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Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

This week I roll out the virtual map and place the FYP push pin on Genoa Italy, home of our Indie Spotlight Marco Maroccolo.  Marco is mainly a black and white photographer, however, when the project requires some color, Marco has no disdain.

Marco enjoys photographing art, expressed in sculpture rather than painting, as well as architecture, nature, and landscapes.  He shoots with a Nikon D700 and a Leica M9.  On the project, “From Earth, From Heaven,” and older projects, the D700 was the camera of choice, however, the Leica M9 has become the “new kid on the block” for projects beginning in 2010.

Marco uses one lens, the Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH, which produce the best results for indoor low light situations.  The Leica is not prejudice, as it works just as well in outdoor settings, delivering professional images, and beautiful detail.   For Marco, it is the best solution for fine art photography projects.

Choosing subject matter is dictated by the emotion invoked, the geometric composition, and the quality of light surrounding the subject.  Marco will pause long enough to “tune in” with the subject matter, recreating the image in his minds eye before taking the first shot.   He also prefers natural light, specifically the natural light of the environment, especially when shooting indoors.   Using natural light when shooting indoors brings the contrast of light and shadow to life , produces surreal effects, and extraordinary visual sensations.  Sometimes this means waiting patiently for the magical moment when the light is just right.  It may only produce a handful of photos, but they are photos caught in a moment of time, a moment worth the wait.

During post production Marco will edit the images with CaptureOne and Adobe Photoshop.   Next the photographs are printed on Canson paper with an Epson 3880.   Printing each photo allows personal attention, individual care, and lastly the satisfaction, and sense of completion which ultimately fulfills his need as a photographer.

At the end of the day, Marco’s goal is to express a sense of order, peace, and beauty in everything that surrounds him, creating an overall pleasant sense of contentment which reaches the soul of the viewer lifting him or her spiritually, morally, and intellectually.  Sometimes this will come from the extraordinary scenery offered by nature, and other times the grace of art created by man whether as a statue, painting, or architecture.

Regarding tips and techniques, Marco is trying to improve his mobility.  Although the use of a tripod is essential to obtain the best image quality, the use of a rangefinder in certain types of projects is very helpful, especially when hand held.

Marco recalls a project he shot entitled, “Lotus & Pyramid,” which was a macro shoot of old travel books using his Nikon and a Zeiss lens. Choosing an appropriate angle and shooting the subject of the print on the same focal plane produced an almost three dimensional effect.   He was not intentionally trying to achieve this effect, however, it was one of Marcos’ first lessons on depth of field as it relates to macro photography.  Although it was something he stumbled on accidentally; he still uses this method today.

For inspiration, Marco turns to two photographers that he admires Josef Sudek and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

You can find Marcos Maroccolo’ work at marcomaroccolo.com

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[Editor's note:  Photographs in this post contain a degree of nudity and maybe considered NSFW.]

This month we interview Fine Art and Editorial Photographer D. Yee, who is currently based in New York City and works freelance. He uses photography as a continuation of his works in figurative drawing and painting, and through it he experiments with his admiration for the human condition.

FYP: Tell us a little about yourself

D. Yee: I lived in the metro areas of New York for most of my life. Apart from photography, I continue to paint and draw as my other alternative to visual work involving human figures and stories. World travel is one of my favorite activities whenever I get/make the opportunity to.

FYP: Have you had formal training in photography?

D. Yee: No proper training as in classes or school. I’m mostly self taught and had worked with a photographer for a summer some years ago. Studying photographs and photo essays are also ways of learning and discovery.

FYP: Where do you see yourself in five years time?

D. Yee: That’s what I asked myself five years ago this time. So, for the next five years, maybe I see myself finally putting together a book of strong (and I mean very strong) collection of work, live and work abroad. Or, simply to have seen more of the world than I have now.

FYP: What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your photographic career?

D. Yee: Projecting my most honest tone of voice and vision in my work. Whether or not it appeals to others. I’m sure this is something one comes into conflict with, especially when you start out. You want to produce work you want to feel accepted by a mass public. If you can find pleasure in this go for it. For me, when I took into consideration what may appeal to others I found myself feeling bland and quite empty. I don’t often listen to what people want to see unless it’s a commercial job (even with that, I try to inject my aesthetic – stand for your artistic voice).

FYP: Who is your favourite artist?

D. Yee: I have quite a few, but I’ll randomly pick one now: Guy Bourdin.

FYP: Where do you find your inspiration?

D. Yee: In the most unexpected places. It could be from a silent walk to the most absurd moments/subject matter. I try to keep my senses open.

FYP: What are your favourite techniques or methods?

D. Yee: I tend to I draw out an idea before I decide to go forth with a photograph (if it’s a production). For my street work, it’s just a lot of aimless wandering and patience while framing each moment as if I’m shooting the film that I see before me.

FYP: How much emphasis do you put on post-production?

D. Yee: Depends on the situation and project. Half and half? Or less. I’m mostly concerned about color temperature in a photograph when it comes to this stage.

FYP: What genre would you most like to experiment in?

D. Yee: Cinema. Motion storytelling.

FYP: If you could photograph anyone/anywhere in the world, who/where would you photograph?

D. Yee: I would like to shoot a short film (or stills) on a beautiful baron landscape of individuals (and nudes) adorned in some kind of strange and beautiful fashion. It’d be based on a short story I have had in the back of my mind for the last six years. Just haven’t found the right time and place to do so.

FYP: Have you got any hints or tips to share with aspiring photographers?

D. Yee: Realize that photography is a soul-sucking job, but being persistent and passionate about it helps. And, most importantly, don’t always follow the stream even though we’ll fall into it once in a while. Go explore and take a creative risk once in a while. Make the best of yourself. You live once.

FYP: What is your favourite way to de-stress?

D. Yee: One of my de-stressors is thrashing/dancing to my favorite bass-thumping dance tracks. Drawing/painting or a long walk would be my more quiet alternative.

FYP: Thanks for sharing, D. Yee, and good luck with the future!

Contact Info:

Facebook

Flickr

Website

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[ Editor's Note: Some items in this posting maybe considered NSFW ]

Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

This week spotlight, Eric James Leffler, hails from Walnut Creek, CA. His style ranges between fine art, portrait, and wedding photography.

Despite the genre, Eric is never without his main camera – A Nikon D700. If the 700 should fail him for whatever reason, he carries a D90 as a backup.

Eric’s len’s choice is a Nikon 24-70/2.8, which he fondly refers to as his “workhorse.”   Wide enough to handle most of his city and landscape work, yet versatile and sharp in the studio.  It’s also a great lens for low light situations.   A self proclaimed “sucker” for compression and bokeh; Eric also carries a 70-300 lens, which also serves as a secondary.

