Tag Archives: Interview

Twitterview, possible?

3 Replies

So there I am, out on my nightly (read, every 4 nights) run with the dog in tow (read, me following madly running dog) when I had an idea. And, for the first time in god only knows how long, I could remember it when I got home! The fish oil tablet I ate 6 months ago has kicked in, whoohoooo. So, the big idea. Could I possibly so an interview, via Twitter? Questions and answers less than 140 characters. What a concept. I reckon I could do it. Now I just have to find a willing participant.

Bullshit!

Volunteers?

You interview me! :)

2 Replies

I got some great feedback via the poll the other day, but the most interesting email I received was from someone calling themselves ‘blogbuster”, who made the sugestion that I ask people to send questions in for me to answer in an interview. It is a very interesting idea, so I thought I would give it a go.

If you have a question you would like me to answer, send it to todd at toddnorburyphotography dot com and I will see how we go.

Thanks to blogbuster for the idea.

Who would you like to know more about?

1 Reply

Well it seems the interviews are quite popular, the taffic has spiked this week with the release of 4 interviews, so I am happy to do some more. What I would like to know is who else can I interview? I am pretty keen to have a chat to David Hobby from the Strobst’s Blog, but trying to contact him is proving a little difficult. Any other suggestions?

Looking Through the Viewfinder at Lisa “Miss Panda” Enever.

3 Replies

Interview #6.

This interview I am talking with Lisa Enever who lives on the South Coast of NSW, not far from sunny Dapto. Known on Flickr as Miss Panda, or Bianca the Enforcer! She is a mum, a music lover, a silver camera devotee and quite the photographer. I know Lisa from the Flickr photogroup the Wollongong Pictorial Mafia. A rough sounding group, a group not to be messed with, but a group of terrific people none the less. So lets find out a bit more about this mob member from the ‘Gong.

____________________________________________________

Thanks Lisa for taking time out of your busy schedule. Firstly, can you tell us a bit about yourself. Things like age (optional!), job, where you live etc.

Firstly let me say thank you Todd for this opportunity. I have to admit to being stunned when you asked me as my work is nothing like the calibre of your previous interviewees!

Me in a nutshell: I have lived in the Wollongong area for a good part of my life. I’m married with 3 gorgeous but noisy teenagers. In a previous life I was a teacher but now I work part-time in the local council libraries.

I shoot with a Canon 400D and am lucky to have a supportive husband who is happy to spend money on delicious lenses. In this short time he has supplemented my kit lenses with a f/1.4 nifty fifty, a 100mm macro, a 10-20mm, and a wonderfully versatile 24-70mm.

I also use a Canon eos5 film cam, a Canon G9 which has been converted for purely infrared work. My latest toy is a Holga.

What started you out in photography and how long have you been into photography seriously?

I’m a very late starter in photography, having picked up a camera for the first time a while after my 41st birthday. I have been pursuing it with a passion for coming up to two years.

I had always been interested in photography but found that the cost of gear, film and developing was prohibitive and so had not pursued it. The digital age changed all of that. My sister Tina (The Lovebird) introduced me to Flickr and I was so stunned and inspired by the quality of the images that regular, everyday people were producing that I just had to get out there and give it a try for myself. Ironically, I now find myself gravitating back to film. Playing in the darkroom has been a revelation to me. I find it infuriating that there is no ctrl/Z in the darkroom, but that makes it all the more satisfying when I produce a print I am happy with.

Discovering the Flickr group Wollongong Pictorial Mafia was one of the best things I have ever done. It connected me with local photographers who were willing to guide me along the way right from the basics of which buttons did what on my camera. Through the ‘mafia’ I have become friends with a diverse bunch of fantastic people who have shared not only photographic advice, techniques and technical help but also many laughs and a drink or two.

For the past year I have also been a member of the Kiama Shellharbour Camera Club. This is a much more structured group which meets fortnightly. Again, I have met some terrific people. We have guest judges come along to give appraisals of prints and projected digital images and I have enjoyed the challenges this brings and the things I have learnt along the way.

I have participated in exhibitions with both groups and got a real kick when people are actually prepared to buy my work!

This year I started a two day a week Tafe course in Photoimaging. It’s a fabulous course with best of both worlds. We spend the mornings in the darkroom, and in the afternoons we head off to the photoshop lab. I am looking forward to all the course has to offer, including studio lighting and infrared film.

northbeach norfolk, originally uploaded by ~miss panda~.

What do you find challenging in photography? And what comes easily?

I think the most challenging thing about photography is also the most exciting: the sheer limitlessness of photographic subjects, techniques and styles. I am keen to try everything, so sometimes I get lost along the way. I often decide I should just pick one thing (eg black and white or panorama) and stick with it for a while to get it right, but then something new and exciting comes along and I get sidetracked and race off to try that. It seems I am fast becoming a photographic jack-of-all-trades, master of none! It’s the variety, though, that keeps me interested and makes it all seem fresh to me every day.

