Landscape
SmugMug Spotlight: Andy Yeung.
SmugMug Spotlight: Andy Yeung.
In this SmugMug Spotlight, we had the privilege to meet aerial and landscape photographer Andy Yeung. Based in Hong Kong, Andy has been taking spectacular photographs since 2005. You may even recognize some of his photos — his series called “Urban Jungle” went viral on social media a few years ago.
SmugMug: We are so excited to sit down and talk with you, Andy. Your work is stunning. Can you tell our readers a little more about what got you started in photography?
Andy Yeung: I developed a passion for photography at an early age when I received my father’s old camera as a hand-me-down. It was this early exposure that introduced me to the world of photography, which I believe has a healing power. I believe that a great photograph can speak to people’s emotions and make people pause and think.
SM: You definitely do give us all such a unique perspective of the city! Can you tell our readers more about the gear that you currently use to capture these images?
AY: I use a Canon 5D Mark IV. It is a full-frame camera and has excellent image quality and multiple lens choices. That makes this camera really convenient for me. I also use a DJI drone. This drone provides me a new perspective of where I’m at and is very reliable and stable to fly.
SM: Awesome. Tell us more about why you chose to shoot your genre of photography.
AY: I photograph cityscapes and architecture — mostly capturing the unique visual and structural characteristics of Hong Kong from the perspective of a local photographer. I got into drone flying in 2015 and that has added the new perspective that I was looking for.
SM: Your aerial shots definitely show a unique perspective of Hong Kong that you wouldn’t get if you were just walking the streets. Why did you choose SmugMug to be your partner in presenting and preserving these amazing shots?
AY: I’ve been using SmugMug since 2014, if my memory serves me right. I started using SmugMug because it is very user-friendly and a great platform for photographers to promote themselves and offer prints for purchase. Plus, many well-known photographers are using it.
SM: Wonderful! We are so glad that you’re happy with the platform. One last question: Do you have any advice or tips for a new SmugMug user?
AY: I highly recommend customizing your website template! Spending the time to do that will help you stand out even more.
SM: Thank you, Andy! Great advice and again, thank you for your time and allowing us (and our readers!) to get to know you better.
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About Andy Yeung: Andy Yeung is an award-winning photographer specializing in architecture and landscape photography. As a born-and-raised Hong Konger, he learned to cull inspiration from the familiar, especially when it comes to coming up with shots of his over-photographed city. He relies on a good eye and knowledge of techniques to capture magical moments of Hong Kong and transform what he has seen into something that mirrors how he feels.
Where the Fire Is: Brave the heat with SmugMug’s newest film featuring photographer Mike Mezeul II.
Where the Fire Is: Brave the heat with SmugMug’s newest film featuring photographer Mike Mezeul II.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – (August 22, 2022) – Photography management and sales platform SmugMug just launched a new entry in their award-winning SmugMug Films series. Titled Where the Fire Is, the film features extreme nature photographer Mike Mezeul II as he attempts to document one of the world’s most active volcanoes—Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala.
As a self-described “extreme nature photographer,” Mezeul has built his life and career around daring to capture the shots that others won’t. From supercell storms to active volcanoes, his photography puts him in risky and sometimes downright dangerous positions in order to capture the power of nature at its most volatile.
Mezeul found photography at a young age, discovering an early love of the sky and all it had to offer. “As I began to capture the sky with my photography, I wanted to see and experience more of it,” he says. “Not just the pretty sunsets. I wanted to feel the power that was above my head.”
Soon he was right at home in front of some of the most powerful storms on earth, and braving danger became second nature. It was only a matter of time until volcanoes were calling his name.
In his SmugMug Films debut, Mezeul packs up with a hardy crew of Guatemalan locals to document Volcán de Fuego, a volcano that has been regularly erupting since 2002. Combatting elevation, the weather, and unpredictable eruptions, he braves it all to capture images unlike any other.
“Besides having a deep and understanding knowledge of your subject, you’ve gotta be willing and able to put yourself and keep yourself in some of the most uncomfortable positions ever,” Mezeul says of his work. “When others are running and seeking shelter, your feet are firmly planted on the ground, and your mind and camera are ready to tell a story.”
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SmugMug Films Interview: 10 tips for elevating your outdoor photography with Andy Best.
SmugMug Films Interview: 10 tips for elevating your outdoor photography with Andy Best.