Eric prefers working with natural light, on location, when circumstances permit.  When shooting landscape and city, he will occasionally use bracketing in the event he wants to tone map or some manual blending.

An off camera flash/strobist is always standing by for indoor portrait work, night shots, or a more dramatic effect during the day.  When it comes to ultimate preference, Eric refers to natural light as his “happy place.

Adobe Lightroom 3 is Eric’s go to software for file management and the majority of his editing process.  Photos requiring additional polishing find their way into Adobe Photoshop CS5 and onOne Photo Suite software.

Diversity is key when it comes to the shoot.  Boredom can set in quickly, so finding a new location, concept, or subject is what drives him.  He is also inspired by the city;  San Francisco to be more precise.   A Bay Area native, Eric still finds something new every time he heads out for a shoot.  Another inspiration is the water as it relates to his beauty and fashion photography.

Inspiration also comes in the form of other photographers, and Eric has his list.  He enjoys Jaime Ibarra for his fashion work, Chase Jarvis for his adventurous side, Hoffer Photography’s wedding work, and Thomas Hawk for his ability to see art in just about everything.

Turning to tips and techniques, Eric suggests focusing on post processing and file management, and Lightroom is the tool of choice.  Eric would also like to try underwater photography someday, and would love to get into pro sports as well.

Be sure to check out more of Eric’s work on Facebook, Google+, and his personal site.

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[ Editor's Note: It gives me great pleasure to introduce a new writer do you, Wendy hails from Pennsylvania in the United States and we are happy to have her on-board! ]

Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

This week’s Indie Spotlight focuses on Apai Biszign, founder of Hikarimoji Light Graffiti.  He hails from Malacca, Malaysia. Being surrounded by so much diverse art and people, it is no wonder he would take interest in a wondrous genre of photography termed light art, light graffiti, light calligraphy and light painting. Hikarimoji actually means “light word” in Japanese.  Light graffiti involves long exposure photography and using lights to create designs, then adding effects to the photos.

His photographic arsenal includes both a Nikon D60 and Nikon D90, but he favors the Nikon D90.  This camera offers numerous customizable settings and also has a battery grip with an extra battery, which is extremely helpful since opening a shutter for a minimum of three to four minutes takes a lot of battery juice.  Some shoots can last many hours. Apai’s favorite lens is the Sigma 10-20mm F4.  Since the backdrop of his photography is usually outdoors, the ultra wide effect and distortions this lens can accomplish are perfect for his art.  To compliment his results, landscape photography elements are used, then the photo is infused with light graffiti.

His creative journey begins with sketches of his artistic vision.  Then the light source is prepared, mostly LED and sometimes even a fire torch, for his nighttime shoots.  His desirable destinations have appealing backgrounds and minimal light.  When light writing, he uses his own body as the scale, so the letters will be about equal size.  His final step is to visit his photography in Adobe Photoshop to enhance the image with WB corrections and sharpness, but no image manipulations are done.

Using the world around him as his canvas, Apai loves to shoot dark landscapes and use the ambient light from the moon or nearby cities to light up the skyline, dramatic clouds and minimal visibilities on the background details such as tree lines, rock, etc.  Ideal locations with these features make his art of light visually pop even more.

Regarding camera settings, Apai advises manually controlling both the shutter speed and aperture.  Using Bulb mode allows for the long exposure necessary for light graffiti by only limiting you to the life of your batteries.  The shutter speed and aperture settings vary on how long the shutter is open, but the lowest ISO setting is optimal to allow only a minimal amount of light.  Tripods and wireless remotes keep the camera stable and avoid motion blur; you can stay a good distance away and still control your settings. Experimentation is key when choosing a light instrument; torch lights, rear bicycle lights, toys and police traffic batons can all be used.  Apai experiments with all these sources of light, but DIY LED lights is his comfort zone.  As with any skill, practice makes perfect.  Apai says, “writing in the air will improve after several attempts.”

Light graffiti has a long history dating back to the early 20th century.  Pablo Picasso even experimented with light graffiti with the guidance of Gjon Mili,  but Abai’s admiration is for the work of his present day fellow light graffiti artists Julien Breton, aka Kaalam, and Michael Bosanko.

Apai is currently preoccupied with his light calligraphy and outdoor commercial shoot series, but he would like to try a white studio light graffiti photo shoot in the future.  Although this sort of setup is most suitable for fashion or product photography, he is hoping to achieve a grayish background, or even a colorful background if color gel is used in the light setup, with only the light graffiti as the main subject in the frame.  Balancing the light just right will make the model in the frame nearly invisible.

You can find more of Apai Biszign’s work on Facebook, flickr, and biszign features his gallery, blog and even videos of him and his Hikarimoji crew in action.

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Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

Jim Crotty currently lives and works on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina USA but originally hails from Dayton, Ohio. His style of photography, as it relates to his work with nature and landscape subjects, has been best described as calm and peaceful. He strives to convey a sense of serenity with his nature photography through the use of subtle natural light, shallow depth of field and emphasis on texture and shape.

When it comes to equipment Jim shoots with both a Canon 1D Mark III and a Canon 5D Mark II. He is more likely to use  the 1D Mark III for his work with nature and landscapes  because he is in outdoor situations where he has to deal with the elements and most recently, sand, for which the weatherproofing of the camera make it ideal.  The speed of the the 1D Mark III is also ideal for wildlife.  Jim’s favorite lens is his Canon 17-35mm f2.8 L lens.  He loves working with dynamic skyscapes at sunrise and sunset and he finds that the Canon 17-35mm f2.8 L lens works beautifully with how he likes to capture scenes with interesting foreground elements.

Jim uses natural light exclusively when working with nature and landscapes and he shoots raw format files  at lowest possible ISO as he does a lot with HDR which necessitates multiple exposures (from three to seven frames) with changes in shutter speed for over, even and under images.  The first thing he does when back at his desktop work area is back-up all the raw files directly from the cards to archival DVDs. He then imports the raw files into his Mac Pro desktop system or MacBook Pro.  If they are for HDR he just transfers the files  to a folder on his desktop for merging and tone mapping via Photomatix Pro stand alone program. After processing in Photomatix he imports the resulting 16-bit TIFFs into Aperture for file management and further adjustments.  He also loves converting HDR to black and white using Nik’s Silver Efex Pro.

For non-HDR he imports directly to a project folder in Aperture. From there he edits and performs basic adjustments, such as dust spot removal, straightening, definition, etc. Edited images for uploading to his printing service, web site galleries, blogs, etc. will most likely go through a few more adjustments using one of the various Nik plug-ins of which his favorite is Viveza 2.

For portraits and digital art photography he uses Adobe Photoshop CS5. There are some custom actions that he prefers such as those by Formula One.

