Marc Do

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: Marc do!!

The Smallest

I saw this little girl jumping while she was trying to clean up the blackboard but when I took my camera she had already finished. So I said to her : "look, you forgot to clean there". She jumped again and she even didn't notice I was taking a picture of her.

Observatory

I was strolling on a road and I saw this guy with a heavy tripod and a big camera trying to catch the perfect reflections of the sky in a pound. I thought he would have noticed me if I stopped walking so I shot him while I kept going.

1: How long have you been involved in photography?

I began with analogic black and white in 1989 (dark room, printing...), color in 1994 and digital in 2004 with the birth of my daughter.

2: Equipment you use?

Small cameras, lenses and tripod, not even a flash - I like to travel light :
Canon EOS 300D & 350 D
Canon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
Sigma 10mm Fisheye f/2.8
Tripod Carena MCB-2Q

3: Mac or PC?

Mac

4: What inspires you?

I was first inspired by paintings, movies, even litterature and poetry. Nowadays, photography on Flickr is my main inspiration. For instance before visiting a new country or a new city I usually look at the tags related to them. Flickr is for me like a modern library.

5: Preferred subject matter?

Anything that moves or looks different of what it should be. First of all people. I began with street photography and now I like every kind of subject, I'm quite open-minded. But even if I appreciate beautiful landscapes they seem to me empty without a human presence or craft works. I need a story which makes me think more than "WOW..."

6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture.

There are many things I regret not to have caught, but as a paradox I remember them perfectly, as if my memory had shot them. These virtual pictures are now a part of me, they are in my mind forever.

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?

I'm always in doubt but I think this is the secret to improve yourself.

8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop

No Photoshop, no HDR, no textures... even if I love some of those "artificial" images and I consider them as pieces of art. According to me, "natural" shots can lead to dream or spirituality as well but you simply need to wait much longer to catch them. We got all our lifetime to take pictures...

9: Plans for the future?

Continue seeking the perfect composition for my pictures and for my music (some of my songs can be heard if you wish on www.myspace.com/marcdo ).
Also I would like to publish a book about children and improve my serie about the Eiffel Tower.

10: In one word, describe your photography.

Alive !

Aumbody Images

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: Aumbody Images!!


Sunset Surfing by Nicole
This photo was taken after a wonderful day taking photos and travelling along the Great Ocean Road in Australia. We stumbled onto this beautifully quiet beach on a warm and still autumn day. Shot after shot we gasped at the beauty that was before us, It was one of those moments when you knew you had captured what you were hoping to.


Stillness by Mark
This was taken on holiday in Noosa, Australia. We often would go to the river to witness some of the most beautiful sunsets. This is one of our favourite locations to take photos and especially long exposures and to marvel at the beauty and different face that nature shows us each time. The colour and glass like river (and we got some stars too) elicits a beautiful mood.

1: How long have you been involved in photography?

It grew out of a desire to create what we were experiencing in nature and travel. It was after a holiday in 2002 when we really started to take photos in a new way being more aware of composition and light. Our photos seemed to improve dramatically and with a new digital camera that enabled us to play around with different techniques and styles we could learn in a more cost effective way.


2: Equipment you use?

Canon 30D

Lenses:
Tamron 28-75 2.8
Tokina 12-24mm 4
Tamron 90mm 1:1
Canon 50mm 1.4
Tamron 70-300
Canon 580 exii & 430ex flashes (strobes)
Various Cokin filters
Manfrotto Tripod and head

3: Mac or PC?

PC


4: What inspires you?

In landscapes I am always searching and attempting to capture a feeling/emotion and an elusive stillness or sense of space. This may be portrayed through colour, light or a line or sense of space or a reflection that I try to achieve in my landscape/seascapes.
In portraits I am trying to capture a moment, an aspect of that which animates us all and an essence of Spirit. I am yet to combine my desire to capture a portrait against a landscape and combine my two truest inspirations.
The photography on flickr continues to inspire me to try new things or to look at things in a new light. The range and influences on flickr is truly immense and never ceases to amaze us we are amongst some great talent.


5: Preferred subject matter?

Landscapes/Seascapes particularly the golden light prior to sunset and the colour of sunsets set against a beach is my preferred subject..
For Mark the details of seeing things anew in his macros and when the tripod comes out after dark in the city is when some of his best work emerges.
Also our beautiful son as always.

6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture.

The perfect silent landscape
The perfect expression/character that depicts my son’s nature.


7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?

Each other

8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop

Self taught Photography and Photoshop


9: Plans for the future?

Continue to seek the perfect light, line and expression.
I would love to create shots incorporating textures and of course to continue to take shots of my very photogenic son.


10: In one word, describe your photography.

Evolving.

Helle-Belle

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: Helle Belle!!


The first picture is taken last in 2008 when I went to Norway on summer vacation. I spent one day in Oslo and after seeing a picture of the Oslo Opera House here on Flickr it was the only thing I really HAD to see. Unfortunately. I had no idea how to find it - I had a guide book from the library back home, but it was so old that the new opera house didn't appear in it.
But on my way back to the car, I decided to walk along the water - and there it was! This is one of many pictures from the roof of the building, but it's my definite favourite.


The second picture is taken on a foggy Sunday morning. When I got up that day, I saw the fog outside my window, grabbed my camera and went for a walk around the lake in my town.
I love the feeling I get of when I walk around in the fog. It's like being all alone in a magical world - until I meet other people, like this man feeding the birds. I love the way the gulls light up the picture and create movement in a otherwise dull picture.

1: How long have you been involved in photography?
The first time I used a SLR was in 1996 when I took a
photography course. Since then I’ve been hooked, but after
I joined Flickr my passion for photography has grown.
I bought my first DSLR in July 2007.
I’ve always been a creative person and I’ve been
drawing and painting since I was a little girl, so
photography has been a natural part of my development.

2: Equipment you use?
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, and a Canon EOS 400D and my cameraphone, Sony Ericsson C901 Green Heart, as backup.

Lenses:
Canon 24-70 mm f/2.8
Canon 50 mm f/1.4
Canon 70-300 mm f/4-5.6
Sigma 10-20 mm f/4-5.6

Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod
Various filters (polarizing, UV, ND8 and Close-up lenses)
Macro extension tube

I also have several old analogue cameras that I’m
planning to test some day


3: Mac or PC?
MAC! I’ve always used a Mac at home, but at work I’ve
usually had to use PCs

4: What inspires you?
Everything!
There’s so many thing that inspires me. Music, books,
movies, other photographers, friends, flickr etc. etc.

5: Preferred subject matter?
It used to be landscapes, but I’ve kept on challenging
myself so I could grow as a photographer. By now I’d have
to say that I don’t have a preferred subject matter, I
take pictures of the things that catch my eye. The phrase
“the world through my eyes” does actually fit perfectly.
Photography is a kind of therapy to me. It gets me out in
the world and helps me to live in the present. Some times,
when I have a bad day, I go for a walk in the forest or on
the beach and as soon as I start taking pictures, I start
feeling better.


6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera thatyou REALLY want to capture.
I can’t think of one specific thing, but I would like to
take better portraits.


8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop
I have studied Interactive Media Design at Designskolen Kolding, which means that I have some training in various computer programs. But I’m normally the type of person who learns by doing and I guess I have a good instinct for motifs and compositions.


9: Plans for the future?
No specific plans, but I dream about exhibiting my work and I would love to get the chance to travel more and capture other parts of the world.

10: In one word, describe your photography
melancholic