Andy Best grew up with art in his blood; his grandmother was a successful oil painter, and he followed in her creative footsteps, sketching and drawing. His love for sharing emotion through visual mediums expanded into filmmaking and eventually photography, both of which led him to his outdoor adventure lifestyle. We caught up with Andy and his family on the road to learn more about what inspires him and how he decides where his next adventure lies.
Tip #1: Look for the ah-ha moments.
I grew up playing outdoors all the time, and I kept finding moments that would stop me in my tracks. I always found that a pretty compelling reason to stop and take a photo. But then there’s the challenge of using your tools the best you can to share a 2D image of what you’re seeing that can evoke the same emotion that made you stop. If you’re able to keep your radar up and witness those moments, really feel them, then capture them in stills or in motion, you’re kind of a wizard in a way — a magician.
Tip #2: Take time to enjoy the moment.
The greatest picture I didn’t take is always the one when I first get to a location. Instead of jumping right in to getting my gear ready, I tell myself I’ll ease into it the next day. For the initial day or evening, the “image” is only for my own eyes. I take a moment to enjoy the setting for myself without worrying about capturing it for anybody else. You know the film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, when Sean Penn is sitting up on the cliff edge getting a photo of a snow leopard? Ben Stiller asks him why he didn’t take the shot he was waiting for, and Penn basically says, “This one’s for me.” Those are probably the images that mean the most to me.
I have a friend I reached out to once for advice and he said, “I don’t really know if I can give you any advice but this: Just remember to put your camera down from time to time, and enjoy where you are.” I’ve taken that with me everywhere.
Tip #3: Do what you love and the rest will follow.
My career in adventure-lifestyle photography was a complete accident. I love filmmaking, and I love telling a visual story through images. I’ve also always felt very protective of landscapes. It wasn’t until a commercial-video client saw my side work that they approached me and asked me to do some fly-fishing photography work. I tried explaining that that wasn’t what I did, and I didn’t even own a good still camera. But he challenged me. Told me to try it. Next thing you know, I was shooting all these brochures. Then, more people started calling me a photographer because I was building a stills portfolio simply to start conversations with brands like Patagonia. I really wanted to wow them, start a conversation with photos, and then mention, “Hey, I do video work as my specialty. I’d love to do any video work you might have.” But next thing you know, everyone wanted my photo work.
Tip #4: Get out of your comfort zone.
We live on the road in our camper van nearly 100% of the time, and I really like the discovery aspect of going to a new place: it’s fresh, and you see things in a new way. When you’re constantly moving, you’re constantly challenging your senses to see something new, fresh, and different. I’m about to head somewhere more tropical, which is totally different from what I normally do. Getting out into the grasslands, like Nebraska, is so different to me because I grew up in the mountains. When I get to these places that are so different to me, all my senses are firing, and I’m super excited. If you grew up somewhere, you might get complacent. So I think the process of roaming around invigorates creativity and creates a sense of wonder that helps me feel and capture a frame.
Tip #5: Plan ahead.
When we get a location or a direction in mind, I’m usually using a lot of different apps to plan for everything I can. One of the apps, Windy, has a lot of layers and filters you can put on a map so you can watch what the weather is doing — because that’s huge when you’re living on the road full time. It allows me to plan a route based on smoke, fog, temperatures, or anything else to ensure the trip works not just for the shoot but for us as a whole family. We’re mapping out where water is, groceries, gas, propane, things like that. Also, depending on what I’m shooting — such as stars — I’m also looking for what features are in the landscape. So geography is also important. And other apps help me track moon phases, the Milky Way’s visibility, sunset/sunrise times, and things like that. All that gives us a clear map of when we’re supposed to be at a location and how quickly we need to travel.
Tip #6: Go where the story takes you.
Each shoot offers me a different challenge, and that’s why I select them: to help open myself up as a storyteller, a craftsman, and a creator. But there are a lot of times you set out with a specific goal. You feel like you learned so much from previous shoots that you’re going to go into a project and do it the best you’ve ever done it. But then circumstances change — like weather or talent — and the expectations you set for yourself can go awry. You get back from the shoot and you wish you coulda, woulda, shoulda. But you can’t let that stop you. You plan one movie, and you end up shooting a whole other one. Then, when you get to the editing process, you create a whole different one still. When you make a movie or build a shot, you really end up creating three, and you’ve got to roll with it, especially in the outdoor space.
Tip #7: Organize ahead of time so you can grab the shot.
