Oh Crop! Issue 9 - Inspiration Edition: Part One

Oh Crop!

Issue 9: August 2023

inspiration edition part one

7 photographers we've all met which one are you?

aerial photography adventures with Georgina Vincent

experiences of a WILDLIFE photographer

film photography made me better Sarah Harbuck

interviews with motorsport & wedding photographers

SHOOTING with the STARS with Blaine Gibby

reflections of street photographer Hugh Rawson

featured galleries

Mike Olbinski - Marcus Solbakk JakobsenDarren Gentle - Kirsty Greenland - Chris Horner

Hey everyone!

Wow! I can’t believe that it’s been 11 years since our last issue in 2012. So much has changed since then. If we ignore the global changes and focus solely on Oh Crop! , then our writers and photographers have moved onwards to better things. Most of us have gotten married, had kids, bought our homes, and/or (more importantly) have dogs and in some cases all of the above.

Times have certainly changed but that’s absolutely a fantastic thing. I came up with Oh Crop! Magazine in 2009 and I remember it to this day, in fact. I was running late for a lecture in super “boring-ness”. Very riveting stuff. Suddenly, I thought about photography (no idea why). I remember thinking, “Hey Chi (yes, I talk to myself), you know your stuff, you’ve been exposed to all sorts of styles. Let’s create a guide, a tutorial, oh my god! A. Mag. A. Zine. You need a name but oh crap, you’re late for class… Holy Hannah... Wait! Hold the phone, shut the front door! You can call it Oh Crop! Magazine.” And thus, Oh Crop! was born.

I messaged my designer friend, Annabelle Latter, and asked her thoughts on it and that is how it started. Yes, it was my idea, I developed it the way I wanted it to be developed, but Belle turned an idea, a drawing, a dream into reality! I was the canvas but she was the artist (literally, now that I think about it). If you ask me now “Who created the magazine?” I would say the Latter (yes, 1000000% pun intended), was the reason for the success that it is.

It was a pleasure and an honour working with the team back then. Photographers like the highly talented Abigail Ferguson (née Thompson), who is now a successful writer and editor for Pop Photo. With their talent, motivation and dedication we were able to turn a young man’s dream into reality. I’m truly proud of what OhCrop! was, even if at the time it was a bunch of inexperienced students trying to teach people what photography is!

But it was that experience, that common love of something so profoundly beautiful which brought all the writers and photo submitters together. This is what spurred us to write this special edition. Belle, Abby, and I want to inspire the next generation of photographers.

We hope that whoever reads this special edition is inspired whatever their level. Photography is so broad, so open to interpretation that one must approach it with open arms. Change your style up. Take photos of things you wouldn’t normally take photos of. Go out of your comfort zone. Wildlife photographer? Try street photography. Street photographer? Try portraits. Explore, experiment, and endeavour to go beyond your experience.

At OhCrop! we aspire to inspire. We want you, whether you’re a reader or a writer, amateur or expert, to think and go beyond your current experience. The more you experiment, the more you learn, and the more you learn then the better and more experienced you’ll be.

If you can do that, then those at Oh Crop! Magazine will stand up proudly. Either way, thank you for reading and good luck with your photography!

In Oh Crop! this month... decade

Editor-in-Chief: Chi Lau

Deputy Editor: Abigail Ferguson

Copy Editor: Kathryn Black

Magazine Designer: Annabelle Latter

Illustrations: Tom Rickard

Front Cover: Nicole Koslik Q nicole.mari.k

Back Cover: Rachel Riley Q the.ginger.geordie

7 Photographers we’ve

Words by Chi Lau Wayfaring Wanderer Q chibearphotography

Based on

a

concept by Renz Andres Q renzandres

Illustrations by Tom Rickard Q tom_on_illustration

Welcome to the captivating realm of photography! We’ve all met a dynamic range of characters, all of whom add their own unique twist to our photographic community. We’ve focussed it down to 7 photographer personality types where many photographers, if not all, fall under at least one category* but you will certainly have met them! So, who are the diverse cast of photographers we’ve all had the pleasure of meeting? Our contributors have all picked out a type that represents them the most. You can see what they picked out next to their name and profile. Who do you think you are? Seriously, who?

*Thisisframedasalight-heartedarticle,nottobetakenseriouslyoraccurately!Itwasliterallywritteninacoffee shopwhileconsumingcopiousamountsofoatcappuccinosandperfectingmypunsandawesomealliterations. Thereisnodepth(offield)tothisarticle.Also,sorry(notsorry)forthepuns!

The Social Storyteller

Like a social butterfly, our Social Storyteller is focussed on the relationships between people and objects. Their photo is all about the unspoken communication and bond between things, be they family and friends or person and object. They are our dedicated documentarians developing a healthy obsession with emotions and relationships. This makes them uniquely emphatic, warm and kind because they truly care about people, which shines through in their work. Our tireless time travellers are passionate and thoroughly determined to take curiously candid captures and bring to light the essence of nostalgia. However, they can care too much about their subjects and may be more willing to compromise over things.

The Ambitious Artist

Ah, the Ambitious Artist. They are the creators of crop (factor), the idealists of ISO, and the rulers of the rule of thirds. All photographers are creative, but this one? Oh! They dream of the perfect composition, that wisp of fog on a magical abstract morning. They will spend hours and hours playing and experimenting until their art is achieved but, frustratingly, it never is! These eccentric, exploratory artisans of the angle are perceptive perfectionists who see everything like Neo sees The Matrix (no, not sushi recipes); unique beauty that was placed there by the universe solely for the purpose of being photographed. But be warned, for they can be so focussed on that artistic impression that they forget to enjoy those fleeting moments.

The Wayfaring Wanderer

Picture this - a nomadic soul traversing the wide aperture valleys, swimming across the fast shutter seas, tripod in hand, and chasing sunsets like there’s no tomorrow. This knight in shining bokeh is an adventurer at heart, who lives to immerse themselves in culture. Their curiosity about the world in which we live leads them to explore and enquire, leaving no stone unturned. The Wayfaring Wanderer is full of charisma and confidence, having met many people from many different cultures across their many journeys. But they can be unpredictable because they don’t always like to stay in one place, looking for that glorious moment in a far away land.

we’ve all met...

The Technical Talker

“Give a person a camera and they will take a photo; give a Technical Talker a camera and they will talk about a photo”. Those wise words were once spoken by Ansel Adams (probably). They are smart enough to know and understand the meaning of obscure facts and concepts that the mere mortal is not even aware of, much less understands. Forever verbal virtuosos, the Technical Talker can sometimes be so intense, that to understand them is to try and learn ancient Sumerian. But despite this, they are driven, with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge that rivals that of Albert Einstein, which makes them the go to for many who seek that photographic wisdom from a wizard of the word.

