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Photographer Profile: Adam Gibbs

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For this month’s profile we leave New Zealand shores and head to North America with  Adam Gibbs.

Name Adam Gibbs
Photography Awards/Honours 2nd 2017 International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Current camera Nikon D850
Favourite camera you have ever used/had ShimoToho FC45x 4×5 camera
Which do you prefer? Either – no preference
And why? Digital for its ease of use, film is what photography is all about, skill behind a camera not a computer.
Which medium do you prefer? Both – no preference
And why? Prints are more tactile, have a lasting presence and are second to none when a fantastic print is viewed in optimum light. Projected, instant, a great way to show the world or larger audience without a lot of effort.
How did you get into photography and when? I got into photography in the 80’s after reading a book about nature photography written by John Shaw. I was captivated by the quality of images and wanted my photography to have the same appeal.
What keeps you inspired with your photography? Canada has a wealth of wilderness areas and living on the west coast I am constantly inspired by my surroundings. Photography is somewhat of an excuse to get me out and explore.
Do you have a particular theme that would summarise your photographs? Wilderness landscapes, nature, intimate scenes of nature especially woodland, ancient old growth forest.
Where is the best place that you have been to take photos? Very hard question to answer as there are so many. The Enchantments in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washingon always comes to mind. Tonquin Valley in Jasper National Park, Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island, Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park. Carmanah Provincial Park on Vancouver Island.
What piece of equipment could you not do without in your camera bag? Extra batteries for the camera, bit tongue and cheek but true, I have been known to leave home without batteries.
Do you have any advice for your fellow photographers? Photograph the things that you love to shoot. Above all else concentrate on light and its effect on your subject or just photograph the light itself.
Do you have any favourite photography related websites or web resources that you’d like to share with us ? (this includes your own) Youtube Channels https://www.youtube.com/adamgibbsphotography

Adam’s full bio here

Photographer Profile: Dave Curtis

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This month’s photographer profile brings you images from another world, in more than one way.

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Name Dave Curtis
Photography Awards/Honours Lake Wanaka Postage Stamp 2009; 2017 Harry Williams Astrophotography Competition – highly commended; Otago Wildlife Competition – 3 highly commended over the years
Current Camera Canon 5D4,  Sony A7R2 and QSI683 (astro)
Favourite Camera you have ever used/had I was most excited about my first digital, the Canon 1D Mrk2.

Canon A1 back in the film days.
Which do you prefer? Digital
And why? I prefer digital. The sensitivity of the monochrome astro cameras have really opened up astrophotography in recent years. Something that the professionals back in the film days could only dream about.

With other types of photography the instant feed back loop is important. You can check exposure, focus and composition immediately. Especially important on a paid job and for the learning experience. And of course the ability to change ISO on the fly, something we now take for granted.
Which medium do you prefer? Print
And why? I enjoy making the print. There is something about holding your own creation in your hand. And of course we have the choice of so many different papers now.

I make my own prints and print profiles. I enjoy the printing process from soft proofing to print. I’m a strong believer in profiling your work flow from monitor to print.
How did you get into photography and when? My mother was interested in photography and owned a Kodak Retinette which she bought back in the 50s.

My first adventure with a camera was at school when we went to Mt Aspring National Park for a week. I took mum’s camera set at sunny f16. The film wasn’t loaded correctly and wouldn’t advance as it should which mum discovered when I arrived back home from the trip.

However this didn’t stop me sneaking out of camp, and climbing up a nearby waterfall to get what I thought would be “the shot”.
What keeps you inspired with your photography? Recently I have restarted my passion for astrophotography which started back in the 80s with film and a 20cm reflector telescope.

I have been enjoying commissioning a telescope system, and associated equipment for narrow band  deep sky imaging in my observatory.

The cooled monochrome QSI683 camera runs at -20C to reduce the noise from the cameras electronics during the long exposures. Data for a single image is collected over many nights, sometimes weeks (depending on the Dunedin weather). The data, consisting of many 10 minute exposures from many different filters, which are finally stacked and averaged to increase detail or “signal” as it is known in astrophotography.

Of course there are challenges. The telescope is the equivalent of a 1200mm lens and the sky is moving. We need to track the moving target for a total of perhaps 10 hrs with near single pixel accuracy. Any poor data that doesn’t make the grade is thrown away.