Jim loves shooting dynamic skies at dawn or dusk, he believes it is in the margins of the day when light and life merge seamlessly and it is those brief moments when we are blessed with scenes of incredible peace and beauty.  Fortunately he lives in an area where more often than not there is a dynamic and colorful sunset happening, from late summer to spring.  Hilton Head Island is on the coast of South Carolina, so you are often near water where  there is more of an opportunity for incredible light and reflections at sunrise and sunset.

As with every photographer experience and knowledge counts but a little luck never hurts.  Jim finds that it is almost always the image he is not planning for or expecting that ends-up being the keeper from a particular photo outing.  When he is out shooting he keeps himself open to all the possibilities.  For example, shooting into a beautiful sunset is what most people do.  However, what Jim likes to do is to look in the opposite direction and see what the play of light is doing to the clouds on the other end of the horizon.  Often that’s where he finds the more interesting image and pleasing light.

Jim has been working with HDR since its advent in  2007 and Photomatix Pro is his preferred program.  Viewers who dislike HDR often think of those images where the effect has been applied with a “heavy hand,” leaving the images look almost cartoonish.  Jim believes that the key is to use all of the options available within tone mapping and to not oversaturate.

Jim advises that a  pro-quality tripod makes all the difference in the world, along with a quality ball head and L-bracket. He  loves working from creative angles. Just a slight change in perspective can dramatically alter the composition.  He says that having the kind of gear that allows one to make those types of changes are a must.

When queried about two photographer’s work he really admires Jim immediately chose Art Wolfe as his first choice, because Art’s passion for his subjects is clearly evident in all of his photographs. Jim says of Art’s work “I think for Art photography is a life experienced through visual storytelling.”

For his second choice Jim said that, the best nature photographers are also outstanding teachers, and the one who had the most impact on him was David Middleton.  Jim reminisces about the  10-day program on professional nature photography taught by David in Montana, back in August of 2000. Jim learned how rewarding it can be to inspire others to pursue their passion and develop their creative vision through photography and he tries to pass that on during the workshops that he teaches now.

Jim hopes one day to try underwater photography. He is amazed by the underwater photography he has seen and considers it a must on his bucket list despite the fact that  it is much more involved than traditional nature and landscape photography.   Fortunately for Jim he already knows how to dive and he is SCUBA certified but to be able to handle pro-level gear and lights while diving will take careful combination of his photographic and diving skills.

Jim also admires those photographers who excel at photojournalistic style street portraits.  He thinks that  this genre definitely takes an extroverted personality and a good bit of courage.

Because of Jim’s background in corporate marketing and PR, he is adroit in social media marketing, you may find more of his work on his 500px, Flickr, Tumblr, Facebook or Zenfolio sites, you can also follow him on twitter @JimCrotty

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Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

This week Indie Spotlight puts the “diverse” in diversity.  From insects and landscapes to portraits and weddings, Wendell Reyes mostly enjoys nature photography.   Hailing from Port Of Spain Trinidad, he keeps himself busy as a Certified Systems Analyst, owner of Overclockers TT, and first photographer/owner of Stephen Jay Photography.  Traveling has allowed many photographic styles, however, Wendell is constantly pursuing experience and experimentation.

A Nikon D90 is Wendell’s camera of choice, however, he patiently waits for the release of the D800 to add to his arsenal.  Although he does not have a “favorite” lens, if he had to choose one it would be the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX for overall flexibility.   This lens is particularly handy when it comes to shooting wide open, and does very well in low light conditions, perfect for shooting in natural light.  Macro photography is an entirely different story. Wendell uses a Nikon AF-S Micro Nikkor 40mm f/2.8G DX for flowers, and a Nikon 70-300mm G with manual focus extension tubes and Raynox DCR250 for extreme close ups (i.e. the robber flies in the photos below are approximately 1cm in size).

For Portraits & Weddings he will switch between a Nikon 35mm f/1.8, a Nikon 50mm f/1.8, and a Tamron SP AF 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD (IF). Lastly, Wendell breaks out the Nikon 18-105mm VR for Landscapes.

Regarding workflow, Wendell will first choose the correct lens for the subject.  Next on the list is lighting.  It is important to identify the type of lighting, as well as the angle and intensity to see how it will affect the subject before shooting.  Third on the list is flash.   Wendell will decide if he needs to use fill light via a reflector or flash/strobes, or if the ambient light is at the right angle for best exposure. Lastly he will choose the best angle or perspective for framing purposes. When everything is just right, Wendell will begin his shoot.

Concerning software, Adobe Lightroom is used for initial adjustments and Adobe Photoshop CS3 to fine tune especially in terms of blending, burning and dodging and color adjustments.

Turning to the subject of tips and advice, Wendell feels that learning to see and analyze light is the key for new and upcoming photographers.  It is the “make or break” for an outstanding photograph.  Secondly, he suggests becoming intimate with the subject.   Take the time to look at the subject and study it from all angles to find the best composition and background that will compliment your subject and not distract from it.  Lastly, but certainly not least, learn and master proper techniques using the equipment that you currently own.   Get to know the pros and cons of your hardware and its limitations before deciding to upgrade to expensive equipment.  It all comes down to creativity, so don’t get comfortable – always look for ways to improve and try new and exciting things.

Turning to techniques, there is one that Wendell stumbled upon one while giving thought to his landscape photography. The technique is to to set the camera to manual focus with the aperture at f/9. Next he sets his Nikon SB600 Speedlight to the camera/full setting, and lastly is the hyperfocal distance using the 35mm f/1.8.  All that is left to do is point and shoot, no need to worry about focus.  With this technique, you can capture the moment, and everything comes out sharp. – The lighting is good to go.   As always, experiment and fine tune your settings once the focus is set. As a side note, this technique is also most useful in low light situations.

There are many places Wendell would like to visit for photographic opportunities, however, if he had to choose just one it would be a tour of Africa.  To photograph the tribes, wildlife, and pyramids would be an exhilarating experience.   He would also like to try underwater photography some day.  Lastly, I was curious who inspires him from a photographer perspective.  Wendell admires Ansel Adams for his landscape photography, and Monte Zucker for his portraiture work.

You can find Wendell Reyes on Facebook, Flickr, and 500px.

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This month, we are interviewing travel and portrait photographer Anthony Asael.  In an incredible feat, he is one of the few that has traveled among each of the countries of the United Nations, numbering just under 200. During these journeys, he visited over 950 schools and taught photography to thousands of children. Read below to gain an insight to this photographer’s mind.

FYP: Tell us a little about yourself.

