#PhotographersDream admin !DanZeplin interviewing

=purplekyloe!

How did you get into photography?

I've been playing around with cameras since I was a kid, so I really couldn't say exactly how or when I got into photography. I've always been attracted to the idea of seeing something –were it an object or a moment- and being able to capture it and keeping a part of it forever. So yep, photography and I go back a long way.



How long have you been photographing for?

Like I said, I've been interested in photography ever since I was a kid (I remember that my parents had to tell me that the shutter button was a terrible button that would make the camera explode in order to stop me from taking pictures and wasting all their film ), but I've started photography in a more serious manner ever since I joined this site back when I was 15.



Which piece from your gallery are you most proud of, and why?

I'm very proud of On We Go because of how hard I worked to get it. Also, I'm quite new to HDR and getting this picture to work was not particularly easy, but what makes this shot very special to me is that I think that I was finally able to capture more than just an image. I believe that this photograph also transmits a feeling, and that is what I strive to achieve every time I pick up my camera.



How did you achieve this?

Patience and practice mostly. And I also think the environment was very important. This shot was taken in Iceland (I can't even begin to describe how beautiful and amazing this country is), so I think that seeing such level of beauty all around would definitely inspire anyone!







Have you ever achieved any awards for your photography? (Daily Deviation, winning a contest, etc.)

Some of my shots were featured in my school once, but other than that I've never received any awards (and I admit that I don't think that my skills are good enough to receive anything yet. I'm only 19 and we all know the road towards success is a long one )



How long have you been on deviantART? Do you think being here has helped you to improve your skill? Have you been motivated?

I've been on dA for about four and a half years. And yes, being here has definitively helped me. I was pleasantly surprised by the community, and I know that if it hadn't been for all the positive feedback that people give, I wouldn't have taken photography on so keenly. Also, seeing the amazing work by some artist here definitively makes me want to improve and keep on going.



Are you self-taught or do you have an education in photography?

At first I was my own teacher. Like many, I worked mostly through trial and error. I looked at the great photographers here very carefully and tried to understand how they worked (I still do this). Later, as I became more and more interested in the medium I realized that my own knowledge and discoveries could take me only so far, and I really wanted to know as much as I could about photography. I went to a photography school (it was one of the best experiences I ever had) and I started buying books. I also changed universities and my career (I studied Biology for a very short time, but then I left because I just couldn't stand being in a lab and the lack of creative activity there was killing me), now I'm studying Image and Sound Design (a mixture between graphic design, film, photography, web page design, animation and sound aesthetics). So now I'm learning more about photography than ever. The university also provides sets and a lot of equipment so this is really working out for me great.



Who or what inspires you?

What inspires me? This is going to sound incredibly cheesy, but nature inspires me! Most of my shots are nature related so you can easily see that nature is the thing that moves me. I get inspired by the shapes, lights and colours we see all around us.







How would you describe your style of photography? Do you think you're unique?

Sloppy. I'm still working on my style, hence the sloppiness. And I don't know if I'm unique. I sure hope so, but I know I'll have to work more on my art and style in order to get there.



What are your favourite styles and subjects to work with?

As I mentioned, I'm currently experimenting with HDR and so far I'm really loving it. I love how it opens so many possibilities for each single photograph. But then again, each and every photograph is a new possibility in itself so I guess that what I really love about the style is how you can bend reality. For that same reason is why I'm so attracted to IR photography but I'm still on my first baby steps with that.
I don't think that I have any particular subjects that I prefer. Flowers are always nice, but the problem with them (and many macro shots) is that they don't really give the photographer a chance to work with the how: “How am I going to take this shot? “ “How will the composition work?” “How and where will I place my camera?” “How am I going to let the light affect the shot?” “How will I differentiate the places where I want the audience's eyes to rest?” “How am I going to portray certain feeling?” etc. . We've all seen the typical macro shot with the dew drop right in the middle of the frame. I'm not saying that's wrong at all (hell, I've tried to take that picture a million times), but now I would like something that's more of a challenge, to use subjects that demand more intervention from the photographer.



What tips would you give to someone brand new to photography?

Know your camera. You cannot work at anything without knowing about the tools you've got. Once you understand how your camera works and all the things you can do with it, the possibilities will be endless. Don’t be satisfied by just the “point and shoot”, you've got an extraordinary element in your hands. For instance, photography doesn't have to be about that 1/60th of the second that it took for the shutter to open and close: you can show the passage of time in a way that no other medium (not even film) can depict. Play with the velocity, change your diaphragm, know what the white balance is and how to use it, use the colour temperature for your advantage, use filters and see what happens, try with different depths and for God’s sakes, don't use the Zoom for framing the picture!



Do you have any future aspirations for photography?

I have many aspirations regarding photography. It's what I want to do, the only thing that I know for shure that I'll do in the future (not necessarily as a career, but doing it whenever I have time, just because I love it). But most of all I want to improve, exceed my expectations and surprise myself.



What equipment do you use?

I use a Canon EOS 1000D (great for anyone who's starting with photography, but now I find myself in need for more powerful equipment). I'll be buying a Canon 7D sometime this year (or maybe next…). I also use an analog camera: A Canon AE-1.





Thanks to =purplekyloe for an awesome interview!