Several narrow band filters are used to collect data from different ionised gases when we image gaseous nebula . eg oxygen, hydrogen and sulfur. All other wavelengths are filtered out.

I tend to use what’s known as the Hubble palette which was made famous by the Hubble Space Telescope to render the image. Kind of part science and part art.  In the red channel we put the sulfur data, blue channel for oxygen, and green for hydrogen.

I have attached an image of the “Statue of Liberty” nebula taken earlier this year using the process.
Do you have a particular theme that would summarise your photographs? My photography is always evolving and changing therefore it would be different to nail down and describe a particular theme.
Where is the best place that you have been to take photos? Recently I traveled to Africa on a photographic wildlife adventure. Camping in the Okavango Delta of Botswana was an amazing opportunity for wildlife,  and just a great life experience, even when the Hyenas ate my soap on the washbowl outside my tent.

Then we headed over the border to Namibia, which is renowned for its desert landscapes and wildlife.

I enjoy street photography. Istanbul is an exciting colourful place with plenty always happening on the streets.
What piece of equipment could you not do without in your camera bag? When out with my camera bag there is always a Zeiss manual focus lens, or two, thrown in before I leave the house.

Sometimes trying to keeping things simple can be rather pleasurable, especially when using some of the modern camera’s cluttered interfaces. Also I’m rather partial to the way some of the Zeiss lenses draw.
Do you have any favourite photography related websites or web resources that you’d like to share with us ? (this includes your own) The Luminous Landscape website has always interested me rather than some of the pure technical gear sites. The interviews and videos of well known photographers can offer good learning opportunities.

I have my own site www.magiclight.co.nz which is essentially a display site of some of my images.

Member Profile: Gary McClintock

dunedinphotogsoc

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Year joined DPS 2016
Signification positions held in DPS Current council member – Print secretary
Honours LPSNZ
Current camera Canon 6D
Favourite camera you have ever used/had Although not my favourite camera I was recently amazed at how good my LG3 phone camera was. In 2016 all the photos I took and entered in any competitions were taken on my phone and lots of these are among my favourites. So easy!
Which do you prefer: Film or Digital? Digital
And why? While digital may not have the mystery of waiting to get 24 or 36 slides back the duds are way less expensive
Which do you prefer: Print or Projected? No preference
And why? I do like to see and hold a print but I like the flexibility of projected, particularly as it offers a economic way to get feedback
How did you get into photography? I started taking photos at high school when I was tramping as I have always enjoyed trying to capture the landscape but with little real thought. At teachers college I did a photography course. While developing and printing was interesting I was more excited by the challenge to look more carefully around me for photos and now believe one of the greatest benefits of photography is that it has changed how I see the world and there is potential for this to keep changing and growing.
What is your most memorable moment from your time at DPS so far? Most memorable moment was assisting the judges (not actually judging) at the Dunedin Festival of Photography. It reminded me how subjective the process is and how brutal it is. So best to try not to take things too seriously
What keeps you inspired with your photography? The reason I keep taking photographs is because it keeps giving me the opportunity to be out in the environment and loose myself in the process. Getting a photo that i like is a great bonus but the the being there is most important.
Do you have a particular theme that would summarise your photographs? Most of my photos can be summed up as anything other than people or pets. I particularly like trying to abstract out compositions in the landscapes natural and urban
Where is the best place that you have been to take photos? Christchurch after the earthquake was a unique opportunity and when ever I stayed in the centre of town I would go out in the morning with my phone.I think I have some great images that show how I saw the changing town.
What piece of equipment could you not do without in your camera bag? The most useful thing I have bought recently is a pair of waders. Not having to worry about getting wet means I can access places and set up for shots in places I could not get to before.
Do you have any advice for your fellow photographers? Take what you are excited by because the process of taking is at least as important as the product so do something you enjoy.

