the last six months have graduated to the D80. I think my favorite lens is the Sigma 10-20.

3: Mac or PC?
PC for me!

4: What inspires you?
I find myself "framing" in everyday life. I am a great fan of the photos that just appear and just call to you. Some of my favorite shots are those that I see just driving down the road and jump out of the car and capture that moment. I get so much excitement from that kind of photographic spontaneity.


5: Preferred subject matter?
I really do enjoy a beautiful landscape or a gorgeous sunset. I also love the occasional lenticular cloud that passes over Mt. Hood from time to time. I also love a wonderful water reflection.


6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture?
I would love to be able to photograph the Northern Lights.

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in? When I am in doubt, I usually sort out my thoughts in my head and figure out what I can do different to create the image that I had hoped for. I find photography to be very personal outlet and truly enjoy the solitude of my vision.

8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop?
A bit of college photography, rolling and developing my own 35 millimeter film. Such a tedious and time-consuming process, but well worth it! Hopefully, with the digital age, I will never have to stand in a pitch black room and roll 8 feet of un-developed film on a metal spool again!

9: Plans for the future?
.I would love to travel, not just because of the photographic opportunities, but also because there are many places I would love to see and experience in person! Also, maybe get into some portrait photography.

10: In one word, describe your photography.
Personal

{ Amy }

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: { Amy }

Often, I feel really proud of a photo when I first take it, then I improve and the photo doesn't seem so good, but this one, from may, is a case where I'm still really happy with it.



This one is very recent, and I was so happy with the processing I did on it. :)


1: How long have you been involved in photography?
About two and a half years. Seems like ages ago!

2: Equipment you use?
When I first started, we had a little point-and-shoot kodak, but it wasn't until we got a Canon 400D that I really got into photography. Now days I use a Canon 50D, mostly with my favourite lens; a 100mm f/2.8 Macro

3: Mac or PC?
PC. My brother's got a Mac, but I've never been particularly drawn to it.

4: What inspires you?
Ah...can i say "everything"? haha, no....I guess a lot of my inspiration comes from other photographers, looking at their photos often gives me ideas, things I want to try for myself...they almost never end up looking like I planned, but that's all part of it, right?

5: Preferred subject matter?
I'd have to say Nature. It's crazy how much joy you can get out of photographing a little daisy, or a poppy, or any of the other wonders that you can find in a common garden.

6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture?
You know those really cool long exposure shots of the ocean? yeah, I'd like to try those.

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?
My mum and my sisters, for sure. They're all interested in photography as well, so they help a lot. It's not that I struggle with liking my own work, it's more that I struggle with whether other people will like my work, most of the time I just need someone to tell me that it's okay, I'm doing the right thing, and no, that flower doesn't look like a cat playing the accordion while tap dancing. :p

8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop?
Nope, I pretty much taught myself by fiddling around with a lot of different buttons and knobs, but my brothers helped me learn how to use photoshop. I am doing an online photography course at the moment too, so hopefully I'll learn a bit more about the technical side of it.

9: Plans for the future?
Finishing said photography course sometime in the next million years, finishing my 365day project and my 52week project, and taking a whole bunch of photos :)

10: In one word, describe your photography.
Evolving.

Gert van Duinen

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: Gert van Duinen

Wonderful Winter...

This image doesn't necessarily mean something to me, but turning a most mundane photo into an extraordinary scenery is perhaps one of the strengths I hear often from those who viewed my work. I guess this image perfectly illustrates how I can go about insane during post, turning a nearby scene into a perfect Christmas card we would send to our friends and family. Ssst, we actually did :)



Punt van Reide I

This image means a lot to me. It's one from a series I made at a very unique place in the utmost Northeastern part of the Netherlands. I love this part of Holland that I was literally drawn to on a summer evening. Honestly, this was my first serious attempt to document a place solely with photographic perfection in mind, thus without any extraordinary post production techniques involved.



1: How long have you been involved in photography?
I have never been seriously involved into photography. I consider myself being an image creator.

2: Equipment you use?
Nikon D300, Tokina ultra-wides, Manfrotto 190B + ballhead, remote shutter release, MagLites®, ND110, IR-720 and a thermos of regular Douwe Egberts coffee, black no sugar please.

3: Mac or PC?
PC's, can't think of something better and more flexible. I'm hooked.

4: What inspires you?
Mainly shipyards around the early 20th Century and Dutch 17th century landscape painters. In particular those from the Dutch Golden Age, like the expressive landscapes from Jacob van Ruisdael, the rough seas from Ludolf Bakhuizen and maritime paintings from Simon de Vlieger and Abraham Storck.

5: Preferred subject matter?
Landscapes, shipyards, lakes and harsh weather conditions.

6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture?
A big fat typhoon endangering ships on a billowing sea "-).

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?
Peers who know they have grounded critique.

8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop?
I'm a trained graphics designer with a self-taught specialty in logo and corporate identity design. Throughout the years I received numerous diploma's and certificates, ranging from advanced Photoshop & Illustrator to Flash and typographic design. Thankfully I'm still learning today.

9: Plans for the future?
Too much to handle in one lifetime. But yes, I'd like to have more purpose behind my photography and image editing efforts. Perhaps through assignments and new opportunities.

10: In one word, describe your photography.
Expressive?