The Nature Nerd

Patience is the name of the game, especially for our Nature Nerds. They are the ones who like to lie in the mud hoping that that beautiful, majestic deer looks their way or wake up at 3am for that magical sunrise. They will wait hours, even days, lying on anthills in the cold and rain making no noise, for that one elusive photo because nature is patient and so must they be. They are highly practical, however, because mother nature does not care about their desire to capture the northern lights, so the Nature Nerd makes do and ‘adapters’ to the ever-changing weather. This love of nature and the outdoors may lead to the Nature Nerd being too independent and when it’s time to go back to reality, the Nature Nerd will sit by the window and sigh, for Gaea whispers out to them.

The Camera Collector

Some call them the connoisseurs of cameras, others call them the geeks of gear (great band name!). These Camera Collectors are obsessed with collecting cameras and lenses, whether they be old or new. They are the Indiana Jones of the photography world, dodging boulders and hunting down that artefact in a dark, dusty photographic cave (hopefully while no one is getting sacrificed to the Weather Gods). These are some of the most dedicated photographers out there because the cost of the camera is nothing compared to the treasure trove of photographic history but this, in turn, can make them rather inflexible because they have to get that latest gear to add to their collection.

The Snooty Shooter

No one ever wants to admit that they are one, but every photographer has been exposed to a Snooty Shooter. They are the condescending Kings and Queens of the photography kingdom. These pixel peepers may know their stuff (sometimes) but if you cannot match their level then you are, quite simply put, not good enough for them. Their honesty and directness are great at times for when you want advice but often it can be quick to turn into judgement. Judgement of your photos, of your camera, and of your skills. Take great photos but use a compact camera? Then beware, for only the finest gear does the Snooty Shooter revere.

Mike Olbinski

Q mikeolbinski

K mikeolbinski.com

Interests: Storm chasing and weddings.

Social Storyteller

“

Take your time and the universe will reward you the way it rewarded me

”

WILDLIFE

Experiences of a photographer

Words and photos by Frederikke Hejbøl Jensen Nature Nerd Q thefrederikkejensen K frederikkejensen.com

I thought it would be a good idea to start off by introducing myself. My name is Frederikke Jensen, I’m 23 years old and I’m a wildlife photographer. I was 18 when I started taking photos and I tried taking landscape photos. Tried being the keyword here. I’m Danish and I live in Denmark, which might be the flattest country in the world and landscape-wise not very interesting or impressive. We do have a few cool spots here and there, but as I didn’t have a driving licence, I was kinda stuck photographing what was close to home. And what was close to home? Wildlife. Growing up I was very indoorsy. I spent a lot of my childhood playing inside, which is such a shame, considering I grew up in a small village in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nature. It actually wasn’t until photography piqued my interest that I really started to appreciate the place where I grew up, which is honestly quite sad. But now, I appreciate nature that much more because of it - at least that’s what I’d like to think.

While I loved spending time indoors growing up, I also really enjoyed looking at the wildlife that would visit my grandparents backyard on a daily basis. I have spent countless hours watching deer, pheasants, hares, and the occasional fox with my father and grandfather. Naturally, I had to combine my newfound

love of photography with my love of wildlife. So, that’s what I did. Back then I only had the standard telephoto lens - a 70-300mm lens, not the most impressive lens, but it was what I had available and it did the job. My first wildlife photos were so incredibly bad, but I had a lot of fun with it and I really wanted to improve, so I kept shooting. I’m very glad (and proud) that I did, because I have this rather dumb habit of giving up if I’m not immediately good at something. But, some four years later, I’m at a point now where I’m quite proud of the photos I’m taking. That being said, I don’t think I’ll ever be one hundred percent happy with my photos; I think there will always be something that I can improve upon.

I’m really lucky - and not to mention incredibly privileged - to be able to photograph all of these amazing animals in their natural habitat. I have had so many wonderful and memorable experiences photographing wildlife, the most memorable one probably being photographing a beautiful vixen and her ten cubs. A couple of years ago, my friend and I drove three hours to the northern part of Denmark. We got there just before sunrise at 5am, hoping to catch them playing in the golden light. But did they come out? Of course

not! Perpetual disappointment is the default when it comes to being a wildlife photographer. However, we did drive three hours to get there so we weren’t gonna give up that easily. We waited near the den and after eight hours the cutest cubs emerged from the den. After a while, one of them had gathered enough courage to come a bit closer to me and eventually he came all the way up to me. Luckily, I wasn’t shooting with prime lenses back then so I captured a photo of him staring right into my lens at 122mm - which is pretty amazing and kinda unheard of. Hasn’t happened to me since and it’s probably a great example of a once in a lifetime experience - safe to say, one I’ll never forget!

Another memorable experience I have had was photographing raccoon dogs a couple years ago. My friend’s trail cam had picked up a family of raccoon dogs living in a clearing in the forest. Usually, raccoon dogs are nocturnal but for some reason these guys weren’t, because of the trail cam we could see that they were active around 2pm pretty much every day. So we went there around 12:30 to set up our tripods. We set them up in different places, I (very) stupidly set mine up in an anthill and didn’t notice until they were all over me.

After about an hour of sitting there I couldn’t take it anymore so I moved my tripod and thank God for that decision - not only did I get rid of the ants by moving but also after about 15 minutes in the new spot the cutest little raccoon dog cub walked right up to me and I spent a good 20 minutes photographing him. When I was about to leave the clearing I noticed the mother had come out too, so I got a couple photos of her as well. My ankles were red and itchy for about a week afterwards because of the ant bites but the photos I got were worth it and had it not been for the ants I most likely wouldn’t have gotten the photos I did. So, massive shoutout

“ Photography has - without sounding overly dramatic - changed my life completely”

to the ants, couldn’t have done it without you!

Photography has - without sounding overly dramatic - changed my life completely. I’m pretty shy, so talking to (and meeting) people is something I find quite difficult, so I’m really glad and thankful that I got into photography, because I’ve met so many wonderful people and gotten some incredible opportunities because of it that I otherwise wouldn’t have. One of them being working with Nikonwhich is something I never even dared to dream of, but it happened and I still can’t believe they want to work with me. In all honesty when they contacted me, I thought it was a scam because why would Nikon want to work with a 20 year old nobody. But to my surprise it wasn’t a scam and I’m incredibly proud and not to mention grateful to be working with them.