Anthony: I am an international photographer and part of Corbis agency. I am of Turkish and Italian origin. He is also the founder of the not-for-profit organization Art in All of Us.  My passion for photography began very early – at 7 years old, I was already developing my black and white work in the lab. Over the next few years, I travelled several times  with Ruggero Gabbai – a professional photographer and film director – as his personal assistant.

FYP: Have you had formal training in Photography?

Anthony: No I have not. I am self taught, at the age of seven, I was already playing in a photo lab revealing my own photos in black and white. Photography was part of my childhood

FYP: What camera and equipment do you currently use?

Anthony: Nikon D700 and about 8 different lenses. However, most of my shooting is done with a simple 50mm 1.8. For me, photography is not about equipment, but about creativity and emotions.

FYP: Where do you see yourself in five years time?

Anthony: I have no idea, and I am so happy about it…. I just follow the wind.

FYP: What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your photographic career?

Anthony: Well most probably it is to have visited taught photography in all 193 countries of the world. The most difficult to enter was North Korea. It took me 2 and a half years of negotiation with the local government. While entering as a tourist is possible to nearly everyone with some patience, entering and work there in a public school is slightly more difficult. Even with all cultures that one can see around the world, people are very similar, children above all. Children have all the 3 same dreams: one to be loved by their parents, two to be able to play and three, unfortunately, to grow up too fast.

Picasso once said “Children are all born creative and once they are growing up , they lose their creativity”. I passionately believe in that, even if shall be the reserve. When we grow up, we shall be wiser, have access to more knowledge, more information, have a more open mind…. But it is the opposite that happens, with unconscious “brainwashing” from parents, media and education. We should try to stimulate more the creativity and curiosity of children, and that is one of my missions when I travel.

FYP: Who is your favourite artist?

Anthony: Sebastiao Salgado

FYP: Where do you find your inspiration?

Anthony: Simply by closing my eyes.

FYP: What are your favourite techniques or methods?

Anthony: I try to photograph emotions.  To do that, I have to be invisible, even if am straight in front of the model. Models have to feel at ease and not stressed by the camera. Being patient and talking with them is very very important. At the right moment, they will feel comfortable and simply forget about you, that is when I can start shooting.

FYP: How much emphasis do you put on post-production?

Anthony: Very little. I just clean up some dust spots, or add slightly more contrast when necessary. I don’t touch composition, which is also key to my photography. FYP: What genre would you most like to experiment in?

Anthony: I am not in an experimental phase at the moment. However, I have a very dreamy project for the future. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you more about it right now …. Just be patient, I’ll keep you posted on my website.

FYP: If you could photograph anyone/anywhere in the world, who/where would you photograph?

Anthony: I am now in Madagascar, my favourite spot to photograph. People are so genuine and also very positive towards cameras that I can’t be more happy. However, I would like to go back to North Korea and make a longer photographic documentary.
FYP: Have you got any hints or tips to share with aspiring photographers?

Anthony: Don’t buy expensive equipment.  It might be easier to have nice pictures with good cameras as an amateur, but if you want to be a real and good photographer, you need to be excellent at all kind of cameras. The best way to start and to learn is to have the basic of the basics. Be good at it, be excellent at it , be outstanding at it and only then get a better camera.

FYP: What is your favourite way to de-stress?

Anthony: Putting my feet into the ocean and closing my eyes.

FYP:Thank you for the interview, Anthony! Good luck with the future.

Anthony: Keep creative, and keep smiling!

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[ Editor's note: The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of Bryan J Zimmerman and do not reflect those of Fuel Your Photography or its affiliates. ]

As we get closer to the New Year, we prepare ourselves for countless radio stations counting down the top 100 songs from 2011, or the endless rows of magazines and online publications boasting their top websites, apps, and anything else that can be placed into list format.  I didn’t want to be left out, however, I also did not want to throw names around just because I can, so I present to you MY top 10 photographers that have inspired ME over the past year.  Some names you will recognize and others you will not, but this isn’t about names; it’s about photography.

This is not a definitive list, nor does it have a hierarchical order, it is simply a list of photographers that have a technique or style that moved me to go out and shoot.

Bloody Countess

I still remember the first time I pulled up a photograph by Bloody Countess.   I had just joined the DeviantART community and was browsing through the galleries when I came across his “Wound” series. I was completely freaked out and captivated simultaneously.  As an instant fan, I went on to feature him on my now defunct photography podcast as well as The Indie Spotlight.

Simon Marsden

Simon Marsden, like Bloody Countess, was an inspiration early on.  As a fan of surrealism, black and white, and cemetery photography, Simon Marsden’s style can be seen in much of my black and white work.  Spending most of his childhood in two archaic haunted houses, Panton Hall and Thorpe Hall, Simon has always had a fascination with ghosts and the supernatural.

The following quote by Marsden sends both chills and excitement down my spine every time I read it – “For wherever we may stand on no matter which particular landscape of this planet, beneath our feet lie the many layers of these previous civilisations, which have left their irrevocable mark, not only on the physical landscape, but on our subconscious too.”

Baron Wolman

I have been a professional musician for over thirty years, and although I no longer tour, I am intrigued with concert photography as well as promotional photography as it relates to rock bands. Baron Wolmon, who was Rolling Stone Magazine’s first chief photographer in the late 60’s was recently awarded the 2011 VIP award by Classic Rock Magazine.  With an impressive portfolio of photos ranging from The Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Jimi Hendrix, he is an inspiration and icon for music photographers around the globe.

RC Concepcion

If you are a photographer and have never heard of “RC,” it’s time to push off the rock you’ve been living under and get some air! Now before you launch into a tirade of, “It’s easy choosing a celebrity photographer as an inspiration,” let me assure you that your statement is dead on, however, that is not why RC Concepcion made my list.

It was a blog post entitled “Sunset – How Music Inspires Images” that initially caught my attention.  After reading the post I was connected and tuned into RC on a whole new level, and have been a fan ever since.  Incredible photography aside, I respect this man for his opinions and not concerning himself with what others think.

Erik Michael

Erik Michael is my brother, and although some of the readers may feel this is a biased pick, nothing could be further from the truth.  I credit Erik as the person who got me started as a photographer.  He provided me with my first DSLR, a Canon Rebel XT, that I still use to this day.  More important, Erik was pivotal in teaching and guiding me through my creative endeavor.

I have spent countless hours learning from him whether chatting the phone or out on a shoot.  He is also a graphic designer and Adobe advocate, which allowed me access to years of Photoshop and Lightroom knowledge.  Although I have gone on to find my own style, if it weren’t for Erik’s initial push and help along the way, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Fuel Your Photography

Fuel Your Photography made my list for several reasons.  The first being the community as a whole.  I like to think of FYP as a Frankenstein of sorts by taking thousands of talented photographer that make up the community and creating one magnificent photographer.  My first article entitled, “Zero Saturation,” appeared in March of 2009, and I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to feature photographers from around the globe.  I can honestly say that I learn something new from every piece that I write, and for me that is the ultimate learning experience.