I love the way I can browse the thumbnails on my Flickr contacts page and often guess who has produced which images without looking at the names because I recognise the style/subjects of various individuals. I hope one day that my contacts can recognise my style, but I would think that day is a long time coming because I have yet to find that one thing that I love above everything else.

That said, one thing I particularly enjoy is infrared photography. I do struggle with noise issues with the little converted G9, but I adore the effects it produces. People’s skin appears like porcelain and landscapes are eerie with the white foliage.

And what comes easily? The passion!

Is there a style of photography you don’t enjoy?

I can’t really say there is anything about photography that I don’t enjoy, with the possible exception of the one wedding I did as a favour to a good friend. I felt completely out of my depth and overwhelmed by the realisation there was only ONE chance to get it right. I was lucky to have a kind, more experienced mafia member volunteer to come along and back me up. I have now reluctantly signed up to do three more weddings this year, but luckily only as the second shooter.

Landscapes, too, can be iffy for me. I enjoy getting out there and taking them, but my results are often lack-lustre and I come home disappointed. I think I need to be more up close and personal to connect with my subject.

Apart from photography, hot showers, Maltesers, Golden Gaytimes and music, what do you enjoy doing?

As a mum, I just love hanging out with my family. I’m sure my kids are far more mature than me. My family are my greatest fans and take a great interest in what I come home with after a shoot.

You have 3 shots left to take. You can go anywhere and meet any one. What do you photograph?

1. The Antarctic! I know the white balance must be a bugger with all that ice, but to me the sheer majesty of nature is more evident here than anywhere else.

2. A portrait of my family where no one is pulling a silly face and everyone is smiling.

3. A red panda in his natural habitat. These gentle little endangered creatures have really captured my heart.


What Flickr people have influenced your photography? And in what way?

I have always thought of Yorrick (Richard Higgins) as my mentor. I have been lucky to go out on many shoots with him and he probably taught me more about my camera and about technique than anyone else, patiently answering all of my idiotic questions. The reason I bought a 400D was because that’s what Rich was shooting with. Monkey see, monkey do. J The best way to learn! I was blown away by his work right from the beginning. His artistic bent means always seems to find that perfect angle and see what others don’t see.

I was also helped along by J.Woof (Julian Casey-Lowry) and downgongway (Byron Jackson). I recall Byron painstakingly sketching diagrams in the sand at City Beach to explain depth of field.

There are so many Flickr people who inspire me that I cannot mention them all. I have to say though that I look forward to every image that mulletgod uploads, as he produces sheer magic. He makes the light work for him every time.

When you grow up, what do you want to be? Or who would you like to be?

I don’t plan on ever growing up.

I know I would like to someday get paid to take photos, but I haven’t yet decided what sort of photos I would like to take. I’m hoping the exposure my course gives me to people in the industry will help me to decide on a direction.

If you could get a gold camera, would you let go of your silver one?

Oh Norbs, seriously, gold would just be tacky! Gold is awfully close to that yellow on the Nikon logo.

And lastly, a quick fire 5 questions. Just tell us what springs into your head when you hear these words.

Sunrise

God got it all wrong when he arranged it to be at that time of day.

Bokeh.

My nifty fifty f/1.4 fetish

Portrait.

Best when candid.

Photoshop.

Pure evil when in the wrong hands!

Bertie Beetles.

Whenever I think of Bertie Beetles I now just think of you, Norbs 🙂

____________________________________________________

Thanks very much to Lisa for taking the time to answer some questions. Regarding the last question, it was a bit of an in joke between Lisa and I. I actually meant there to be another question, but forgot to send it. A pro to the end.

More interviews to come.

Looking Through the Viewfinder at Andrew Günsberg.

4 Replies

Interview #5

A few months ago, I searching on outback photos using a Holga. After looking at shots from all over Australia, I hit upon this shot of the Olgas on Holga. I loved the look and feel of the film, so asked the photographer, one Andrew Günsberg, what sort of film it was. A brief exchange and I thought nothing of it. Andrew then made a comment on one of my photos. I was still none the wiser as to who I was dealing with, until I had a near hysterical Flickrmail from a young lady who thinks Andrew is quite a good sort. It went something like” OMG, Andrew G commented on your photo!!!111″. Fair enough I thought. I sent back a message saying pretty much that, and then got a reply with a link to the Australia Idol web site. Ahhh, right. Andrew G. Not being a huge Idol fan, I pretty much knew Andrew as the guy on tele that needed a hair cut. Turns out, he had had one. So now I knew who I was dealing with. Nice to have a celebrity say something positive about one of your photos. That was about 2 months back.

In that time, the blog interviews have gotten quite a bit of positive feedback, and some one suggested I interview someone well known. Ha! How many famous people do I know? Well, as it turns out, I have had a comment on a Flickr photo, that’s good enough for me!

Actually approaching someone who is a celebrity isn’t the easiest thing in the world. How does a nuff nuff from the South Coast contact a high profile person on TV. Should I approach his management? The TV station he works on? Bugger it, I will send him a Flickr mail. Before I knew it, I had an email back saying it would be a pleasure. What a top bloke. So, now that we are great mates, here is his interview!