For this particular lifestyle, I have really stout backup drives, a very capable but size-efficient laptop, multiple battery sources with solar, multiple tripods, a wide range of variable lenses, a whole bag of prime lenses for video and for when I want faster glass for a certain shot, a gimbal, and a few different drones. I also have a time-lapse system that I take with me everywhere just in case. As well as a really good audio setup so I can go full production mode and kind of do it all. There’s a lot of time if I’m doing personal projects — so as long as I have a tight kit — I can replicate a lot of cinema. But a good camera pack allows me to stay organized. If you’re not organized, you’re never ready for the shot.
You have to have a checklist. I always keep the same routines no matter what I’m doing, whether it’s a billion-dollar commercial film project or my own. It’s important to continually use those best practices or else you’ll find yourself in rookie positions like, “Oh, I forgot to charge the battery,” or the SD card’s full up.
Tip #8: Composition is key.
I like to talk about motivated design: principles of visual communication by way of controlling the eye. It’s really big when you’re sketching or painting, and a frame is the same way. It takes 30 frames to create one second of video — or a single frame — so you better get it right. I’ve always been taught to look for elements — be it a value or features in the shot — that lead the eye because you want to control the eye to stay on the image. It’s important to think about those things, because that’s the way you can manipulate the viewer to get lost in an image and feel intrigued by it. In motivated design, you’re designing with motivation, rather than just snapping a photo because it looks pretty. If it looks pretty, then you start getting into those principles and looking for those obstacles and values in light, dark, and color theory so you can craft a nice image.
Tip #9: Change your perspective.
We’re all in the height range of about four and a half feet to six and a half feet. That’s where we all walk around. The easiest way to get creative is to get yourself away from that perspective. Get a ladder. Lie on the ground. Get high. Get low. Get away from that standard perspective and instantly, no matter what you’re doing, you’re going to capture something that’s a little bit different.
Tip #10: Do the work but don’t lose the love.
Photography is a lot of sacrifice and a lot of hard work. If you’re not willing to do either of those, and you’re looking for instant gratification, I don’t feel like this industry is cut out for that. There’s a lot of romance in a nomadic filmmaker/photographer lifestyle in general. Now more than ever, young people are getting inspired by a movement that took place via social media, and it looks a certain way. But it’s a highlight reel. I’ve seen a lot of people fail because they leave high school or college, buy a van, and emulate what’s being done. They find they might not have all the tools to be doing it and get into really bad situations. You have to open one door at a time, and you never know where the next door will open, but you can never open the end door at the beginning.
Remember where you came from and why you got into this in the first place, whether it’s video or photo. I’ve seen people imprison themselves because they’ve done something that worked online, and then they’re in fear of doing anything else because it doesn’t get the likes. People then are afraid to share what they truly love to share, and what got them to success in the first place. Make sure you’re always comfortable and happy with what you’re shooting. Don’t shoot for any other reason.
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Find Andy online:
Portfolio
Flickr
Instagram
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Subscribe to the SmugMug Films channel to see future installments as soon as they’re released.
SmugMug Films Interview: The philosophy of light with Karen Hutton.
SmugMug Films Interview: The philosophy of light with Karen Hutton.
Photography has been a way of life for Karen Hutton since she was young. When a previous generation of her family emigrated from Norway, they photographed everything they could of the journey. That legacy of photos passed to Karen’s mother, and the shutterbug gene continued on to Karen, who grew up with camera in hand. It’s not only been a part of her life, it’s become part of her philosophy: a philosophy of light.
Learn more about Karen’s philosophy in our latest SmugMug Film, and read on for her best photography tips.
Tip #1: Express yourself.
Many photographers have a niche or genre they love and hone into their art. Although I’m known for landscape and travel photography, I explore nature, writing, and more. Photography is about more than a particular genre. In my mind, it’s a philosophy of life and light and awe and wonder. Photography is a means of expression and of conveying beauty and wonder in the world. You can stand behind the camera and create a signature image no matter what you’re shooting. The important thing is to express yourself and what matters to you.
Tip #2: Stay true to that expression.
The biggest challenge in photography is the same challenge any of us face in the performing arts, which is to be in the zone — to bring your true self every time. We have a billion distractions every day, and the hardest thing is to stay present every time you apply yourself to your art. People say, “It’s hard to stay fresh. It’s hard to stay inspired.” But the present moment is where inspiration lies.
The challenge is to decide who you are in your art because this will define who you are in your business. It will help you find your audience. It’s not the same as it used to be. You can’t just run around and sell prints. You have to dig quite a bit deeper and have a few tough moments with yourself to figure out who you’re going to be within your photography and what you really have to offer. Then stay true to what that is.