James Nachtwey

Most mainstream media, with all its technology and multimedia capabilities will never show the public the true face of everyday events.

It is this reason I have chosen James Nachtwey, American photojournalist and war photographer, to add to my list. James captures pure emotion, brutal and honest, untouched by the high- and-mighty curators of mainstream media, and puts everything into perspective with this simple quote – “I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated.”

Honorable mentions:

The following photographers are recent finds for me, and because I am still learning about their styles and techniques, It would not be fair to the photographer to provide a description. I do feel however that honorable mentions are in order.

Dave Hill

Julieanne Kost

David Duchens

Arco Maroccolo

Please feel free to add to this list as you see fit. I only ask that you provide a reason for the addition and not just because he or she is a great photographer.

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Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition.  Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

With the Holiday season right around the corner, what better time to showcase photography that includes both food and people?   This week’s Indie Spotlight, Nicole Young, not only shoots the aforementioned styles, but stock photography as well.

Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Nicole’s photographic arsenal includes a Canon 5D Mark II, equipped with a 70-200mm 4/4L IS lens, which she uses for most of her work.  She likes to get in close, compressing her images, giving them a fairly shallow depth of field.  Most of her photography as of late is food, so her workflow is somewhat involved.  Since the images are shot for her stock portfolio, she must first decide on the subject what she wants to photograph.  Next on the grocery list (literally) is to purchase the ingredients, and finally cook, style, and prep the food for the shoot, which is done at her home studio. With camera and tripod ready to go, Nicole will shoot approximately 30 photographs, and take away 3-5 keepers on average.

She relies mostly on natural light for the food photography, however, the setup for photographing people is completely different.  A strobe is a must giving her subjects a “lifestyle” look, which ultimately produces a photograph that doesn’t appear to have been shot using artificial lighting.  There isn’t one particular setup or workflow when it comes to photographing people, so Nicole will work with whatever is available in terms of lighting, surroundings, and the people themselves.  It’s a very organic process, kind of a “go with the flow” type of shoot.

Concerning software, Nicole imports her photos into Adobe Lightroom using the DNG conversion feature. She has been using this process for the past year which helps her keep a good file structure without the added XMP side car files.  Next, she will select the “keepers” and apply basic adjustments like cropping, white balance, exposure, etc.  When she is happy with the basic edit in Lightroom, the next step is to export the files from Lightroom using the PSD extension so they are prepped and ready for editing in Photoshop.

After the photographs have made their way into Adobe Photoshop, Nicole uses a series of steps for final editing.   First, a new blank layer is created for cloning/healing.  Level adjustments come next using the brightness/contrast set to the luminosity blend mode.  The third step is another level adjustment layer for color adjustment using the color blend mode.   Step four, a new layer is added for color, which Nicole fondly refers to as the “color pop” effect.   Lastly, a sharpening layer is added using the high pass setting.   Other layers will find their way into the process now and again for teeth whitening or eye brightness, however, the five steps outlined above are Nicole’s normal workflow.

Nicole is currently trying to do more travel photography mostly to experience new places and culture, and build her portfolio with a different style of work. She would especially like to visit Antarctica, lured by the colors, wildlife and rarity of the adventure.   She would also like to create more “fine art” photography since most of what she shoots is commercial (lifestyle and food).    ”I don’t have many photos that I would enjoy printing and hanging on my wall.  I’m trying to make a concerted effort to create more of these, especially landscapes.”

Concerning tips and techniques, Nicole likes to use the “live view” feature of her camera when shooting with a tripod, especially food photography.   The live view allows her to zoom in on the focus spot to ensure the clarity and sharpness.    This view also allows her to adjust the props and food easily.

Nicole draws inspiration from many photographers, however, there are two that especially stand out.   The first is Gregory Crewdson, whose images are very surreal, and somewhat eerie.  He spends more than the average amount of time in post production, which Nicole translates into dedication and vision.  She is also a fan of Julianne Kost’s composite work.  Nicole describes her work as dreamlike, and especially loves the textures and colors Julianne uses.

You can Find Nicole online at her personal blog, Twitter and Google+

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After a successful retro-themed contest for October, we decided to go back to Mother Nature for November’s contest.  The winner for our FYP November Photography Contest is… *drum roll*… Boris Frkovic! Congratulations Boris!  We hope you enjoy your annual 500px.com account and as promised, today’s Indie Spotlight segment would showcase Boris’ winning pictures.

Hailing from Croatia, one of the most beautiful country in Europe, Boris spends most of his time photographing some of mother nature’s greatest creations.  He enjoys flocks of birds, ocean waves, and the sound of wind blowing all the while capturing them with his trusted Pentax K200 camera coupled with a Tamron 10-24 lense.

Boris loves to photograph nature, especially water (rivers, lakes and ocean) because he finds the water and reflections in water give the photos a special charm

Aside from his Pentax, Boris’ default photography equipment include the use of a tripod and a wired shutter release.  Most of his work is comprised using HDR because according to him, current cameras ‘see’ less than what our eyes can see – camera sensors can only see dynamic range of approximately 5 stops whereas the human eye can see 9-10 stops. So the only way to show others what he really sees is through HDR.

To make his HDR photos look more realistic, Boris uses a technique that he invented, which is similar to the Orton effect.  Boris prefers to shoot in RAW format before tone mapping in Photomatix.  The final stop is Adobe Photoshop where he makes final adjustments.

When processing, Boris will always export his final creations as TIFF format because there is no loss of quality. His own HDR processing technique involves three overexposed photos layered on top of each other while choosing ‘Multiply’ as his blending mode and image opacity set to about 75%.

Boris’s techniques make the HDR photos look more realistic and lifelike.  He believes that to photograph and produce a great HDR, one must understand the basic concept of shooting with this technology – True HDR are made from multiple (differently) exposed photos while pseudo HDR is made from just one photo.  It is also very important to use a tripod and a remote trigger for this method.

It is important not to have any part of the photo overexposed if you’re going to shoot for pseudo HDR (because overexposed parts are permanently lost).  Boris suggest that you use pseudo HDR method for scenes with movement

Boris admires the work of ‘Sunrise@Dawn’, Olga Shiropaeva, Mario Moreno, Dave Cox, Jorge Maia, Omid Golzar, Alfred Forns, Alisdair Miller, and a number of other great photographers.

Eventually, he would like to try some different styles of photography such as IR, night stars, panning, and black card among others.