————————————————————

Thanks Andrew for your time. Firstly, for those of us that have been living under a rock, can you tell us a bit about yourself. Things like age, job, where you live etc.

I’m Andrew Günsberg, I’m 35 and I work in TV and Radio. I DJ every now and then and I’m also a photographer. I spend my time between Bondi Beach, Sydney and Hollywood, California.

How did you become interested in photography and how much of your time you you spend taking photos?

I bought a few 110 cameras as a kid.I liked the idea of freezing time. I progressed to shooting video in my twenties, and from there learned about cameras, editing and talking to the lens.

I was soon documenting most of my journeys around the place with Channel [v] on video, but it was when I met Yumi Stynes at work that I was inspired once again to shoot stills. I was constantly finding myself in unique and wonderful situations around the country and around the world, and the idea of being able to tell a tale with one frame instead of twenty-four was way more appealing.

What sort of camera gear do you use most often?

I think like many photographers, I go through phases. At the moment I’ve just got my hands on a Canon 5D, so I’m right into that, but I think my Hasselblad X-Pan is probably my favourite camera. I love it so much. I love the wide-screen aspect of the negatives, and I love how much story you can tell with just one frame.

Diving at the Icebergs, originally uploaded by Andrew Günsberg.

What do you find challenging in photography? And what comes easily?

What is easy for me is picking the moment. What I’m trying to do more of is get out of my dependence on available light and wide apertures, and still be able to make the picture pop.

Is there a style of photography you don’t enjoy?

Photos of dewy flowers with a huge aperture. Boring as batshit.

You list Glenn E. Friedman ( for those who don’t know http://www.burningflags.com/bio/ ) as one of your idols. Is it his links to music and photography that you enjoy, or is there more to it than that?

Glenn is the reason photography is so powerful. He was there to document a scene that otherwise would have vanished into thin air and because of one man’s photos of small groups of people, he changed popular culture forever. Had it not been for his groundbreaking photography about the skaters in LA in the late 70’s and early 80’s, modern skating would be nothing like it is today. Also his brilliant and immediate work in the punk scene was what in many ways made those bands popular. There were only ever really a few hundred people at those gigs – they were by no means stadium shows – but his documenting of the scene is what made it important. Document everything.

Having seen your Twitter page, ( http://twitter.com/_andrew_g ) you use your camera phone quite a lot to keep people up to date on your where abouts. Have there been times you wished you have had more than a camera phone with you?

Oh yes, though I have ‘too much gear syndrome’ already. I know I’m supposed to work with what’s in my bag but I always end up stuffing one more lens or body into the case before I leave the house. When I’m not working, I almost always slip at least a cheapo plastic-lensed monster I found on ebay into the pocket, just in case.

What do you love about using film? And can I borrow the Canon 7? 🙂

strobist, originally uploaded by Andrew Günsberg.

Ah my Canon 7 (see above). Bloody tricky to use! Just because you can shoot at f/0.95 you start taking it into darker and darker environments, but then you can hardly focus the razor-thin DOF in no light anyway! I love it.
As far as film is concerned, we perceive light in waves, with gradual transitions from light to dark, and that is what film gives you. Unlike my hearing which is so shot I can no longer discern an LP from a CD from an MP3, I can just see the warmth and latitude in film so much more than digital. It is an expensive habit though, and I have my lab-tech on speed dial.

Film will always, always look better. Alas, digital is cheaper and simpler. There’s nothing I like better than pushing and processing a film within an inch of its life to get that fabulous tonal depth and grain. Digital never looks the same to me no matter how much Photoshop you throw at it, but it’s instant feedback and has been a great tool for me to get my chops up.

I had a personal rebellion against digital for a while there and only shot film for about a year. I got my hands on a Canon AE-1 and shot manual for a few months too, to force
myself into getting my eye for light and focus in. Now my digi shots somehow are better, as I’ve re-thought how I shoot.

You have 3 shots left to take. You can go anywhere and/or meet any one. What/who do you photograph?

The moment my (as yet not conceived) first child opens their eyes for the first time.

The tenth anniversary of peace between Israel and Palestine.

The celebration of Australia switching off its last coal-fired power plant, completing the transition to a clean, hydrogen-based power supply.

And lastly, a quick fire 5 questions. Just tell us what springs into your head when you hear these words.

Adelaide
Strange town on the edge of a desert. I lost and found myself there.

iPod
I’m on about number 8. Always full.

Scrabble
Better than monopoly because it promotes intelligence winning over capitalism.

Leica
Doesn’t matter if you’ve got one and you can’t pick the moment.

Flickr
An ego-stroke for snappers like me all over the world.

_____________________________________________

So there you have it. Andrew Günsberg, the photographer. I hope you enjoyed the interview. I know it was a bit of a thrill for me. Now, who is next? 😉

Looking Through the Viewfinder at George “two40” Miskovski.