Tip #3: Learn what you love to see, then go capture it.
I have this way of finding places I want to photograph that people tend to blow off when they first hear it because it sounds so general, but it isn’t. It’s smart, and it’s specific: I know what I want to see, what I need to see, and what I love to see. When those things come together, magic happens.
When I consider going somewhere specifically for photography, whether it’s a new or an old place, I think about what I want to see. I’ve lived near Lake Tahoe for thirty years. I’ve shot it so much, I know that I want and need and love to see when it’s dramatic — when the colors are a certain way; when the air has a certain electric spark in it. I’m going to look for those conditions before I take the trouble to trek out there and set up my tripod.
If I think about somewhere new I want to go, I know I love to experience history. And I love to experience nature because it’s the brushstroke of creation. So I look first for those things. Then I look for the light and air to be a certain way. I look for the things I want, need, and love to see and that sets me on fire.
Tip #4: Live in (and photograph) the moments.
In landscape, the moments I look for I usually find in morning or evening light — which is kind of obvious. I don’t mind when the sun is high, but I like the sun high in winter way more than in summer. Here in the mountains, bright sunlight in the summertime washes everything out. Whereas in wintertime, even the highest sun is still beautiful.
When I go out, I look for the moments that make my stomach flutter, make me gasp, make me cry. I’ll have some physical reaction if I’m being present; I’m not sitting somewhere thinking, “Rule of thirds says this is a fine photo.” I don’t do that. I go by my gut. When I feel something is when I take the picture.
That’s what I always challenge myself with: telling the story of my experience, of the beauty, of how I feel. It’s my take on each of these scenes, but I do it through wide, mid, and close-up photos. I try to do all focal ranges everywhere I go, if I have time, so that I walk away with an entire book of moments.
Tip #5: Gear is what supports your vision.
You need to have the technical know-how, but you also need to have the inspirational artistic vision. FUJIFILM gear bridges that gap for me better than any other gear on the market, and it has everything to do with the way I like to interact with my gear. I also have a cinematic way of seeing, and their colors come closest to what I see and feel than any other camera.
The other reason I love their cameras is because I’m muscle-memory oriented. Muscle memory for settings works way better for me than menu diving because I’m always trying to be in the moment. With FUJIFILM, there are six or eight external buttons I can customize. Once I see and feel the moment I want to capture, I can just do it without thinking, which is so important for my approach to photography.
This philosophy guides all my other gear choices, too. I need them to work without pulling me out of the moment. Really Right Stuff is the last tripod I’ll ever have to buy because of how smoothly everything works, no matter how cold it is. Super secure. Super solid. Never fails.
My LucrOit filters are super true. They don’t tint anything. Their holders make it super easy to snap filters on and switch them out. I hate fussing with gear because it’s a distraction. These filters help me bring my vision to a photo without disturbing the moment.
SmugMug helps me share that vision with the world — without ever getting in the way. I’ve always felt like it was my “ace in the hole” when it comes to showing my images online. When I send someone there — or show them my work on the app — I’m relaxed knowing my photos look amazing with no worry about the user experience (it’s always great). It helps me present my art and do business seamlessly.
And that’s the key for any gear: it should support your vision and help bring it to life. It should never interfere with your moments.
Tip #6: Post-process to refine, not fix.
Get the image right in camera first, as much as possible. Then use post-processing to take it in the direction you originally envisioned. I prefer to use Photoshop over Lightroom to refine my vision, which usually shocks people. But I don’t shoot for volume. Shoot with meaning. Know what you want. Don’t shoot a million photos simply because you have room on your memory card. When you have a vision behind what you’re doing, you don’t come home with so much extraneous stuff that you need an enormous database to manage it.
I also prefer to work in layers. The simplest photos will always have at least three or four layers. The more complex ones might have thirty. This is why I use Photoshop, along with some plug-ins like Aurora, Luminar, Google Nix, Alien Skin, and Exposure.
To make an image better match my vision, the first thing I do is balance and clean up a photo. This usually involves tweaking highlights and shadows and cloning out any dirt that may have been on the sensor. The goal is to get the image to a good baseline. Then I may decide to add some adjustment layers and work on the light; I let the life of the image start to come through and get more creative from there.
Tip #7: Learn. Forget. Create. Repeat.
If you want to get started in photography, learn from others — even imitate them to learn how something feels or works. Then, forget all that and go back to what you want, love, and need to see, because that’s where life and art intersect. If it doesn’t make you gasp, don’t take the picture.
