I always appreciated a good photograph and the person who inspired me to pick up a camera myself was a photographer named Hoodi Ansari. His work made my jaw drop every time I saw it. I remember thinking that if I could become a fraction of the photographer that he is then I’d be very happy. I started taking photos seriously about five years ago. At the beginning I found myself shooting a lot of old abandoned buildings and rural decay. In recent years I’ve taken a natural progression towards landscapes and they have become my passion. Northern Ireland, where I live, offers an abundance of photogenic locations as does the Republic of Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland across the Irish Sea. I love being lost in the wilderness and I never fail to be awe struck by the sheer scale of nature and its magnificence. I feel more affinity towards lakescapes and mountain scenes more so than coastal seascapes — partly because I live closer to the former and also because I prefer the rugged mountain terrain and solitude of countryside lakes.
Having an interest in the Paranormal, a selection of my work contains an ethereal quality. I aspire to capture atmosphere and mood which fires the imagination. When I take a photograph I find that I’m totally immersed in the moment. I suppose it could be likened to a Zen like state of pure awareness when all of life’s troubles are gone in that short passage of time that it takes to make a photograph.
I’m entirely self-taught and I’m mostly satisfied with the progression that I’ve made in the past five years. At 33 years of age I’m still learning and always will be because I think photography is a continual journey of discovery. Sometimes the shot doesn’t turn out so good while other times I capture an image that exceeds my own expectations. I don’t really have a goal that I adhere too. I just want to keep making images that push my creativity to the max. I believe in using all tools that are at a photographer’s disposal, from lens filters to software. I use a ND110 filter to achieve long exposures in daylight. I’ve recently began to use a Hoya r72 Infrared filter although I’d like to get one of my camera’s converted to IR in the future. I believe in using HDR if it’s needed and applied properly. Photomatix is the software of choice for that. I also use Lightroom 3 and Photoshop CS3 to post process my photos. I currently use a Nikon D700 for most of my work and a Nikon D70s for Infrared photography as this camera is more sensitive to IR when using a filter. The D700 is a pleasure to use and the image quality is superb.
The lens I use most is the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8; I get sharp results straight out of the camera. Ultimately though the equipment isn’t as important as the eye behind the camera.
Links:
Website: http://www.outervisionphotography.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Outer-Vision-Photography/180447911984755
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