5 Replies

Interview #3

This interview we are looking at George Miskovski. I first dicovered George at the Overclockers AU Photography forums. We then spoke a few times on PhotoPhlow and I have been following his Flickr stream ever since. He did a fantastic series of black and white shots of People Sleeping on Sydney’s Trains that I for one thought was something very different and on top of that, a great set of photos. In mid 2008, George started a project that caught my attention. I will take a few words from his own web site to explain it….

In early Spring of 2008 I went out to shoot some street. There was nothing of interest to me. I don’t mind this as I enjoy walking around and observing. A few minutes in I attempted something I don’t usually do. I approached a person and asked them for their portrait. Then another and another until I filled my roll with street portraits. Every single person said yes.

A few days later I wanted to do the same thing but on a bigger scale. I wanted to use a medium format camera and spend a bit of time with the person to get better portraits. Some of the subjects have wonderful stories to tell and it’s always interesting talking to strangers. It amazes me how we all go about our business with blinkers on in a busy city like Sydney but when you stop a person and have a chat with them you can spend up to half an hour sometimes.

In order to maximise the amount of people that would agree to have their portrait taken I came up with a small incentive; a dollar. Originally I thought that giving the subject a dollar would do the trick. I would get more portraits and I’d walk around with a pocket full of coin like a cows bell. Ok, maybe not the best idea. What if I pledged to donate a dollar in their name? What if I took all the money I donate to charities throughout the year and used it to fund a project where I can mix my hobby with raising a bit of awareness for charity work? It just made sense.

Giving a dollar to a stranger means little. A dollar donated in their name is worth much more. It gives them a chance to do something good for very little outlay and sometimes, just sometimes, it jump-starts the charitable nature in someone.

…and so, Dollar Portraits came to be.

http://dollarportraits.com/ for more info.

George seemed like the perfect candidate for an interview, so I sent him a set of probing and wide ranging questions. Here is the interview.

Thanks George for giving us your time. Firstly, can you tell us a bit about yourself. Things like age, job, where you live etc.

So I was 20 ten years ago. Good times I tell you. My family came to Australia in 1987 and we made this place our home. I feel more of an Australian than anything after all these years. I’ve lived in the South Sydney area for the last 21 years. I grew up in colourful Newtown and slowly made my way further South with each decade. I lead an exciting life of a recently promoted admin manager at a bookstore in the city. Most of my shooting is done after work in the CBD.

What started you out in photography and how long have you been into photography seriously?

Cars. I grew up around them and you could say they shaped my life. In March 2007 I wanted to invest in a DSLR to take the most magnificent car porn ever. I went on one night shoot and loved the long exposure. Got over it pretty quickly. Since I had the camera I took it in to work one day and went shooting street. I didn’t know what the genre was called or anything for that matter. I was just taking pictures for the sake of it with no real end result in mind. I had fun but I lost the desire to shoot after a couple of those sessions. It was really hard. Especially the post processing. The permutations seemed endless. How do you choose what pp to go with?

At that stage I gave up on photography. The camera sat in a bag collecting dust for a few months. It was only in January of 2008 that I took it up again when I had an urge to do some street. This time however the bug really bit hard and I’ve been rather consumed by the whole thing. I started shooting film which was more pleasing to me and eliminated the pp problem I had starting out. It seems I now use my DSLR to take pics of the film cameras I buy. Although I am getting rather tired of street I have started to explore portraiture.

I have mentioned in the preamble to this interview, you have set up a charity project called Dollar Portraits. Can you tell us more about it, what it means to you, and what sort of support you have gotten of people?

I was out shooting a bit of street one day and I was all out of mojo so I thought I’d try something different. I began to ask people for their portrait. It was surprisingly fun. I loved talking to all the people. Some for a few seconds and others for up to half an hour. I have an addictive nature so I wanted to do it again and again. Many asked me why I wanted to take their picture. I had no reason and some of them were baffled by the whole thing but agreed anyway.

The more I did it the more people said no. As an incentive I thought I’d give them a dollar for their portraits. After a little more thought it occurred to me that most of the sitters don’t need the money. I still needed some incentive and it was only a matter of time before I came up with the idea to donate the dollar to a charity of my choosing in their name. If they give me the 30 seconds to explain my project it’s hard for them to say no, even if they do have reservations about having their portrait taken. I sometimes feel guilty for having ‘cornered’ the subject but I’m certain that most of them feel like they have donated something and it gets them thinking about their charitable self. It’s definitely worth it.

When you approach people in the street to take their photos, do you have many people who don’t want to participate? My previous blog entry talked about me not being comfortable in front of the camera. Have you thought about approaching some of your fellow photographers to pose for you?

I’d say my hit rate is 9/10 simply because I’m doing this for a charity. If there was no reason behind it I’d get more rejections. It’s funny but a lot of people say yes before I even explain why I want their portrait.

I have my reservations about asking photographers for their portrait. I’m guessing most of them will say no. It’s strange that. I expect everyone to say yes but I’m not sure what I would say if some stranger approached me in the street.