Last summer I travelled to the Hornstrandir peninsula in the Westfjords of Iceland. Beautiful untouched nature, wildlife and no connection to the outside world. I had such an amazing time and I wouldn’t hesitate for a second if I ever got the chance to go back there again. Spending three days in a place with no internet connection would have been my worst nightmare just a few years ago and

had it not been for my interest in photography and photographing nature and wildlife I would most likely never have visited what is now one of my favourite places in the world. While my previous self would never have gone on a trip like that, 22 year old me admittedly did find it pretty difficult not having an internet connection, but I survived and got some photos of Arctic foxes so it was definitely worth it.

Even though I have only been taking photos for around four years I think I have learned a lot about myself and photography.

I’m mostly self taught through trial and error and YouTube (thanks Peter McKinnon). I definitely don’t have the most technical knowledge when it comes to cameras or lenses but I’d like to think that I know my gear well enough to be able to take somewhat decent photos. Fake it 'til you make it! One thing I have learned about myself is that I’ve got exactly zero percent patience when it comes to waiting, which is kind of a problem when you’re a wildlife photographer, but thankfully I’ve got my phone to distract me and help me pass time until my animal friends decide to come out and pose for me. When I’m outside and staring at my phone instead of paying attention to what’s going on in front of me, I have probably

missed quite a few shots which is something I definitely regret, but there’s not much I can do about it when the alternative is either not going or going insane.

If you’re interested in wildlife photography I thought I’d offer some tips (and a warning). My number one tip would be to research the species you want to photograph. It’s a lot easier to photograph the animal if you know how it tends to behave, where it usually lives and when it’s most active etc. Another very helpful thing when photographing wildlife is to be cautious of the direction of the wind. Because if a wild animal can smell you, it’ll most likely run away. I love what I do. Yes, I lie on ant hills. I spend hours waiting for that one perfect moment that you see but ultimately it’s that patience, that desire to get the perfect moment that captures (pun intended) my attention. If you want to get into it then I urge you to have patience. I can spend hours taking one photo but my perseverance is the reason I get the photo that I get. Don’t let the lack of movement or action deter you. Take your time and the universe will reward you the way it rewarded me. That’s the best advice I can give you and regardless of the outcome, you’ll enjoy it and you’ll learn from it. ¶

Marcus Solbakk

Jakobsen

Q itsmarcusen

Interests: Wildlife and landscape.

Ambitious Artist

Through Her Eyes

a pursuit of ground and aerial photography adventures

Words and photos by Georgina Vincent Nature Nerd Q georginavincent

Like most photographers

I started my journey as a hobbyist, dabbling in ground photography when out and about with friends, although I didn’t really have much of a clue what I was doing. My photos never saw the light of day, untouched by the magic of Lightroom as I didn’t even know how to use it! Then, a gamechanger arrived: I bought my first drone. Inspired by aerial landscapes my friends and other creatives were capturing on their travels. Fast forward 18 transformative months, I’ve made heaps of progress in my photography journey in both ground and aerial photography from taking landscape photos on my travels to delivering professional-grade photography services to clients.

My first photography trip with my drone was to Iceland which isn’t a bad place to start! You’re spoilt for choice there when it comes to the landscapes and it definitely made it easier for myself being a newbie, having crazy textures, colours and compositions to capture at every location you stop at. I think travelling around Iceland for 10 days and being amongst so much unearthly beauty, opened my eyes up to a whole new world and it gave me a taste for what else is out there. All I wanted to do, when I returned to the UK, was to look into my next trip. I travelled to eight different countries within the next year, which wasn’t typical for me as I’d only ever been on one or two holidays a year until then. Many people travel in a similar way for different reasons, however, I think photography

(especially aerial) has encouraged me to explore incredible places I wouldn’t have otherwise known about. Instead of spending my money on lovely hotels/ resorts for a week, (while this is understandably ideal for some), I prefer to spend my money on experiences and exploring as much of a country as possible. If that means living off pot noodles and no showers for a few days, so I can afford to see these places and extend my trips longer than a week, then so be it! Exploring new places everyday is like falling in love again and again (except you don’t get your heart broken, so it’s even better).

Launching the drone into the air also offers a view that can almost never be experienced from ground level or wherever you’re standing. For example, the

colourful braided rivers in Iceland are one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever seen. The same goes for patterns and textures directly above the lava flows, watching new land be formed. Neither of those can be seen from the ground. Capturing landscape images with a drone offers a whole new perspective. Moments like those are what drove me to carry on travelling and taking photos/aerial videos.

Although, it wasn’t just about taking pictures; it opened up a whole new world of opportunities. I found a wonderful and encouraging community of likeminded creators through social media, I’ve met fascinating people, discovered daily inspiration and it has provided me with a constant source of growth and opportunity to learn. I also tried my luck at entering two of my images into the aerial landscapes category of the British Photography Awards 2022 and among thousands of submissions, both images were nominated into the top 20 which was a huge milestone for me being so new to the world of photography.

My journey has also unlocked a new level of dedication, pushing me to continuously enhance my skills and I embrace the valuable lessons gained from the countless mistakes I’ve made (trust me there are a lot!). With it, I’ve naturally started to develop skills in videography & video editing too as the two come hand in hand (although it gets a lot more expensive!). As the world rapidly gravitates towards video content, I think it’s crucial for anyone in this field who aspires to build a career,

to broaden their horizons and offer a diverse range of services to clients.

One huge aspect which has also shaped my journey is collaborating with other creatives during my travels which has been an invaluable source of knowledge, as so much of what I learn is from what I pick up from others. We’re all there to encourage each other which is such a wholesome experience.

Because of photography I’ve made friends for life who I adore and who are there for both personal and creative matters.

I plan to travel to South East Asia this year where I’ll be meeting up with others I’ve connected

with on Instagram. I’ve had many conversations about a plethora of industry topics but it’s especially warming when practically strangers have opened up to me, which is something really beautiful considering we live in an age where we think we’ve lost our human connection to one another but arguably we’re connecting to more people than ever before. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other creators in your field or niche, compliment their work, ask them for advice, share tips on photography or travel locations and watch your world grow!

My only regret is that I didn’t start this journey sooner. While at film school I wanted to try the

“ My only regret is that I didn’t start this journey sooner”

technical side of things such as working with cameras and lighting, however there were people in my class that had started the course with some experience and knowledge in it already who were better at it. So while we all had to funnel into specific roles pretty promptly within the first year, I was encouraged to turn to the more production side of things as it’s what I was good at and what I knew. I went with it and that was seven years ago so that’s seven years I can’t get back from growing and developing in something that I love. But hey, everything happens for a reason and I believe that I’m on the path to where I need to go.