Beauty awakens the soul to speak. If there were ever a time that we need the soul to wake up and speak, it’s now. We need beauty now more than ever.
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Find Karen online:
Portfolio
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
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Subscribe to the SmugMug Films channel to see future installments as soon as we set them free.
Wrangling the wilds of nature with Mike Mezeul II.
Wrangling the wilds of nature with Mike Mezeul II.
SmugMug Films is excited to present Where the Fire Is, featuring Mike Mezeul II. Keep reading to get to know Mike and his tips for photographing the power of nature.
Photographer Mike Mezeul II doesn’t like to take it easy. In fact, he pursues some of the most challenging and dangerous situations to photograph, resulting in images that astound and awe with the power of nature. During a rare, calm moment, Mike shared with us, in his own words, his top tips on what it takes to capture nature at its wildest.
Tip #1: Look beyond the surface.
I look for a scene that is more than just “pretty” — finding a frame that tells a story, conveys an emotion, and brings someone into that moment as if they were the one looking through the viewfinder. I’m stubborn, so if I don’t come across that scene right away, I’ll wait and wait and wait for it to happen, even if that means coming back a dozen times.
Tip #2: Patience is your friend.
The biggest challenge in my work honestly comes down to being patient. I have a laundry list of images that I’ve wanted to capture for years but they haven’t come to fruition just yet. It does test my patience, but I know it’ll eventually happen. And that will make me appreciate it that much more when it does. You also have to be persistent. It takes time, hard work, and many failures, but it’s absolutely possible.
Tip #3: Be ready to go at a moment’s notice.
I plan my travel very spontaneously. In terms of severe weather, I take every spring off from documenting anything else but severe weather. That provides me with the best opportunities to travel across America in search of the worst, yet best, weather to photograph. When it comes to volcanoes, I have a bag of gear ready to always go in hopes of being able to get on a flight as quickly as possible if there’s an eruption I want to document. If there’s a volcano that’s more consistently erupting, like Fuego, I primarily plan around moon phases and weather conditions. But things can always change in an instant, like with the 2018 Kilauea Volcano eruption in the Lower East Rift Zone.
It was such an extremely dynamic event that provided incredible visuals among horrible devastation. It was challenging to document as each day was quite different from the previous. Roads that were there the day prior no longer existed. New fissures were opening each day, providing amazing visuals but an extremely uncomfortable environment to be in. And the hazards weren’t just from the lava but copious amounts of sulphur dioxide gasses, septic tanks exploding, emotional residents, and more.
Tip #4: Have the right gear for the job.
I always carry my Nikon cameras and lenses, especially the Nikkor Z 14–24mm, a ton of lens cloths, and a tripod that can withstand being thrown into a volcano. But the best camera is the one in your hand. It doesn’t matter what camera it is, brand, or how new or old. Someone, somewhere in the world, is creating amazing content with less than what you have.
Tip #5: Get uncomfortable.
Besides having a deep and understanding knowledge for the subject you are photographing, it’s a must to be able to put yourself and keep yourself in some uncomfortable positions. Where others are running and seeking shelter, your feet are firmly planted on the ground, and your mind and camera are ready to tell a story.
Tip #6: Keep it real.
I’m not one to fake skies, color, or warp a scene into one that’s more dramatic than what I saw. I think it’s a lie to the audience to do so, and nature is already amazing, so why is there a need to exaggerate it? I want my audience to see and feel what I saw, not what I wanted to feel. I also think back to those who laid the foundation for photography, like Ansel Adams. How hard he worked to create a single frame. The patience, persistence, the grueling techniques of capturing and developing his images. It would be a slap in the face to guys like him if I faked a scene in post [sic].
Tip #7: Take advantage of every situation.
My dog is a diva and won’t pee on anything but grass, so when we got backcountry permits at White Sands, I tried to get her to use the bathroom before we went to bed. It was a complete fail. At around 2AM, she’s crying at the tent door, and I knew if I didn’t take her out I’d be waking up in a puddle. So we hopped out for her to go pee and, of course, she wouldn’t. I refused to go back in the tent until she did, then I noticed a flash of lightning off in the distance. I also noticed the Milky Way was out above the storm so I thought I could get lucky with another strike while waiting. I set up my camera and tripod and a big bolt landed under the storm, but I was so excited I must have moved the sand under the tripod as it happened. The frame was a complete blur. I repositioned the tripod and shot again, and again, and again. I was about to give up on both the image and my pup going to the bathroom, but then it happened: two beautiful bolts came out from the bottom of the storm with the moon setting behind the clouds, Milky Way shining above, and the stunning white sand dunes reflecting the ambient light. I remember cheering and looking over at my dog Joplin right as she was peeing. It was a win all around.