What do you find challenging in photography? And what comes easily?

Finding subjects. I don’t mean just people. Interesting things to shoot whether it’s a building, a landscape or an old worn out bike on the side of a shed. I walk around and mentally take pictures of every day things. I can go a hundred meters and take just as many shots. With the camera in hand though it’s different. I’ll walk the same hundred meters and have just as many reservations of the same mentally composed photos. I think this might be a result of shooting film. You try to make all the shots count and end up missing lots of opportunities.

As for what comes easily… Buying gear. Way too easy. You know you’re addicted when you own 20 cameras and haven’t even used half of them yet. I did recently sell some of them without having used them. Shame really.

Is there a style of photography you don’t enjoy?

I can’t say. So far everything I’ve tried I’ve enjoyed. There’s a lot I want to do so maybe one day I’ll find something I don’t like. If you asked me what I don’t enjoy about photography though I’d have to say post processing. I’m always scared of choosing the wrong pp for a digital shot and ruining a perfectly good photo.

When taking a photo, what do you concentrate on mostly? Composition, lighting, focus?

Background. Seems like a strange one but it’s hard to think about background when your focus is all on the subject. We’re conditioned to concentrate on the thing we’re shooting and never think that the background is also in the shot. It often gets overlooked and ruins many photos. I can’t begin to tell you how many portraits I’ve seen and taken with say a pole sticking out of the persons head. It’s all the way in the back in real life but on a 2d plain it’s… well, plain to see.

Film is a bit part of your photography. Can you explain why you like film?

The feel of it. Hahaha. That’s the cheapest answer if I ever heard one. I always have a chuckle when I hear that reply.

Initially I shot film to quench a curiosity. I found I enjoyed the process. The main reason why I keep shooting film is the fact that it makes me slow down and shoot more deliberately. I still own a DSLR for those convenience sessions but I now associate digital with something I must do. For example a family picnic where I get nominated to shoot the family. If I’m shooting for fun it’s definitely film.

Apart from photography, what do you enjoy doing? It seems from your blog, you are a film buff, and have just bought a new bike.

Yeah I bought a road bike and matching tights. You should see me. It’s a sight only a mother could love and even she has a hard time not laughing. I try to keep fit as I’m in a chair for work all day. Photography helps with that as I get to walk around lots but it doesn’t get the heart pumping like we all need on a regular basis.

I certainly am a film buff and one of my 2009 resolutions is to watch the IMDb Top 250 movies. I’ll be reviewing them briefly on my blog. It’s a way to force myself to watch all those movies that I’ll never find the time for. So many new movies get released that it’s often hard to go back in time for the classics.

I’m also a car fanatic as I’ve mentioned earlier. I grew up dreaming the day I would be able to drive and it’s a passion that has stuck with me. I prefer the older classic cars and currently spend too much money on a 1973 Datsun 240Z.

What is the best photography advice you have been given, and what best life advice?

Watch your background. As for life advice, listen to Nike and just do it.

Who are 3 other Flickr members who you admire, and why?

Paul Bence – http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulbence/ – Excellent portraits. Does a lot of street portraits which is something I’m really into right now.

Jun Nagata – http://www.flickr.com/photos/3views/ – Has a real photographers eye. Check out his Graphisme set.

Horst – http://www.flickr.com/photos/h19/ – Just a father with a P&S. He has a cult following and deservedly so. His Woody & Chip stuff is fantastic. Pure innocent photographic fun.

When you grow up, what do you want to be? Or who would you like to be? The next Joel Meyerowitz?

Haha. Certainly not Joel. I don’t want to be anyone famous and I’m sadly past the stage of ‘when you grow up’. I suppose I did want to be a sports car designer but I hear you had to study for those things.

And lastly, a quick fire 5 questions. Just tell us what springs into your head when you hear these words.

B&W.
Shadows and old movies.

Bokeh.
Why Wednesday of course.

Composition.
Breaking rules.

f/1.2
My lack of funds. One day.

Medium Format.
The endless hours I spent reading up on it 4 months ago.

Thanks George for an interesting interview.

Thank you Todd. I’ve always enjoyed your photography and your dedication to improve so this was a real honour.

Looking Through the Viewfinder at Mick “Mick Ø” Orlosky.

2 Replies

Interview #2.

I first became aware of the talents of Mick on PhotoPhlow around the middle of 2008. Since then I am happy to say he has become a great mate who is more than happy to help out his antipodean friend with helpful advice and a terrific sense of humour. If he lived in Australia, there is every chance his nickname would be Blue. There are 16 very interesting facts here on his Flickr stream. He should stay away from VCRs and alarm clocks. His latest B&W film photography is inspiring.

Onto the interview.

Firstly, the standard opener, can you tell us a bit about yourself. Things like age, job, where you live etc.

I’m an old thirty-six based in Los Angeles, California USA. I’m a digital media product manager who’s looking for work. Anyone with a social media site would do well to hire me.