My advice would be if you want to try something new but you’re intimidated or worried you won’t be good at it, trust your gut and just go for it anyway. Ignore the internal chatter. Chances are you will probably suck at first, you’ll fail and be frustrated but that’s what developing skills is all about… Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time, patience, and a lot of dedication. But what’s the issue when you’re enjoying it anyway?! The thing I struggle with the most is imposter syndrome, which I’m sure everyone within the industry feels at some stage of their journey. My contract as production coordinator recently ended so I’m now

fully embracing this freedom to work on progressing myself as a freelance photographer/ videographer/drone pilot. Having only started taking photography seriously about 18 months ago, it’s easy to feel like I’m not ready enough to turn this into a career or not put myself forward for job opportunities because I think others are more skilled than me. But I know a lot of that is actually just in my head.

Plus every job I take is another opportunity to learn and expand my skill set. If we never push ourselves out of our comfort zone then we’ll spend a lot of time messing about at the same level and not progressing at the rate you have the potential and capacity to. I have learnt this from previous experience but I’ve also learnt that pushing myself out of my comfort zone has made me feel way more rewarded afterwards proving to myself that I am capable instead of having that lingering thought of ‘what if’. As for my ‘goals’, I’m not entirely sure where I am going at the moment. The next year or so is going to be about travel and developing my visual storytelling skills. I never had a gap year so better late than never, right? I’ll be working on my business, exploring, flying, staying creative and who knows I may even eventually find my true niche. Above all, I want to develop myself as a person and I think that’s a big enough goal for now. I’m not in a huge rush to figure out exactly where I need to be right now because I know I’m headed in the right direction and my path will naturally unfold as I continue to explore the realms of this newly found passion. ¶

Pit Stop with Alison Arena

When/where did your interest in photography begin? What about motorsport photography specifically? How did you get your start?

My parents were really into photography and had a dark room in their closet during college. They were always shooting (though just as a hobby) so I was always surrounded by it. Then, when I was in middle school, my dad gave me a camera and helped me build a dark room in the basement. I always knew photography was what I wanted to do, so I went to school for it and was lucky to also learn the business side of things in that programme. I travelled a lot, and my work was largely photojournalistic during my travels. In terms of motorsports, I always had a passive interest but had no background of racing enthusiasts around me. At one point, I discovered drifting when it was still very new. It was fascinating to me to see this new sport develop. The people are what drew me to it initially since they were so different from traditional, high-level racing. I could humanise them in my photographs more so than in other types of racing. And because it was new, I got a lot more access than other events, so I could build my portfolio a lot faster.

What are the requirements for motorsport photographers in terms of safety equipment? Every series and event is different in terms of rules, so it just depends. Baja races and most off-roading events have no rules at all. You don’t need a helmet or vest, and there are no restrictions in terms of where you can or can’t stand. It’s all a matter of what level of risk you are willing to take.

IMSA, on the other hand, you always have to have a vest on, which has a number on the back to identify you. You can’t stand or lean on any walls. If there is a hot pit, you have to have a helmet on, and if there is live refuelling and you are over the wall, you need a fire suit and helmet. And then Indie racing has its own set of rules.

Across all events, though, there are some general things to remember. Don’t lean on things, and don’t lie or sit down all the way. You need to be in a position to move immediately if there is a car coming your way. You need to have your head on a swivel and constantly be aware of what is going on, ready to react since things happen in an instant in racing.

Alison Arena interviewed by Abigail Ferguson Q ignitemediaphoto

What is your favourite piece of gear? What equipment do you need to get started?

To get started, really, all you need is a camera and a lens. What is best depends on the location, light, and what type of image I’m going for. Generally speaking, a 70-200mm is my workhorse lens. It can cover most things that you may want to get at the track. A 50mm prime is also an excellent one to have, though it won’t work as well for trackside stuff.

Do you have a memory or moment of photographing races (or motorsport shoots in general) that stands out to you?

Not a specific moment, but the Indie500 is always a highlight. It’s a blessing and a curse because there is so much going on with so many people in a small space. But it’s electric with so much energy and emotion.

Could you walk us through a typical day in the life of a race photographer?

Since I live on the West Coast, I typically have to travel to the East Coast, where most of the races are. That

means a full travel day starting at 4 am. Once I’m there, I’m getting my equipment together and heading to the track to get a spot in the media centre (though you have to set up and break down every day). I get my golf cart and start doing candids in the paddock and any first sessions, and then try to edit photos for clients if I have time. Then I tackle trackside stuff, try to eat lunch, and rinse and repeat. I’ll edit as much as possible in the media centre and then break down my setup and typically keep editing at the Airbnb or hotel. Then I wake up and do the same thing, more or less. I have to photograph meet and greets between drivers and sponsors, staged shoots with the drivers and cars, candids, and so on.

What is the best and worst thing about your job?

The best thing is that I get to do what I love. I love hitting the shots and the push to do better. The worst is the time I spend away from my family because of the travel. It’s a struggle between wanting to be home and wanting to be working and creating. Because simply put, if you’re not there, you’re falling behind.

What are your favourite tracks?

The Indie oval course is one favourite. There are a lot of cool hidden spots where you can get interesting things there. Ovals are tricky, but you have to work more, which makes you think and get creative. Beyond that, my favourite tracks change every year because of good or bad shoots.

I used to not like Laguna Seca because I was there all the time. And I tend to fall into old habits when photographing a track that I’ve been to before. The first time at any track is rough because you’re just finding the basic, essential things and figuring it all out. The second time you know what you’re doing and can actually get creative. But then it starts to just get repetitive after that.

Are there any places you would love to photograph but haven’t yet?

Dakar is a major goal. I love off-road races because of the options, grittiness, and how unhinged they are. I also haven’t done much in the European circuit—Spa, Le Mans—and would like to.

Do you have any tips for those interested in getting started in the field?

Shoot a lot. Be okay starting at the bottom. Find places you can get access. You can get a lot just as a fan, so you don’t necessarily need a press pass to get awesome photos. Then, find a driver at a grassroots event, and there’s a chance you could get a credential. Shoot stupid. You can get great stuff when you shoot stupid. Try the opposite of what you know or have learned. ■

Darren Gentle

Q gentlescapes

Interests: Abstract, landscape and macro.

Nature Nerd

Nothing happens sitting at home.

Reflections of a street photographer

Words and photos by Hugh Rawson Social Storyteller Q hueyraw K hughrawson.com

Being a street photographer, I shoot a vast amount.

A landscape photographer with their considered, slower approach may yield 50 photos at most but a day on the street can see me bring home upwards of 500 images. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t think about what I am doing. My way of working is quick, improvisational, and constantly responds to what is happening around me. It’s not a scattergun approach. Perhaps the biggest difference between me and the landscape photographer is that their few images may well all be keepers; well-planned images, almost guaranteed to succeed before the shutter is even clicked. Of my 500, there may be five images I’m pleased with and a lot of rubbish. A landscape photographer sets out knowing what they are hoping to achieve. I leave the house with no real idea of what I may bring home – just a vague sense of place. A bit like fishing in a stream, I may

get a salmon or a shopping trolley – and often the trolley is the more interesting. At the end of the day, we may have the same number of keepers.