Tip #8: Pursue your passion.
I love that I see a career I pursued because I was passionate about it, when so many people told me I shouldn’t. I had people tell me I was making a mistake, that the photography industry is too competitive, or I would never last. Now, when I look at my work, I love that I see my passion reflected in my work and that I didn’t take no for an answer. Think about what you’re truly passionate about and let your creativity fly. It may take time to get that yes, but if you take no as an answer, you’ll never get that yes.
Tip #9: “Bob Ross” it.
If you don’t know who Bob Ross is, hop on YouTube and watch one of his shows. I refer to him in every workshop I teach. He was an amazing painter, and he would tell you exactly what he was going to paint, what the landscape would look like, where the light would be, and, of course, about the happy trees as well. He would then talk about some of the colors he would use. All of this before a single drop of paint hit the canvas. The point of this was he had a vision for what he wanted to create. So I always teach my workshop students to “Bob Ross it.”
Watch Mike in action in the latest SmugMug Film, Where the Fire Is. Mike takes us along on his journey to photograph Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala. See if you can spot where he’s applied his own photography tips.
Visit https://prints.mikemezphotography.com/ to purchase his prints and follow @MikeMezPhoto on Facebook, Instagram, and Flickr.
And then, tell us what you think! Did you learn something new? What do you think of the SmugMug Film? Leave a comment on our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
One Day One Artist Interview: Seeking elevated perspectives with Chris Dahl-Bredine.
One Day One Artist Interview: Seeking elevated perspectives with Chris Dahl-Bredine.
Chris Dahl-Bredine isn’t your average aerial photographer — if there even is such a thing. Driven by a desire to connect with the world around him with as few barriers as possible, Chris straps himself into an ultralight aircraft and takes to the skies. Steering with one hand and shooting with the other, he captures stunning images of the American Southwest from above.
In our latest One Day, One Artist film, we accompany Chris into the high desert and mountains of New Mexico to see things from a bird’s-eye view. Watch the film below, and read on for a few of his tips about flight, photography, and elevating your perspective.
Tip #1: Go slow. Confidence, familiarity, and comfort are your friends.
One of the biggest hurdles I ran into when I started flying was people thinking, “You’re nuts! You’re going to kill yourself!” They basically tried to scare me out of it. But anything is possible if you really put your mind to it and do it safely. Aerial photography is something you want to take step by step and really build your skills — piloting, learning the weather, knowing your camera, knowing your aircraft — so when you get up in the sky, you feel comfortable and can relax.
If you’re up there and you’re terrified, then you did something out of order. The most important thing is you feel safe up there before you even worry about photography. From there, that’s where magic happens.
Tip #2: Look for your unique perspective.
I was always interested in photography, but I would only dabble in it. I never got that into it until I started flying. That’s when I realized what I was seeing was special and something not many people get to see. This was long before drones existed — almost 20 years ago — so especially then, not many people saw what I saw. Once I started flying, it was a natural progression to want to share what I was seeing through photography.
The main thing is capturing an image when you’re inspired by something — something that moves you when you see it. If it means something to you, it’s probably going to mean something to someone else as well.
Tip #3: Don’t be afraid to think big.
When I first started photographing, I had a tiny, 35mm point-and-shoot Olympus camera. Then I met a guy where I live in Taos who was a printer and a photographer, and I wanted to print my images bigger. When you print them big, they just come to life; they’re more dramatic. But I realized I was limited by my little camera. So I tried digital for a little while, which was even worse at the time — at least what I could afford. Then I went to medium-format film, and that started getting me the quality and resolution I wanted for big prints. You could stand in front of a big print and feel like you’re looking out a window and actually seeing the scene in front of you. It just comes to life.
Shooting medium format while flying was challenging, but it also made me want to make each shot count, so it was good training for me. And when I could afford a really nice digital camera and shoot a thousand frames in one flight, that changed things.
Tip #4: Stay flexible in your photography…
Photographically, I try to be flexible and open to learning new things. It’s easy to get into one way of doing things and stay in that rut of process. I try to keep an open mind when I’m up there with the camera because I know there’s a lot I don’t know. There’s always a new way to see things and a new way to capture things. Everyone can find their own way that’s going to be different from someone else. The story is an important part of the photo, too, so I think finding and taking photos that have a story is a good thing to have in mind when you shoot.