What started you out in photography and how long have you been into photography seriously?

I took photography courses in both high-school and college, but didn’t learn a thing and it didn’t really take. In my late 20s I dated a wonderful photographer and I got my first digital camera then, an Olympus 1.3mp wonder, for a trip we took to Alaska. It was a D-460Z. I got it from one of those shady NYC vendors they tell you never to order from. I got lucky. The place I got it from got shut down soon after, That should have been a sign, right? I’m still not to a point where I’d say I was into photography seriously. I love it more than anything, though. When I get a Leica, then we can say I’m serious.

But, perhaps you might like to know about my first SLR. On a nameless weekday in 2005, I wandered, on my lunch hour, to a North Country Camera in Escondido, CA with my buddy Greg. They had the first ever digital rebel on display. It was $999. The fellow at the counter popped it on and handed it to me. I had no clue in the world what to do with it. I looked through the finder as if that would tell me anything. I was less than clueless about any of it. I looked at it blankly. I said, Oh this is nice. I was gonna leave, but Greg lobbied me hard. He gave me the old “you only live once” line. He was the devil on my shoulder. I caved and plopped down my credit card. The charge was denied because my credit card company didn’t believe I’d really get it either. I had to call them and convince them I was for real. That should have been a sign, too, right??

He even has fans in Australia!

I first met you on photoPhlow. You are well regarded in the main photoPhlow chatroom. It has certainly helped me in my photography and blog making. Has it changed the way you look at photography, and if so, how?

I can’t believe you don’t remember our first encounter at that warehouse party in Canberra. I know we were drunk, but….

Seriously, the wonderful personalities I’ve been lucky to encounter in Photophlow have influenced me immensely. Indeed, I never would have guessed I’d take up film photography, and now it’s all I like. I am inspired by some great people and buoyed partly by their skill, but mostly by their spirit and kindness.

What do you find challenging in photography? And what comes easily?

Taking pictures is easy. Taking good pictures is also easy. Identifying the good ones is hard. Getting over the fear of photographing people is also very difficult. I am wrestling with the moral calculus of it. What do you take from someone when you steal their photograph?

What lens cant you do with out? And what is your favourite camera?

All lenses are disposable. I wish someone had told me that in the beginning. It’s the lighting that is the key. My favorite camera was the Canonet QL17, until it was stolen. That had a surprisingly hard effect on me. I felt I was making amazing progress with it. I recently received a new one through the kindness of a Phlower. I am oerwhelmed by magnitude of the gesture, and I hope I can regain my symbiosis with this new member of my family – the Canonet.2, Revenge of 35mm!

Is there a style of photography you don’t enjoy?

I don’t enjoy kidsploitation! Using these innocents to create photos and then share with the world can be a little creepy. Perhaps some of these children photos should be kept among friends and family. But, it’s also possible I’m just jealous. For some reason I also don’t like pictures of big beefy guys in small speedo suits. But, it’s again possible I’m just jealous.

When taking a photo, what do you concentrate on mostly? Composition, lighting, focus?

I generally want to look for what the light is doing. Focus should be unconscious at this pont. Composition is almost unconscious as well, though mine needs some improvement. The light is one thing that is never immediately obvious, and it will make or break the photo. Interesting light can overcome a flawed subject. A great composition can be worthless if the light is wrong.

You have recently jumped into film photography. How did that start and what do you enjoy about it?

I started because of what I saw from some of my favorite photographers. What I like about film is how it teaches you to think ahead. By the time you click the shutter, some very important decisions have already been made — more than with a digital camera. With digital photography, those decisions with me were made much much more haphazardly. I got some excellent photos through luck and brute force. With film, every part of the photographic process seems to make more sense to me. I hope that it can help my digital work eventually. It will be a search for balance, a search for discipline, a search for glory! .

Apart from photography and music, what do you enjoy doing?

I like strapping on the boots and heading up hills or small innocent mountains. It’s hard to find spaces without a lot of people where I am. I like to read non-fiction, entry-level physics, and philosophy. I also love going to a baseball game, or sometimes even better lounging in a late-summer evening with a game on the radio.

What is the best photography advice you have been given, and what best life advice?

‘If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” War photographer Robert Capa said that and I really understand what he was saying. Of course, he died when he got close enough to a landmine. The most relevant life advice I’ve ever been given was by my mate in cllege when he told me. “No matter how bad it is, it’s just going to get worse.” As perverse as that sounds, it’s always helped me to focus on the present.

You have 3 shots left to take. You can go anywhere and meet any one. What do you photograph?

For #3, I’d photograph Bruce Sprinsteen alone on stage with his telecaster, in a small packed venue. There would be a good number of other photogs jostling with me, but I’d get the best angle. There would be a lot of sweat and earplugs involved.

For #2 I’d take a portrait of Raymond Smullyan, the writer/thinker who has most infuenced my life. It would be him in the midst of stacks of books, dusty and unending.

Finally #1, I’d photograph my brother in his element, on the job at the Bronx Zoo.