When I was only about seven, my parents bought me a Polaroid camera for my birthday. My dad always loved gadgets but as soon as he discovered that the chemicals used in the instant snaps were poisonous to my four younger siblings crawling about, chewing everything, the Polaroid was taken from me. I was then taken to a camera shop and chose (I can’t imagine how) a Kodak Instamatic. My father had a SLR camera locked in his study which we were forbidden to touch. Perhaps this forbidden fruit and the removal of the poisonous Polaroid created a hunger for cameras that I had to wait to satisfy.

My first serious camera was a basic Praktica SLR. I experimented with some moody black and whites and even some street images of New York and the US East Coast, although

at the time I was just intrigued by the skyscrapers, massive trucks, yellow mailboxes and all things Americana. The hassle of film proved too much for me; I was too busy playing music in bands to bother with dark rooms and those pesky noxious chemicals again.

“ There must be a certain truth to street images. They must be candid. I want to see the purity of the moment

Fast forward a couple of decades and the mobile phone put a camera in my pocket. As a one-time teenage diary writer, the idea of a photographic record of daily life appealed to me. Suddenly, a purely documentary moment was allowed some expression and creativity. Vastly over processed moments, if I remember rightly, but it was a start. I have always had to learn how to be subtle!

Two friends introduced me to Fuji bridge cameras and taught me to be creative with shutter speeds and depth of field. When we decided to visit the places on the London Monopoly Board, I realised that they were making abstract images of urban architecture. Mine all featured people and said something about the human condition. I had no idea that street photography was even a “thing,” yet somehow it was satisfying a creative need. It was also good exercise, and brought a steady conveyor belt of decent London cafes. Suddenly, I was finding beauty in everyday moments.

I wasn’t the only person doing this. I discovered that there was a rich history of documentary images with a creative, artistic quality. Soon I was delving deep into photo books – Cartier-Bresson, Saul Leiter, Alex Webb, Sergio Larrain, Fred Herzog, Matt Stuart and on and on. Browsing books and galleries is a great way to be inspired.

For me, there must be a certain truth to street images. They must be candid. I want to see the purity of the moment. People are unposed; nothing is edited out (or in). Of course, there is nothing wrong with taking posed portraits of people on the street. But to me this is not “Street Photography” – it’s portraiture. Some of the greatest street photographers also took portraiture or fashion shoots on the street – think Saul Leiter, William Klein – but these images were part of their professional advertising portfolio, quite separate from their candid, dynamic street work.

Capturing unsolicited moments can be challenging. There’s no saying how someone will react. There is a part of me that enjoys the thrill of the catch – getting away unseen with the image locked up tight on my SD card. It’s the closest I ever intend to get to hunting. It’s cheeky. It gets the blood running. Just remember, there’s nothing illegal in taking photos in public so long as you don’t harass people.

In fact, most people don’t even notice and that’s not because I am in any way sneaky. I believe that it is far better to be hidden in plain sight. Blend in. Go slow. Smile. Wear dark clothes, carry a small camera, and don’t draw attention to yourself. Acting suspiciously is a sure-fire way to be spotted.

I often shoot from the hip. Practice means that I know what will be in shot without using the viewfinder. Or, I might bring the camera to my eye and keep it there after the subject has passed, avoiding eye contact. People assume I am photographing something down the road. “After all, why would anyone want to take a picture of me?” On the rare occasion that I’m discovered, they will laugh, smile, or ask to see the image. It’s easy to share screens on a digital camera. I carry a business card with my website and social media on and invite them to contact me for a print. Most never bother. A smile goes a long way to disarming any tricky situation. I am always prepared to delete any image. No photograph is worth risking your safety or that of your equipment.

Street photography has become something I do – not just because I want to but because I must. It completes me, I am a better person when I am being creative. It is a uniquely human characteristic –animals don’t have an artistic drive. Obviously, it doesn’t have to be street photography. In the past music and writing fed this need. However, if a week or so goes by without me stretching my creative wings on the street, I feel the need, the pull, the call, and am desperate to get back on the pavement.

Once out, I quickly find that I become lost in the moment. The concerns of the day job and modern life disappear while I am in the creative zone. Beyond a basic area or town, I have little idea of where the day will take me and simply follow good light, an interesting character, the smell of good food… Going with the flow of the street. This is freeing.

I instinctively tune in to what is happening around me and anticipate images quickly. On a basic level, a smoker will always exhale, a couple meeting will embrace, but you also develop a more subtle sense of what’s about to happen. Being caught up in the moment brings this heightened awareness but it can work against you, particularly later when you are processing the image. Investing a long time in making an image, makes you determined to make it work when it’s maybe better discarded – you lose sight of weaknesses. This is when it pays to leave the image for as long as possible – weeks even months. Let it marinate. Then come back to it with more objective eyes – is it actually the wonderful image you pictured or did you just spend a lot of time making it?

Feed that enthusiasmit will speed up your learning. You don’t have to spend any money - your phone is a camera. Get out and try

Street photography has introduced me to some wonderful people –some of whom I know well but have never met, some of whom I have had the pleasure of meeting and being inspired by as we have shot together. It has seen my work in exhibitions and published in magazines. More than anything, it has taught me to see. To really see. I take a camera with me wherever I go because I have learned there is always the chance of an image, even on a quick trip to the shops. I almost left my camera behind on a walk to the village green, only to return with an image that was shortlisted for the British Photography Awards. Photography has taught me to look with enquiring, creative eyes; to notice the little details and to imagine.

I have also had the privilege of being a founder member of Stolen Echoes – a small international collective of photographers who inspire one another, set assignments to work on and share weekly online calls. We met through social media. Learning from one another has had a huge impact on my photography and challenged me to look at how I shoot and process images. My advice to anyone starting out would be to feed your enthusiasm. Get out as much as you can. Look at images in books and galleries. Watch YouTube videos about photography. Feed that enthusiasm - it will speed up your learning. You don’t have to spend any money - your phone is a camera. Get out and try. And don’t worry about mistakes. They’re part of learning. Perhaps my biggest lesson is that, when it comes to processing, less is definitely more. My early images were so over processed. The clarity button was almost worn out through overuse. Like I said, I needed to learn to be subtle. If I’m spending too long on one image, I walk away and do something different before coming back to it anew.