Do you have any favourite photography related websites or web resources that you’d like to share with other members?		 I found a book by Ulrich Hensel called Sites which shows images can be abstracted out of the city environment http://ulrich-hensel.de/en/slides

I also enjoy Guy Tal whose website features a section of images abstracted out of the natural landscape http://guytal.com/

If you would like to share your thoughts and images in a member profile, please contact cameracraft.DPSNZ@gmail.com

Member Profile: Kathy Richards

dunedinphotogsoc

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Year joined DPS 2015
Signification positions held in DPS Council Member
Current camera Nikon D3000
Favourite camera you have ever used/had Nikon D3000
Which do you prefer: Film or Digital? Digital
And why? Because I can experiment more and see the results instantly
Which do you prefer: Print or Projected? Print
And why? Projection is convenient and easy to use and share but I enjoy viewing images in hard copy more
How did you get into photography? My husband was interested in photography and I used his camera to record the kids as they were growing up. I enjoy all sorts of art forms. Drawing, painting, fabric sculpture etc. For me, photography is just another medium for sharing how I see the world.
What is your most memorable moment from your time at DPS so far? I had two goals when I joined DPS. To get an image on the wall in an exhibition and to get an image into the NZ Camera book. I have achieved both so I am stoked.
What keeps you inspired with your photography? I tend to be obsessive with hobbies, then get bored of them and move on to something else. But photography is so diverse, there are always new concepts, subjects and tools to explore, I don’t think I will ever get bored with it. I look up photographers that inspire me, but mainly I am inspired by the world around me.
Do you have a particular theme that would summarise your photographs? I like the wabi sabi concept. The beauty of imperfection, impermanence, the state between being and not being.  Layers of peeling paint, rusty cars, stark trees, skeleton leaves, subtle colours, patterns and textures. I also look for juxtapositions and emergence.
Where is the best place that you have been to take photos? On the glacier at Franz Josef. Blue ice, melted into constantly changing sculptures.
What piece of equipment could you not do without in your camera bag? My camera. That’s all I really need.  I don’t have much equipment. One camera, two lenses, one battery, an ND filter. A couple of little bean bags which are useful to hold my camera still when I don’t have my tripod.
Do you have any advice for your fellow photographers? Stay true to yourself. Make images that you like and are proud of, not just ones that meet the brief, or you think the judges will like.
Use the title to help tell the story.
Always shoot in RAW and use good editing software to get the most from your image.

Do you have any favourite photography related websites or web resources that you’d like to share with other members?		 I like pinterest for ideas like portrait poses and tips.
Graphicriver has some fun photoshop actions.
http://graphicriver.net/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&term=photoshop+action&as=0&referrer=homepage
My favourite photography book resource is ’30-Second Photography’ edited by Brian Dilg.

Member Profile: John Casey

cameracrafteditor

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Year joined DPS 2003
Signification positions held in DPS President, Treasurer, Councillor, Festival Co-Ordinator, Natex Co-Ordinator
Current camera Nikon 750
Favourite camera you have ever used/had Nikon 750
Which do you prefer: Film or Digital? Digital
And why? Have never got into developing and my serious interest in photography has only really developed since the advent of digital
Which do you prefer: Print or Projected? Print
And why? Nothing like holding a good print in your hand. I like digital also but print is more permanent and a quick ready reference
How did you get into photography? Did quite a bit in the old days of youth –  mainly centered around family and youth Forest and Bird Activities. Later at end of school days in Tonga I did the Tourist type photos in slides and a little later the camera died and I did not replace it as Robin did most of the family photography.

John Hart ran a series of lectures through DPS one of which I attended was made welcome, the bug regenerated I bought a camera and the rest is history
What is your most memorable moment from your time at DPS so far? Being awarded a Life Membership at the 125th celebration
What keeps you inspired with your photography? Watching the crop of excellent photographers we presently have in the club and trying to learn from them how I can effectively capture the things I want to. I want the end result to match my vision which I find very difficult to do but have lotsa fun trying
Do you have a particular theme that would summarise your photographs? Water, Landscape, Buildings, lowlight and backlight
Where is the best place that you have been to take photos? Milford Road and Sound
What piece of equipment could you not do without in your camera bag? Lens hoods
Do you have any advice for your fellow photographers? Follow your vision and don’t give up
Do you have any favourite photography related websites or web resources that you’d like to share with other members? DPS (Digital Photography School)
Cambridge in Colour
Any other comments? I enjoy my membership of DPS and by participating, listening and looking, learn much which then challenges me to put into practice