Who are 3 other Flickr members who you admire, and why?

There are too many to mention. I hate to answer this for the ones I’d leave out. But, in no particular order

Radonich Aleksandra, for her flawless portraits of Serbian life.
A Different Perspective, for his uncanny industrial details. What an eye on this guy.
WatermelonSugar, for her tales of the American road to the past.

When you grow up, what do you want to be? Or who would you like to be?

I think I’m well-qualified to be a bikini inspector. I think I have the eye for it.

LomoStrobo, is it the next huge thing in photography?

Oh! No, no, not at all, the next thing? No. I don’t think the world is ready for it yet. Though, certainly I’ll be recognized thirty years after my death. Eventually, eventually, I’ll be considered a genius. But, not any time soon.

And lastly, a quick fire 5 questions. Just tell us what
springs into your head when you hear these words.

Strobist.
— Genius!

Bokeh.
— Is it Wednesday??

Film.
— Skin

f/1.2.
— Good for bokeh?

Lomo.
— Oh no!

Many thanks to Mick for taking the time to do this interview. I hope you found it as interesting as I did.

Looking through the viewfinder at Lakshal “Lucky” Perera.

4 Replies

Something new today, an interview with a terrific photographer that I know through Flickr. Lakshal Perera, or as most people know him, Lucky, has been kind enough to spare some time and answer a few questions I sent him.

Thanks for taking part in the 1st of what I hope is a long line of interesting interviews Lucky. Firstly, can you tell us a bit about yourself. Things like age, job, where you live etc.

I’m 27 and live in Wollongong. I’m still a uni student, I’ve just about finished my PhD in Medical Physics. We do a bunch of research into the treatment and detection of cancer using radiation. I’m working on a new scanner that can pick up brain and breast tumours when they’re a little smaller so I consider that my contribution to society. 🙂

What started you out in photography and how long have you been into photography seriously? To make it easier, when did you buy your 1st L series lens?

I honestly can’t remember why I bought my first camera (a Canon 350D) 2.5 years or so ago, but I started out doing a lot of live music photography. It was fun and meant I could get into gigs for free which sounded like a good deal to me. I’ve been getting into it a more seriously in the last 18 months or so which roughly correlates with the start of me having no money… Interesting…

As anyone who watches your Flickr stream knows, you are coming to the end of the 52 weeks project. How have you found it and what drove you to do it? Also, what is your favourite image of the nearly completed series? I was really hoping for a Baywatch themed photo. 🙂

It started off as an exercise for me to teach myself how to use flashes and set up lighting. After around 5 weeks or so, I came to the realisation i could actually tell a story about myself, and my ideas, through these photos. I try and keep them funny if I can, and generally I’d hope they’re informative to people as well. I’m starting to feel the weight of expectation with each coming week, it’s becoming harder and harder to produce something that I’m happy with, and also something other people will like as well. At the end of the day, I’m doing this experience for myself, and the fact other people enjoy it is something that gives me great happiness, but doesn’t actually motivate and drive the project.

I think my favourite photo is Week 29, Approximately Twenty Seven Years and Nine Months Ago, Two People Did Something Very Silly

Week 29

Sorry to disappoint you but my boobs are slightly smaller than Pamela Anderson’s so I probably won’t be able to pull off a Baywatch one anytime soon!

What do you find challenging in photography? And what comes easily?

My biggest challenge is being visible as a photographer. I feel uncomfortable with people watching me work, or even being aware that I’m there. I’d much rather prefer to be a totally invisible photographer because I think 90% of people react differently when they see a camera in my hands. I guess this fear comes out on a large scalewhen shootings weddings; I make sure that I ask everyone to pretend I’m not there to make things a little easier for me.

The positive aspect of this is that by pretending I’m not there, the natural style of a lot of my portraits (especially wedding ones) show how people look in real life. Cameras can be so misleading in representing how a person looks so I think it’s really important to make the photographic representation of someone look as close as possible to the memory we have of that person in our mind. I find that I’m becoming better at doing this and a lot of people appreciate that kind of image I think (well I hope they do!).

What lens cant you do with out?

I don’t really have a lens i can’t do without, so to speak. I shoot with all primes (except my 16-35 2.8L) so most shots require me to zoom using my legs. Ideally, I can take any photo I want assuming my legs can get me close enough or far away enough. 🙂
But if we’re talking favourite lenses, I can’t go past my 135mm f2L. I don’t use it as much as I’d like to as it’s a little too long most of the time, but I don’t think I’ve ever taken a photo with that lens that I haven’t liked. It’s super fast focusing and when it hits the focus, it’s the sharpest lens in Canon’s range, even when wide open.

Is there a style of photography you don’t enjoy?