Boris can be found online via his Google+ profile as well as:

http://500px.com/borisfrkovic

http://www.pixoto.com/borisfrkovic

http://www.flickr.com/photos/borisfrkovic/

http://borisfrkovic.blog.com/

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The Indie Spotlight

Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

As a preforming musician of thirty plus years, I have both empathy and much respect for the concert photographer.   Getting a decent shot is a challenge in itself, but when you add the drunk fan or out-of-control mosh pit to the mix, that challenge raises a few notches.  Emily Rose McGonigle, this week’s Indie Spotlight, meets that challenge and more.

Hailing from my hometown of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Emily describes her style as “people photography.”  She doesn’t like to narrow it down to “fashion” photography or “portraits” because she does not feel that she is specifically doing either of those things, however, she is taking photos of people and enjoying it.

Emily’s photographic arsenal includes a Canon 550D (T2i) body and a Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens.   This lens was purchased with music photography in mind since many venues are not well lit.  Being able to open the aperture to f/1.4 allows her to get great shots without drastically slowing down the shutter speed.

Emily, like most photographers on a budget, plans purchases based around what will benefit her style.   Since she does not have the luxury of setting up specific lightning in a concert setting as she does with a model shoot, faster and shorter lenses are a must.   This keeps her in front of the action during a concert shoot, rather than having to stand in the back of the venue.

When shooting a live band, Emily has the camera settings in check before leaving the house.  Since she has been shooting bands for quite some time, she has found that f/2.8, 1/125, and an ISO of 1600 to be a good average setting.   Of course, this can change once the show begins and she can assess the lighting, however, the aforementioned settings have proven to be a good starting point.

When shooting a live concert, Emily prefers not to use a flash because she loves the color and the aura that a live setting provides.   If the stage is poorly lit, or the lighting itself is so bright that it blows out the color channels on the camera, she will use a small amount of flash to “water down” the colors.

When photographing models, Emily finds that it depends on the situation.   She will generally try to incorporate ambient light along with some flash to create drama in the scene or to enhance the existing light.  Her main light modifiers presently are umbrella’s.  She will often use these as “shoot-through” umbrellas. On occasion, she has used “gels” on her flash to get a certain effect.

Despite the shoot subject, all images are immediately transferred into Adobe Lightroom.   Next in the workflow is flagging which photos will make the cut and chosen for post processing.  The flagged photos are ready for basic editing (exposure, white balance, contrast, noise reduction, etc.) within Lightroom, and finally the edited photos are exported to Adobe Photoshop CS5 for final processing.

The photos are sharpened in Photoshop, but that is the extent of editing.   Occasionally if there is something that stands out, bothersome to the extent of losing a good night sleep, she will use the cloning tool, however, this is a rarity.  The remaining photographs go through normal retouching (skin smoothing, Liquify, Dodge/Burning, Etc.).

Emily has been shooting for a little over a year and a half, and is still trying to define her style.  She is definitely a fan of the bright color, which is the main reason she chooses to shoot without a flash at live performances.  Keeping the effects of the stage lights is an important part of the process.   From a shooting perspective, Emily tends to use manual focus at live performances when not using a flash, mostly since it is dark and the musicians are moving around so quickly that the AF does not have a chance to lock in.

When photographing models, Emily will sometimes use gel filters.  A favorite photograph, which was a close-up of a model’s face, was shot using a “shoot-through” umbrella and a CTO gel on the flash.  This produced the soft light she wanted to achieve while warming up the model’s face yielding a “sun-glow” look.

A post processing techniques that Emily stumbled upon recently is using the white balance, and tint within Lightroom to tame over saturated colors.   Another is changing the ambiance to dramatically enhance the photograph from the original.

Photographers that Emily admires are Zack Arias, who can create beautiful drama with a single light, and Joey L whom she describes as captivating and awe inspiring.

Although Emily enjoys shooting models and other “people photography,” her dream is to be a concert/promotional photographer on a much larger scale moving from the local/regional scene to national artists.

Emily can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and her personal website.

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This month, we are interviewing photographer Beverly Cash.  A native from California, she presently lives in North Wales.  A self-confessed ‘capturer of light’, Beverly loves to experiment in various genres like astrophotography, but has found her home in landscape photography.

FYP: Tell us a little about yourself (years of photography, location, favourite things to do etc.)

Beverly: I’m a native of Palm Springs, California, currently living in North Wales.  I’ve been into photography off and on since I was 8 or 9, after getting my first camera.  Did much to alleviate the boredom of Southern Californian, desert summers.  We had lots of National Geographics in the house, and dreamt of travelling the world photographing for them…as I’m sure many have!  After that camera broke, didn’t have another until I was 17 or 18 when I swapped a stereo for a 35mm camera a friend had, and was well into things again for a few years.

Then life otherwise kind of took off, and it was all work and mothering for many years, and not much time for anything else.  As with many people, digital got me back into the thick again, and had various digital cameras from the offset.  I started to get serious back around 2003/2004, when digital started getting better.  I had a lovely Minolta (R.I.P Minolta!) that took stunning images, even for a rated 4.5MP!  After moving to North Wales from Merseyside, I found where I really love to be, taking landscapes.  I still love macro, architecture and all sorts though.  I’ve had a lifelong love of astrophotography, from my love of astronomy, and am hoping to dive more into that.  I have thus far only used my 4 inch refractor scope for shooting the moon though.  Some odd bits about me; I used to make hats and I used to do a bit of cabaret as well.  I’ve not had a TV for about 5 years and don’t really miss it!

FYP: Have you had formal training in Photography?

Beverly: Not at all, I was actually a high school drop out at 15, having to work full-time from then because of, lets just say ‘odd’ parents. I worked with a fake I.D until I was 18, and legal to work; so even finishing basic schooling was informal, as I had to get a GED on my own sometime after that.   I learnt a lot, especially about using Photoshop and Lightroom, from someone who would end up being my closest of friends.  I’ve considered him my personal guru! That’s the closest I’ve gotten to any formal training.  Though, he does sometimes work as a photography tutor, so his help was very thorough and he’s just an amazing photographer and digital imagist.

FYP: What camera and equipment do you currently use?

Beverly: My main camera is a Canon 5D MII, I also use a Canon 40D that I have recently had converted, having both the IR and UV filters removed.  I swapped one of my film cameras for a Canon G10 with underwater housing too, but haven’t tried it to its obvious potential yet.  I also have a Canon EOS 3 and five film cameras.

My main lens is a 16-35mm L lens.  I have various lenses otherwise, though they rarely see the light of day!  I use a variety of Lee filters, almost always at least having a ND grad of some sort on.  I normally use, the rather odd, Benbo tripod.  It’s brilliant for plopping down quickly on odd surfaces and rocks…though took some getting used to!