Another mistake is around gear. There are things that seemed like a good idea but that I don’t need as a street photographer – tripods, light stands – and only rarely used. You don’t need to have it all. A windfall meant I was able to afford a high end DSLR, but it just didn’t suit how I work. It didn’t feel right in my hand. It offered too much. I don’t need video. I don’t need to be able to shoot 30 frames per second. Or auto eye detection. I rarely use burst mode and I use zone focusing to be sharp at specific distances, but I had to make those mistakes to find out. And it has helped my photography in the long run. I know what works for me – even if it’s taken some time. So – get out and shoot. Make those mistakes. As Elliot Erwitt says: “Nothing happens when you sit at home.” ¶

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SHOOTING with the STARS

Words and photos by Blaine Gibby Technical Talker Q blainegibbydo

My name is Blaine Gibby and I’m a physician in rural South Dakota with a passion for astrophotography. I was first introduced to the world of photography when I bought a camera around the time I graduated from medical school, as an outlet for stress relief. I had no idea someone could use a regular DSLR camera to photograph something thousands, or even millions of lightyears away! One night, on a complete whim, I pointed my camera on a tripod towards the night sky and took a long exposure with a fast lens. I was astounded; completely blown away by the number of stars that my camera picked up, stars that I could not perceive with my natural eyes! From there I began to wonder what else was possible. I watched YouTube videos, read books, and experimented with the equipment that I had to develop my skills. I knew nothing about telescopes, but I knew I wanted one. I got lucky and chose a refractor as my first imaging scope

and put it on an equatorial mount, which points the telescope and tracks the sky. It was all pretty low tech: I would sit outside in the cold with a manual shutter release cable on my DSLR and a stopwatch, taking 45 second sub exposures, which were then combined or “stacked” into a final image. My neighbours thought I was crazy, and I certainly was.

to my telescope that controls the mount, camera, guiding and power supply. I’ve built several telescope imaging systems, and I’m able to run multiple equatorial mounts at once to photograph different locations of the sky. Having different imaging systems running has allowed me to experiment further with acquisition and processing techniques, because the biggest challenge to making a good astro photograph is the time it requires to obtain good data. If one dataset failed, or I ended up not liking the composition, I had another waiting to be developed.

But being able to see what was there all long, just waiting to be revealed, was almost like a religious experience. I still feel it today with each new photograph I take of the deep sky.

Life is much better now that I am nearly fully automated with ASIAir, which is a small computer attached

If I were to do it all over again, I’d be more cautious about my gear choices. I have a few telescopes that I ended up shelving shortly after purchase such as a doublet refractor, which produced bloated stars (triple APO is the way to go), or an RC reflector which I could never figure out how to properly collimate. I’m glad I started out with a refractor because collimation, or aligning the mirrors of a reflector, is an art

“ It’s about looking up into the night sky and, like our ancestors, wondering what is out there”

form in itself. With the significant hurdles required to produce a good astrograph, I probably would have given up or sent it back, if I had to learn collimation along with everything else. I now use a 10” Newtonian at times to produce wonderful views! However, the mount, or sky/star tracking system, is the most important piece of equipment one should invest in, as it is typically what limits further gear choices, as most mounts have a weight limit.

It’s possible to get great results from basic setups, it just takes time to develop acquisition techniques. In fact, at one point I used my original camera and optics, consisting of a Nikon D750 and my first telescope, several years after starting astrophotography, and produced an image of the Great Orion Nebula that was far superior than my previous attempt, despite the camera and telescope being the same. The only difference was I didn’t sit out in the cold… I went to bed because it was all automated. My biggest breakthrough was when I learned that 300 second sub-

exposures aren’t always necessary or the best choice. Data acquisition is also limited by moon phase. Having moved on from the basics, I typically only use my telescope when the moon is not too bright, such as the gibbous or full phase, but sometimes I cheat a little bit and use narrowband filters when the moon is up. Narrowband filters select for a very specific wavelength of light and pretty much ignore the rest. I still keep all my raw data and occasionally will revisit it with new post processing techniques. Processing is equally as important as making sure you get good data. It can be all too easy to produce something that looks crispy, over cooked and unnatural looking. I’m thankful that I started out using Astro Pixel Processor as my choice of calibrating and stacking software. It produces a nicely calibrated master light that can be exported as a .tiff file and further processed in Adobe Photoshop. I feel like my images really started looking nice when I focused on keeping the stars natural looking. It’s easy to forget about the stars, or crush them into oblivion

with star reduction techniques, but they really are an important aspect of astrophotography, especially in broadband datasets. Separating the stars from the background is a must, and this can be done in many different ways; I happen to use StarXterminator. It’s pretty amazing to think about how many stops of light are between stars and nebulae or galaxies, and separating them allows for significant control of the final image and enables you to reduce their size and intensity to make your DSO stand out all the more.

I have since moved on to the world of PixInsight, which is the same program used by NASA for both Hubble and James Webb space telescope data sets. In fact the same techniques used in my backyard are used with scientific data from professional telescopes. Essentially one takes repeated sub-exposures of anywhere from 60 to 300 seconds or more, and combines them with calibration frames to produce a final image. If you have not experienced the “Hubble Deep Field”, I would encourage you to Google it. It’s essentially a 10-day exposure of a location in space that was thought to contain nothing, but instead it revealed thousands and thousands of galaxies! The James Webb space telescope has already turned our understanding of cosmology and evolution of the universe upside down, and we now know that there are pretty much galaxies everywhere in the universe. It feels great to use the same software on my amateur data as professional scientists use for new discoveries.

Over time I have found myself including less and less Photoshop in my workflow. PixInsight may be a little more costlier than other flavours of stacking software and the learning curve is certainly a lot steeper, but the results are far superior, especially with powerful processes such as RC-Astro’s BlurXterminator which somehow makes my medium-sized backyard scopes act like $20,000 instruments on top of a remote

“ I was astounded; completely blown away by the number of stars that my camera picked up, stars that I could not perceive with my natural eyes”

mountain top observatory, but not quite James Webb.

Dark skies are no doubt the most sought after piece of the equation. Filters can help, and it’s possible to produce great images in narrowband with heavy light pollution, but there will always be loss of data with light pollution filters or heavy light pollution with narrow band filters. I have fairly dark skies in my backyard, and I can drive 20 minutes to Bortle class 2 skies (with class 1 being the darkest/least amount of light pollution you can get).

The South Dakota Badlands are a great place for both deep sky photography and landscape astrophotography. Just be sure to bring a friend, or bear mace, when you are out and about in the dark. One time while looking for a location for night photography, I came within 20-30 metres of some sort of large predator. All I could see were two very big, bright, forwardfacing eyes reflecting my headlamp. I’m guessing that it was a mountain lion as predators’ eyes face forward unlike a buffalo or bighorn sheep. It was alone, so it probably wasn’t a wolf and it was much too big for a raccoon or a fox. Needless to say, I was cured of nightscape photography, and I slowly walked backwards to my car. I went back to the campground and had some great views of the star clouds of the Milky Way, which is a privilege that relatively few can experience in the world today.