I’m not a hater of any photographic styles, but there are many I’m not good at. This includes landscape photography and ones that require organisation of groups of people. I haven’t had a go at macro stuff, but it doesn’t really interest me that much to be honest. In terms of the end result, HDR is truly an abomination. In the hands of a tasteful photographer it can be a fantastic tool and a great enhancer of images, but 95% of the stuff out there is the exact opposite. I’m also truly despise the “Happy Bokeh Wednesday” phenomenon that’s huge on flickr. While I accept that playing with bokeh and depth of field as part of the learning process in photography, it’s nothing that’s new, nor is it particularly challenging. I don’t mean to be a “hater”, it’s just that there is so much great stuff out there that people deserve to see, but having 80 out of the first 100 shots on flickr’s explore being shots of flowers with bokeh doesn’t allow that kind of widespread viewing to happen. Explore is the main way that a lot of people get their stuff seen by people outside of their contacts and it seems sad that there are so many great photographers who don’t get the exposure they deserve.

When taking a photo, what do you concentrate on mostly? Composition, lighting, focus?

I honestly tell everyone that I point and shoot. I’m not being dismissive, it’s the truth. I’m comfortable with choosing my exposure and depth of field so I tend to just get my camera settings right for where I am and then click away. Composition comes relatively easily to me, I guess I don’t think about it that much. My style generally involves shooting with my lens wide open most of the time so I tend to fiddle around with my auto-focus point quite a bit to get the composition I want while maintaining focus on what I want. Besides that, I really encourage people not be scared of using the Aperture and Shutter priority modes of their camera, they can help you pretty significantly in a lot of cases.

You obviously know more than the avergae bear about Photoshop. Could you survive with out it, and how important is it to get the shot right in camera?

I can probably survive without Photoshop, but I wouldn’t have to enjoy it! A digital photo is only an interpretation of reality so that extra step of fudging the image in Photoshop isn’t a huge moral dilemma for me like it is for some people. But at the end of the day, you can only fix up small flaws in Photoshop, the composition and the exposure (as a whole), come straight out of the camera without much leeway for manipulation. You can’t polish a turd. 🙂

Apart from photography and romantic walks on the beach, what do you enjoy doing? Obviously music plays a big part in your life.

Music does play a large part in my life, I’m surrounded by it for nearly 90% of my waking day. It’s in my room at work, in my car and on my computer at home. I used to get into it a lot more in the past, but there’s so much awful rubbish out there now that finding new music has moved from the world of radio onto the internet.

I hang out with my girlfriend Soph most of the time, we both have a passion for football (the real one you play with your feet) and we play together on an indoor team. We both also play outdoor football in the winter and we tend to go and watch each other play on most weekends.

I also don’t mind having a noodle around on my guitar at home when I get some time off. I bought my dream guitar about 2 years ago, a Butterscotch coloured Fender Telecaster, so it keeps me happy. I’m also a bit of a guru at Guitar Hero. 🙂

What is the best photography advice you have been given, and what best life advice?

Hmm, my best photographic advice isn’t so much a technical bit of advice but it came from a good friend of mine who’s a very talented artist. She said to believe in your work and to never ever denigrate it in front of other people, it puts a certain level of expectation into their minds. If you’re not happy with something, don’t release it into the public, wait for something you’re happy with.

My life advice is “Be good, and good will happen to you”. I stick by that each and every day I’m alive and it’s my modified version of the fundamentals of every religious and moral teaching throughout history.

Who are 3 other Flickr members who you admire, and why?

I guess my favourite photographers on flickr come from different backgrounds. Firstly, ex-Triple J photographer Matt Booy. I’ve been lucky enough to become friends with him over time and he was probably the person I moulded my style on when it came to live music.

Another of my favourites is another Aussie fella called AAGCTT who shoots exclusively on film, and a lot of the time on medium format. He can take a photo of pretty much anything, as mundane as it can be, and make it look fantastic. I really admire photographer who can do that, it’s definitely not something I can do yet.

Finally, I can’t go past the local master Rich, aka Yorrick. I really like Rich as a person, he’s got a warm heart and is always willing to help out. I’m not sure if knowing him and his personality biases me, but I have a lot of time to check out Rich’s work. He’s another person who can take photos of the mundane and make them look interesting, and he always has a new way of looking at things that have been photographed to death.

When you grow up, what do you want to be? Or who would you like to be? Australia’s 1st president?

I’m really happy I’m working in cancer research so I’d love to be able to continue making a difference there. In terms of photography, I’m happy keeping it as a hobby that occasionally pays a bit. Payment comes with obligation, and obligation is a sure fire way to lose the desire you have for something.

But if we’re not talking reality, i’d love to be Monkey from ‘Monkey Magic’. He has awesome sideburns, a cloud to transport him around everywhere and a pig for a friend! What more can a man want!?!

And lastly, a quick fire 5 questions. Just tell us what springs into your head when you hear these words.

Strobist. the fundamentals

Bokeh. sometimes overemphasised

Composition. knowledge is power, mould the knowledge yourself and break rules

f/1.2 yummy (but expensive!)

5D MkII. soon! 🙂

A big thanks to Lucky for taking the time to participate. I hope you found it enjoyable.

If you want to see more of his work, check out his blog.