FYP: Where do you see yourself in five years time?

Beverly: I’d like to see myself as that National Geographic photographer!  Canon ambassador would be equally superb.  Surely not much competition for either of those! Haha.  Aside from one of those ultimate jobs, I’d be happy to work for a magazine.

Hopefully incorporating travelling into my photography more too, as I also love geology and history, and would love to get images of some of the amazing places around the globe.  I sometimes think about a cafe/gallery…but it would be closed on any given day that the conditions were just right anyway!  Some letters after my name would be good too.  I’m a bit of a completist though, and long by then hope to be completely proficient in every aspect of photography, whether they are my main pursuits or not. As I just like to know how to do everything myself!

FYP: What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your photographic career?

Beverly: The cost of equipment probably.  I’ve been on my own raising my daughter for a long time, as I never had any assistance from my ex-husband, so it was very hard juggling what I really needed to buy to go professional with budgeting for everyday necessities.  If not that, perhaps being taken seriously.

FYP: Who is your favourite artist?

Beverly: My favorite artists and biggest influences would be painters moreso than photographers, oddly enough.  Though, there are so many incredible photographers around, known and unknown, whose work I enjoy.  My close friend Andy Wilson, who helped me round Photoshop and really got me more into landscapes, would have to be my favorite photographer and biggest influence, and it all started with one photograph of his.  It helps that he’s a bit like me and likes to do all sorts, including night photography.  But he’s not only an incredible photographer, he also does absolutely amazing digital images.

But paintings are truly magical. I often find my favorite photographs of my own are ones that look kind of like paintings.  I love Renaissance painters like Botticelli and Raphael, Impressionist paintings by Corot are spectacular, and I love surrealism, like Dali.  I also follow a prolific painter on Google+ named Mikko Tyllinen; he does stunning paintings.

FYP: Where do you find your inspiration?

Beverly: Nature, man-made scenery, others photography, others art…just everything I see and all around me….probably a pretty cliche’ answer!

FYP: What are your favourite techniques or methods?

Beverly: To start a day, I check the surf report for the beaches, check tide times and wind directions, then have a slew of weather webcams to sight-check the actual conditions for beaches and mountains, then check the satellite imagery to see if it looks like it’ll only cloud up later (weather forecasts being generally unreliable in the micro-climate here).  There’s nothing worse than driving out or walking somewhere and the conditions go bleak, or worse… it often happens in North Wales!  I also couldn’t live without my ND filters. My favorite is my 1.2 hard gradient, perfect for sunsets.

FYP: How much emphasis do you put on post-production?

Beverly: I tend to do everything and throw the kitchen sink in too…and then many times end up just sharpening and adjusting the levels or simple things like that in the end! Sometimes takes me AGES to process an image because of it, but I just like to see how it looks doing this and that and the kitchen sink before deciding!

FYP: What genre would you most like to experiment in?

Beverly: Probably deep space astrophotography, like nebulae and such. I wouldn’t mind underwater photography too….or concert photography, but only if it were like, over-the-top rock bands that were fun to photograph!

FYP: If you could photograph anyone/anywhere in the world, who/where would you photograph?

Beverly: Pretty much everywhere!! So many amazing places in the world, from ice and snow to deserts… coasts and mountains… so many places!

FYP: Have you got any hints or tips to share with aspiring photographers?

Beverly: Find what you really love in it and work on perfecting it technically, without losing your creativity.  Find people who you can accept constructive criticism from… it does no good just having ‘yes’ people who say your images are lovely all the time.  See if there’s a camera club around where you live, they can be great for meeting other photographers, honing your skills and entering competitions.  Though I’ve not been very active in it for a while, I am a member of Conwy Camera Club and found it a great experience.

FYP: What is your favourite way to de-stress?

Beverly: Just out in the wilds shooting, on the beaches, in the mountains. No troubles bother me when I’m out there. It’s even better when with a friend. If all else, singing or really nice food will do too!

FYP: Thanks, Beverly! Great talking to you, good luck with the future!

Beverly: Thank you and likewise. Thank you for including me on your lovely website, cheers!

You can contact and find Beverly here:

Website

Google+

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Each Monday, we’ll highlight one indie photographer whose body of work deserves special recognition. Please enjoy their photography here, and make it a point to enjoy the rest of their work on their website.

Matteo Fiorelli, 27, hails from La Spezia, Italy and is employed as a mechanical engineer.  Although he considers himself an “amateur photographer,” the photography on this page tells a different story.   Matteo does not have a particular style of photography, however, he is very instinctive of his surroundings and will shoot whatever is interesting.  Matteo is not one to place his style into any category, but if he had to choose his favorite types of photography, he prefers to shoot portrait, street, concert, and people generally.

His photographic arsenal includes a Canon 50D, which he received as a graduation gift, and a Nikkormat ft from the sixties with a 50mm f1.4.  The Nikkormat is a film camera, and he finds it very difficult to get a good photograph using this method.  Matteo’s lens’ of choice include a 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 and a 50mm f1.8II, both from Canon.   The 50mm is perfect for portrait photography, however, Matteo is intrigued by the wide angle lens, so much that he recently purchased a Tokina 11-16mm f2.8.   This lens allows him to stay close to the subject, which he likens to stepping into the picture, a gratifying sensation from a photographer’s point of view.  Overall Matteo’s lens choice falls between an ultra-wide angle and a 50mm with proper aperture of course!

Preparation is the key for Matteo, so before the shutter button is pressed he seeks out composition and viewpoint to avoid cropping in post.   He shoots primarily in RAW, and in most situations has his ISO set to 200-400 to freeze the frame.   In post production Matteo uses Adobe Lightroom and the histogram tool to correct any imbalance in exposure.  After the exposure is balanced, he moves on to tone, vignette, and noise.  The next stop is Adobe Photoshop where final dodging, burning, mid tones, and shadows are adjusted.   Matteo compares the final shadow adjustment process to working in a traditional darkroom.

Matteo does not have one subject that he enjoys shooting.  His goal is to take his surroundings, despite what it may be, and convey another point of view and evoke emotion by telling a story with each photograph.   He would also like to learn how to use fill-flash settings when shooting backlit subjects in manual mode.

Matteo admires photographers Henri Cartier-Bresson and Jeanloup Sieff, however, his list goes on. Make sure you connect with him online to learn about the other photographers whom he draws inspiration.

Matteo would like to try photojournalism, to go places where emotions are strong and degradation is commonplace, to tell the stories of the human soul through photography.  Shoot 4 Change, a free association of photographers is one such organization that Matteo compares to this type of photography.

You can find Matteo on Facebook and Google+, as well as his portfolio on 500px.