Tip #5: …but plan ahead with your gear.
In general, I make sure my camera gear is charged, I have plenty of room on my memory cards, and I have an extra battery. Then there’s the gear I wear: electric socks, electric gloves, long underwear, down pants, a down jacket, and a down suit over all that. It’s mostly having all the right layers so you can stay up there a while. If you forget one thing — say, your neck gaiter that keeps your face warm — then you have to land early because it’s so cold. Any bit of gear that fails or that you forget can basically end the flight earlier than you want to.
Tip #6: Hang on tight.
For my lens I usually use something pretty flexible, like a 24–70mm or 27–105mm, but I’ll sometimes change lenses. It’s totally possible to change lenses up there, but you have to be pretty cautious and aware of what you’re doing. I’ve seen a $2,500 lens fall out of a trike. A friend of mine didn’t get it on the camera right and we never found it. That was a big loss, but the biggest danger of shooting while flying is if anything falls and goes into the propeller…then you’re looking at more problems than your gear.
Tip #7: Watch the weather and follow the light.
I really love flying when there are clouds. There are so many variations of what could happen when there’s clouds in the sky, it changes everything. I wait for weather events that could have spectacular clouds: a particular kind of lighting, really clear air after rain or snow, new snow on the mountains or on the deserts — that gets me up early, too.
I’m always drawn toward the light whenever I’m up there. When you follow your gut feeling, you can find something even greater than you imagined below the clouds. Once I saw golden shafts of light coming through a hole in the clouds up in the mountains. It was all grey and drab down below, so I made my way toward this light. After probably 30 minutes, I finally got up to the hole and popped through. On the other side was the most beautiful, golden cloudscape. Trees and peaks were poking up out of the clouds, everything was glittering and wet, the golden light was shining down on everything below me as I went above the clouds. It was such an exhilarating moment.
Tip #8: Follow your passion, and use it to connect with the world around you.
The best advice I have come across is to follow your truest passion — whatever moves you to a place of feeling alive, happy, and grateful. Seeing the world with wonder and gratitude keeps you open to other people and experiences, which is so important.
Much of photography can be a self-centered, “look at the shot I got” kind of thing. Which is fine — there’s nothing wrong with that — but how can we make photography a contribution to the whole that makes us better as a culture and as a world? I hope to inspire people to see the wonder of this world that we live in and be moved to a place of “I want to take care of this” or “how can I make the world better for future generations?” instead of “how can I go get this shot and call it mine?”
Building connections between people and the natural world — promoting a cleaner, better, more sustainable future — is an important thing people often overlook. If you can find some way to make connections with the natural world and with other people through your photography, I think that’s really what’s needed these days.
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Find Chris Dahl-Bredine online:
Portfolio
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One Day One Artist Interview: Alex Qian—creator, photographer, artist.
One Day One Artist Interview: Alex Qian—creator, photographer, artist.
The newest edition of One Day One Artist follows content creator Alex Qian as he returns to his old stomping grounds — Chicago, the Windy City — in search of favorite spots and unexpected shots. Watch the film and read on to learn more about Alex and his tips for incredible photography.
Alex Qian is a bit of a mashup: part photographer, part content creator, part educator, part business owner. Depending on the day, you might catch him on a commercial shoot, or running a photography workshop, or crafting content for his dedicated social media following — or, if you’re as lucky as we were, just wandering the city looking for the perfect shot.
In our latest One Day One Artist film, the Chicago-born and LA-based creative takes us on a tour of his old stomping grounds. Watch the film below, and keep reading for a few of his tips on mastering the multifaceted hustle that is professional photography.
Tip #1: Learn to collaborate, and draw inspiration from everywhere.
I like to describe my work as a mashup of creativity through exploring and learning pieces of each of the different fields of expression that I have touched. Though my artwork is primarily land/cityscape and adventure lifestyle focused, I continue to strive to stay open-minded in this crazy and fast-progressing world to look for ways to improve my work in both photography and video. I am a Millennial growing up in the internet-age, so I learned a lot of what I know now through social media, Google, Youtube, and lots of trial and error.
That said, as I progressed I learned that in order to really grow as a creative I had to let go of control and learn how to collaborate with other creatives that are incredible at the things I’m unable to do. When I figured that out, it became easier to focus on execution, especially in an age where we have incredible cameras and rapidly progressing technology to convey our visions through. I truly believe that we live in an age that provides the most opportunity and has removed many of the barriers that may have previously stopped people from pursuing creative arts.