I have always been in awe of space, and astronomy has been an interest all my life. When combined with my new-found love for photography I find an experience that is both richly rewarding and challenging. The learning will never stop and I try to incorporate composition to go beyond just simply photographing a deep sky object. When I see a new photograph of space either of my own, amateur or professional, my mind is elevated to a higher sphere; it brings me peace and a grander,

eternal perspective, making me want to be a better person and more kind to others.

I’ve used a lot of specific terms and references but don’t be put off.

Astro photography isn’t just about the end result; it’s about looking up into the night sky and, like our ancestors, wondering what is out there. It’s the experiences of the dark, the stories of mountain lions, the friendships you gain with an incredible community of like minded lovers of the stars. Just go out there with a telescope and experience it for yourself. Look at Instagram and ask questions. Over time, you’ll develop and learn from your mistakes, of many there will be, and it’ll become second nature. ¶

“ It brings me peace and a grander, eternal perspective, making me want to be a better person and more kind to others”

Kirsty Greenland

Q k.greenland

Interests: Street.

Wayfaring Wanderer

walk down the aisle with Gemma Vaughan

What got you started or interested in photography? And why wedding photography?

Oof... where to start - okay, grab a coffee! So, I bought my first entry level DSLR back when I started dating my now husband around 2008-ish. He was actually working as a wedding photographer at the time and we’d head out and about on the weekends and he’d talk me through how to use it. Alongside this, I decided I was miserable in my office job and wanted to be in a creative industry, so I went back to uni to do a masters in digital marketing and design.

A good mate of mine, who I’ve been friends with since school, was working as a photographer at the time and she suggested we team up and start a business together. So, we did and in 2010 we started Cotton Candy Photography together. We shot our first wedding together around 2009/2010-ish for £250 each and we wore heels all day, for some stupid reason, thinking we’d look like glamorous wedding guests! We must have been there for a good 12 hours… Obviously, this was the one and only time I wore heels to photograph a wedding!

Wedding photography was different back then; it was mostly older male

photographers that were doing it so being two females was quite new. We did well and we won the National Wedding Industry Award for Best Wedding Photographers in London and South East in 2013! (Shameless plug there, even though it was 10 years ago... eesh 10 years!).

Most memorable moment/best story?

Ooh, probably some of the destination weddings I’ve done. I shot one a few years back in France where Jack Whitehall was the best man, everyone was really lovely and friendly, and I ended up staying until around 2am until everyone went home. Might have been swayed to drink a few strong gins as well!

What is your wedding gear?

I have two Canon 5D Mark III’s (old school still!) and I shoot with prime lenses. I have one of the holdfast gun slinging belt things and I pretty much have my Canon 35mm f/1.4 and my Canon 85mm f/1.4 on all day. I might switch to my Canon 24mm f/1.4 for some group shots. For the first dance, I might put on my Canon 2470mm f/2.8 but tend to stick to the prime lenses. I also have 3 flash guns - 600 EXII RT, 580 and 430 EXII’s. I love the primes, especially the 85mm as I am using it more and more these days. It’s just so dreamy!

Gemma Vaughan interviewed by Chi Lau Social Storyteller Q cottoncandy_gem K cottoncandyweddings.co.uk

Best and hardest part about wedding photography?

The best part is genuinely that you get to hang out with some cool people on a really happy day. Everyone is always really friendly and I always feel like one of the guests. You get to shoot people smiling and laughing and having a good timesometimes in the sun, sometimes not! But it’s always great being a fly on the wall on someone’s wedding day.

The hardest part is probably if it’s a winter wedding and you’re rushing trying to get the light in before it goes or perhaps it’s raining and you can’t take the couple or group shots outside, so you have to think of somewhere else. It’s also a long day and people are often shocked by how shattered they are after it.

What do you like to photograph at weddings?

I love the morning prep the most I think; the light is always nice and I like being creative with the “getting ready” shots. I think I am all about the little details - the hands, (why do I love hands so much?!) the moments in between, the expressions people make, finding a pocket of light that really works and getting

excited about it! I like hovering around conversations at weddings, listening in and waiting for everyone to start laughing - that’s pretty cool.

What advice would you give to someone starting out as a wedding photographer?

I think it’s all about getting the experience in and building a portfolio. Start by second shooting for free. When we first started, we had quite a few photographers come along with us and just shoot the day. We wouldn’t use their images but they’d just get a feel for how a wedding day unfolds and where you need to be/what you need to shoot etc, settings. They could then use those images for their portfolios.

I also think it takes a level of confidence to be a wedding photographer. You have to walk into a room full of people and happily chat, be natural around them. Often with morning prep you might find yourself in a room full of men in their boxers or loads of bridesmaids getting ready etc. Don’t be afraid to move things if they don’t look good.

At the beginning, I may have taken a group

shot in a location that just wasn’t working (under a tree with pockets of lights shining on everyone’s faces, for example) and I wouldn’t have had the confidence to move all 30 people I had just made stand there. So don’t be afraid to speak up and make things happen if something isn’t working. The couple will appreciate it.

What advice would you give regarding editing photos?

Consistency is definitely key here. Lots of photographers have developed their own editing style and they’ll use presets. Some sell their presets, but find or create a style you like yourself and keep it consistent across the whole gallery. It can be tricky, as a preset put over a shot taken in the morning prep might work better than a preset put over the speeches in a darker candle lit room.

If you could buy or use one lens or camera that you don’t own, which would it be and why?

I need to upgrade my gear I feel - it’s more for me as I don’t think couples would notice. I shot a wedding last year and my second had an R6 and a 5D Mark IV. I found her images from the R6 tricky to edit - they were sharp and great but desaturated and it was hard to pair them with mine from my Canon, which are naturally pinker and creamier.

Lens-wise I have a 135mm on my list as I second shot a wedding last year with one in a long-aisled church and it was fab and would be a great addition to my kit. I also want to get a 50mm. I have got one but it’s not very good so I don’t use it. ■

Chris Horner

Q ckh_photographs

Interests: Nature, macros and wildlife.