Lastly, Matteo asked that I end the article with the following statement:

“I would like to thank Bryan for his patience and consideration given to me, and best regards to all the team of Indie Spotlight & Fuel your Photography!”

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[ Editor's Note: This week's Indie Spotlight comes from our latest addition to the team, Alicia Poole, a photography student from the UK. She has plans to become a multiple threat by pursuing a Graphic Design degree as well and has shown she has a great eye by posting some fantastic work on her Flickr page, which you all should check out. Enjoy! ]

With the growing popularity of monochrome photography, I try to look for images that are unique. So it was clear that when studying Steve Landeros’ work, that I had found a photographer who could capture that uniqueness and such beauty in his images.

[ Editor's Note: Today, we feature a new addition to the team, Alicia Poole. She is a photography student who hails from the UK and has not only great photographic skills, but also has many other talents like singing and sonqwriting. She's got quite the gift, as is shown in her images, so we hope you enjoy her discoveries as much as we do! ]

Landeros has most recently been capturing some of his captivating images with a medium format, Hasselblad 500C/M. Though, when shooting digitally, Landeros is equipped with a Canon 5D MKII. When queried, Landeros revealed that his favourite lens to use digitally is the 24-70mm f/2.8, which he mainly uses around the range of 50mm. When working with the medium format, on his Hasselblad, he said that his favourite lens to use is the 80mm f/2.8.

Two subjects that Landeros would love the opportunity to photograph are the Golden Gate Bridge from the top of one of the towers, and Death Valley, in the US State of Nevada.

Landeros says that there is much information out there, in the world of photography, but believes that photographers should ‘To take time to truly see what it is you’re photographing- there is a lot going on in that viewfinder and with a little extra time to study your surroundings, things will come together.’

Once, when Landeros was using his 5D MKII, he decided to customize one of his rear buttons for focusing, he then ended up accidentally hitting the Liveview feature and realized how well this feature worked for composing and focusing his old screw on his 10 Stop ND Filter – thus discovering a technique that he still uses today.

When prompted for two photographers that he admires, Landeros is quick to admit that it’s a hard question, with so many amazing artists to name, but settles on Michael Kenna and Steen Doessing. Michael Kenna has opened his eyes to the medium format analog, whilst Doessing has influenced him to create monochrome waterscapes.

Landeros is currently studying the art of ‘wet printing’ – as it is only natural for him to move into darkroom experimentation now that he works with analog photography. He also states that he will be spending more time experimenting with nocturnal long exposures of land and seascapes.

Steve Landeros’ work can be viewed on his personal website, or on Flickr.

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Bill Gerrard is our contest winner of the FYP October Photography Contest, congratulations Bill!  I addition to being featured in our Indie Spotlight Bill also won an annual 500px.com account.  Here is Bill’s winning image.

Bill is an eclectic photographer from  Northern Utah in the United States, but he has also recently lived in Las Vegas, Nevada and Southern California.  Bill’s favorite subjects to shoot are landscapes, automotive, architecture, events and portraiture.

Bill’s primary camera is the Canon EOS 5D but he usually has his Canon PowerShot S90 in his pocket for those moments that he is unable to have his SLR.   A true photographer is rarely without his camera and Bill finds that for a point and shoot camera, the Canon S90 produces quality images, while it lacks the control afforded by the 5D the image is far better than no image at all.  Bill’s stalwart lens is his  Canon 24-105mm f/4L.  He finds that  it gives him a nice range for anything from landscapes to portraits.

Bill admittedly says that his workflow is rather quite simple.  The majority of his work (landscapes, automotive, events) is captured in natural light.  He uses artificial light sparingly for portraiture and special effects in which one of his favorite techniques to use is “dragging the shutter”, dragging the shutter shows motion and then freezes the subject matter with second curtain flash, here is a video link to explain the technique.

After Bill has captured his images he then loads them into Adobe Lightroom and usually apply some presets to give the image some pop or special toning (vintage, etc.).  He then processes some of those images with the Topaz Adjust feature, many of his automotive images are processed in Topaz giving them that HDR like look, on the rare occasion he loads an image into  Adobe Photoshop but that is only when the image requires  special attention.

Bill has an extensive list of places he’d like to photograph for  for landscape photography, however with his growing interest in photographing people, he has an interest in mixing people with his landscapes in interesting ways. He has already experimented with this technique had hopes to do many more.

Bill has started a process of discovery in which he experiments more with post processing techniques that give his images a vintage or yesteryear look, or even a grungy or more atmospheric look. There are a lot of presets available for Lightroom that make this easy, or that give a base or idea to start with. He suggests experimenting with Lightroom in this way. Download some of the free presets and see what creative processing can do to an image.

Bill has one of those motivational pictures of a basketball court that says “You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” and he takes this advice to heart.  Bill advises  “No matter what kind of camera you have, get out and start shooting.  The more photos you take the better the photographer you will become.”

Bill discovered  his love of automotive photography completely by accident.  He had always admired the old wooden bodied automobiles that were manufactured in the early 1900’s affectionately known as “woodies”.  One summer at the local county fair, his wife purchased a really cool photograph of a group of these woodies lined up in an old warehouse.  While completing the purchase his wife mentioned to the photographer that her husband Bill  liked woodies and the photographer suggested that she advise him to attend a woodie show coming up the next month near their hometown.  It was slated be the biggest gathering of wooden bodied cars in the world.

While had had never done any type of automotive photography before, Bill jumped in with both feet when he got there; he was in heaven.  Everywhere he looked there were these beautiful wooden cars and he started shooting right away.  He was awed by the wood grain, being a photographer he appreciated the craftsmanship. he admired the reflections in the chrome and lacquered surfaces.  Bill found that everywhere he turned there was an image waiting to be captured.  This love of woodies was further cemented when he post processed his photographs with the previously mentioned Topaz Adjust technique that he was taught by Rick Sammon.

Bill has a few photographers whose work he really admires.  He is inspired by Art Wolfe’s landscape and people photography, in fact Bills says that Art’s work has inspired him to visit some of the places where he has captured some of his best images.  He also appreciates  John Telford’s work in photographing and documenting historic buildings of worship has inspired much of his architecture photography.  Not leaving out the old pioneers, he was initially first inspired to landscape photography through the work of  Ansel Adams.

One of the styles that Bill has on his bucket list to try is light painting .  He is in awe of the quality of the photographs being produced now and seeks to join a group of local photographers who get together on a regular basis to experiment with the technique, he admires the light orbs they create using steel wool and other objects in the execution of the technique.

Bill has also created a few images mixing people or wildlife photography with landscape photography wants to spend more time exploring that genre.

You may view more of Bill’s work at his website where he has images for sale, on his Facebook page and he has just started populating his 500px.com presence.