Tip #2: Never be afraid to change direction.
My personal journey took me from a passionless, non-creative individual to someone that decided one day that I was going to live a life I wanted to be able to look back on without regret. That journey and the incredible feeling of finally finding something that I was 110% passionate about gave me immense purpose in helping others try to uncover their version of that success for themselves. What most didn’t see was the intense ups and downs of that journey, and I always try to work in a sense of those feelings in my current work. I just feel like a lot of people go through life doing what they’re supposed to do, and if I can inspire even one person to attempt to look outside those boundaries, I’ve succeeded.
My first career was in Financial Services, where I went straight to work out of Undergraduate studies. As a first-generation Asian American to immigrant parents, I was encouraged to do things that no 12 year old should have to care about…like Calculus and Mandarin Chinese. (laughs) I was never really great in school compared to all of my peers, but I somehow managed to stumble out of school and into a couple well-respected corporate companies that gained my family and friends’ approval but basically required sacrificing my happiness for. It was through that time that I learned my greatest skill was actually thinking outside the box and getting creative with my processes at work (much to my boss’ dismay). Through a gradual journey of discovering more of my innate passions, I picked up photography, started traveling and learning more about the world and myself, and that was that.
Tip #3: Find your community—online, in person, wherever you can.
Community is really important to me because I went through life feeling disenchanted and excluded because I was so different from everyone that seemed to have no problem navigating through life all the way through young-adulthood. Now that I know myself, have found my creative identity, and am confident in what value I can contribute to the world, I want to try to encourage anyone that was in that mindset that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Basically be that guiding hand I could have used when I was still stumbling through those times. The amazing thing is that the community has given so much back to me in the form of opportunity, support, and a living which I am super-grateful for.
Part of the benefit to community building is that you also get to spend a lot of time networking with other people from all walks of life. A lot of my first big commercial gigs with Microsoft Xbox, Adobe, and Panasonic Lumix to name a few came about because I met the right people that liked my work enough to collaborate together. The other big piece was curating and getting my portfolio to a place that made it easy to show that I could be trusted with more responsibility on big projects. The beautiful thing is that the cycle continues to feed itself as my projects continue to increase in scope over time! Nowadays I try to work in this new age of social media broadcasting in tandem with my quality of work (and even my friend’s work) which my clients seem to love.
Networking, getting my work seen by way more eyes that I could traditionally (and for free), staying on top of creative trends, inspiring my community, and finding talent to collaborate and grow with are the main reasons why I enjoy using social media so much. It has worked out for me as I am a very social person and really enjoy sharing what I’m up to as well as my peer’s work, so I believe that with the right mindset it is an incredible tool for creatives to utilize!
Tip #4: Explore.
I get a lot of inspiration from social media and web-based platforms like Flickr. I know that platforms can be overwhelming sometimes but I always make time to scroll and try to find new inspiration from artists I look up to in all sorts of genres. As long as you remain objective about what you are consuming, I’ve found that it is a literal treasure trove of inspiration! I also spend a lot of time exploring my surroundings wherever I am, so that has served me well if I am tasked with finding a location to fit a vision. Exploring especially comes in handy if I am unfamiliar with the spot, since I tend to look at it differently than someone that is super familiar would. When all that fails, I’ll lean on friends that I know have hundreds of location pins in their maps!
Tip #5: …but try to have a backup plan.
I would say [my biggest advice is] to build a financial safety net so that you can make mistakes comfortably. You are starting a business and that can be a huge learning curve on top of trying to stay creative, so it helps if you can lean on friends, family, or savings if things don’t work out right away (and they never do). In hindsight, I was lucky I had a career beforehand that allowed me to build a foundation to launch from.
Tip #6: Know yourself.
Learn what opinions you should be actually taking as objective advice if you’re sharing your work on the internet. There will be tons of voices and you’re going to need to build confidence in yourself and your work in order to stand apart and progress as a creative. You know what’s best for yourself and the story you have to tell will stand out if you have found that balance in your work. Lastly, take things at your own pace and try not to compare yourself to others. Everyone shares their highlight reels and it can be easy to feel like you aren’t good enough. Rushing your own process can be one of the worst things you can do, so take your time.
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Find Alex Qian online:
Website: https://www.wayfaringprofessional.com/
Social media: Instagram | YouTube | Flickr | Twitter
Subscribe to the SmugMug Films channel to see future installments as soon as they are released.