Nature Nerd

FILM PHOTOGRAPHY made me better

I believe that digital photography has, in some ways, degraded the art form of photography. I remember the days before digital photography was so prominent and film photography was pretty much your only option. Perhaps my experiences have coloured my viewpoint, but I’d like to try to illustrate my perspective. My journey with photography began when I was seven years old and I got my first camera for my birthday. I enjoyed taking pictures of our family vacations and family life events and to have a camera of my own was such a grown up feeling at seven years old. My father had bought me a 110 camera. Now for those of you who don’t know, a 110 was this tiny little rectangular camera that took microscopic film and took the most terrible pictures on the planet. Ok, well there might have been some seven-year-old user error also involved. I shot an entire roll in one day and eagerly sent it off to get it developed. I waited impatiently for a week to get the results. The results weren’t great. The pictures I got back were blurry or improperly exposed or I’d cut off someone’s head or the top of the subject I was trying to capture. I had no idea what parallax was back then or what ISO meant. So I tried again. I shot another roll of film and another and another. Every time I would figure out something a little different. My pictures did improve but I was still disappointed that they seemed to lack something.

For Christmas the year I turned 13, my dad decided to get me a 35mm point and shoot Kodak camera, which was a huge upgrade for me. I saw pretty significant improvements in quality almost right away but I was still lacking in certain technical areas. I started reading about photography. I looked at the images of other photographers I admired. I tried emulating them and got mixed results. Throughout high school I was on the newspaper and yearbook staff and shot photos for both publications. I was considered to be “quite good” compared to my peers.

When I went to college I decided to major in photojournalism, which was where I started really expounding on what little technical knowledge I had at the time. We were required to shoot on 35mm SLR cameras and develop all of our own film and prints in the dark room. The skills I acquired during these years were invaluable. The emphasis on technical abilities and learning how to use your camera properly was of the utmost importance. And when you’re shooting on film, you do not have an unlimited amount of opportunities to get the shot correct. That painstaking process taught me to be patient, to check and then double check what I wanted technically and compositionally. I would experiment and it would fail. So I would tweak things and try again and fail again. This process was the ultimate technical learning curve. I had to be deliberate, I had to be patient, I had to pay attention.

Words and photos by Sarah Harbuck Ambitious Artist Q lightwriter2012

After college, I started taking portraits, word of mouth grew and soon I was fairly busy with a portrait photography business. Taking photos as a career was both exhilarating and terrifying, especially when I moved into wedding photography. Weddings can be a very fast-paced event, so you have to be ready and shooting at your highest quality. I feel that my experience with film photography taught me how to be a better photographer overall and prepared me for this aspect of the industry. Because I’d spent so many years experimenting and learning, I could quickly adjust settings without missing a beat and not miss any special moments.

Of course times and technology change, and if you’re in an industry like this, you want to stay up to date with all the things that are going on. Eventually I made the move to a DSLR camera and traded in the dark room for Photoshop. Right away I could see the benefits of digital

photography because there was instant access to the results. And from an environmental point of view, not wasting resources like paper or using harsh chemicals to develop your photos (with the advent of Photoshop) was very nice.

certain laziness that was born out of the advent of this new technology. Even with all my years of experience, I was guilty of relying too much on technology to save me rather than my own knowledge and skill. I came to realise that I had to treat digital photography more like film photography in order to get great results from the start. If I wanted to maintain the quality, I had to go back to the basics. I could not let all the new “bells and whistles” distract from being a good photographer.

But I started to notice something about myself with my digital camera. I started shooting an excess of pictures at rapid fire speed and if I didn’t like the results, I could just delete them and start over. I stopped being as deliberate; I stopped paying as much attention and adopted a mentality of ‘oh well I’ll fix it later’ if I didn’t get it right. There was a

With the introduction of digital photography into the industry, there was a massive influx of new photographers. Sharing and interacting on social media added to this industry swell. People wanted to share pictures all the time and they saw images from professional photographers and thought that “this looks easy I could do it” and so, they tried. The problem is, many of them had very little or no experience and absolutely zero technical

“ I had to go back to the basics. I could not let all the new “bells and whistles” distract from being a good photographer”

understanding of how a camera works or what basic composition was. It seemed to flood the industry with a lot of professional “wannabes”. Those of us with an established photography career started finding ourselves in direct competition with people who had no idea what they were doing and charging a fraction of the cost for, what the general public seemed to view as, a similar product. Digital photography just seemed cheap and easy and not worth the same as film photography. Newcomers often rely too much on the technology to do the work, rather than acquiring the knowledge and skills as well as a desire to learn the hows & whys. That’s not to say people can’t be “artists” without all the technical knowledge or that experimentation isn’t an excellent teacher. I absolutely think they can and that it is, especially considering my own experience, but there has to be some deliberateness about it though.

Too often I’ve met beginner digital photographers who think buying a fancy new camera with all the features will make all their photos turn out spectacularly because the camera is rated well. They stick everything on “auto” and hope for the best. For some, I do think this can spur on the desire to learn more and grow their craft and for others it’s just easier to let the camera do the work.

In my experience, I think a lot of people viewed digital photography as the “fast food” of the industry. The valuation of photography as a skill and as an art form seemed to degrade because of this. Public perception of how much art is worth is a whole other topic of conversation though. Digital photography has definitely made the industry more accessible but at the same time, this has made photography as an art form seem less specialised, which is why I think we should go back to the basics first without relying on technology as much. ¶

Writers

Chi Lau

Camera Collector

Landscapes • Nature • Street • Wildlife

Q chibearphotography

Frederikke Hejbøl Jensen

Nature Nerd

Nature • Sports • Wildlife

Q thefrederikkejensen

K frederikkejensen.com

Georgina Vincent

Nature Nerd

Drone • Nature

Q georginavincent

Hugh Rawson

Social Storyteller Street

Q hueyraw

K hughrawson.com

Blaine Gibby

Technical Talker

Astrophotography

Q blainegibbydo

Sarah Harbuck

Ambitious Artist

Weddings

Q lightwriter2012

Interviews

Alison Arena

Motorsport

Q ignitemediaphoto

Gemma Vaughan

Social Storyteller

Weddings

Q cottoncandy_gem

K cottoncandyweddings.co.uk

Galleries

Mike Olbinski

Social Storyteller

Storm Chasing • Weddings

Q mikeolbinski

K mikeolbinski.com

Marcus Solbakk Jakobsen

Ambitious Artist

Nature • Wildlife

Q itsmarcusen

Darren Gentle

Nature Nerd

Abstract • Landscape • Macro

Q gentlescapes

K darrengentlephotography.com

Kirsty Greenland

Wayfaring Wanderer Street

Q k.greenland

Chris Horner

Nature Nerd

Nature • Macros • Wildlife

Q ckh_photographs

Tom Rickard (character illustrations)

Q tom_on_illustration

Covers

Nicole Koslik (front)

Nature Nerd

Nature • Travel

Q nicole.mari.k

Rachel Riley (back)

Nature Nerd

Nature • Wildlife

Q the.ginger.geordie

Social Storyteller Ambitious Artist

Nature Nerd Snooty Shooter

Technical Talker Camera Collector Wayfaring Wanderer