Guest Photographer - Jose Vazquez

Urban Exploration is more than taking a simple photo of an abandoned subject.
It is recording a piece of history, it is giving to an abandoned place a chance to live forever.
The story will go on way after a building is demolished.
Why shouldn't we preserve a piece of history forever?

This is exactly what Jose Vazquez does. He shows the world what existed in the past.
In a way he is more than a photographer. He is also an archeologist and a keeper of history.
Check out Jose's amazing photographs here.

Personal note from the interviewer:
"Thank you Jose for sharing these wonderful locations. If it wasn't for people like you, we would never be able to take a look at the past. Take photos, leave only footsteps".

PA: What drew you to photography?
JV: I love traveling, so my initial goal was to learn how to take better photos while on trips. This was before I knew it’s not all about the gear, but the photographer. So I went out and bought a DSLR. Now as I improve, I find myself wanting to revisit all the places I've been to take better photos.

PA: What is your favorite type of photography?
JV: Urban exploration has to be my favorite. I also love taking shots of my son, shooting around New York City, and wildlife.
If I lived in an area with more wildlife, that would probably be my focus.

PA: Do you have an artist that inspires you?
JV: Honestly, my inspiration comes from my social media peers.
On any given day I can scroll through my Google+ or Flickr feed and find tons of amazing photos. If I had to choose one person that inspires, I’d have to go with Ian Ference.
His urban exploration work is always top-notch and I appreciate the time he takes to research and learn the history of the locations he shoots.

PA: Tell us a secret: what makes you mad when you are photographing?
JV: Something that makes me really mad is the fact that I can’t shoot a straight horizon to save my life. Sometimes I don’t realize it until post-processing then end up having to crop the photo.
I really need a level for my camera.

PA: What is your dream location or subject to shoot?
JV: Machu Picchu in Cuzco, Peru. I’ve actually already been there, but the images I can back with weren’t good at all.
I’d like to return with a little more photographic knowledge and capture its majestic beauty.

PA: Make a wish (photography related)
ME: I would like to... go on a safari in Kenya's Maasai Mara with a Nikkor 600mm lens in tow. It would combine two loves - wildlife and photography.
That would be an amazing experience...and it will happen someday. :)

Talking photography specific

PA: Select one photo from your gallery and let's talk about that.

PA: What inspired you to select this location?
JV: I had seen amazing photography by other urban explorers and couldn't wait to try it out myself.
As far as selecting this place, I did a quick search for abandoned buildings in the area and this was the first to come up.
This was the location of my very first urban exploration experience...and it certainly didn't disappoint. I was immediately hooked.

PA: What gear did you use?
JV: I had a Nikon D90, Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 lens, a tripod, wireless remote, and of course a respirator.

PA: Care to share some EXIF details & setup environment?
JV: 90% of the time I'm exploring I shoot brackets. Depending on the scene, I'll shoot anywhere from 3-9 exposures.
I'll usually stay at around f/8 and adjust my shutter speed for a correct exposure.
This particular scene had a wide dynamic range, with the shadows and the sunlight beaming in. I ended up shooting 9 exposures and blending them using Photomatix.

PA: Describe this photo. You can use only one word.
JV: Contemplative.

PA: Any tips for photographers that are trying to shoot the same genre?
JV: First and foremost, be safe.
Wear a respirator if you know there's asbestos, mold, etc... and never explore alone.
If possible, seek out places that aren't widely known.
Unfortunately, these beautiful abandonments are all too often vandalized.
It's a wonderful feeling exploring a place that seems like it hasn't had human contact in years.

PA: Is there anything you would like to add to this interview?
JV: It’s a great feeling having someone show interest in your work.
Thank you so much for granting me this opportunity to share a little more about myself with you.

More works from Jose

 

 

Guest Photographer - Mark Esguerra

If you look at Mark Esguerra's portfolio, you will find a colorful and versatile photographer.
From cityscapes to landscapes, architecture to flowers you'll see a bit of everything.
The clarity and detailed information available in his photographs makes him a valuable member of the community.
Mark is well known inside the Google+ photographic community and most definitely a person to follow.
You can check Mark's fantastic portfolio at SmugMug or follow him on Google+.

PA: What drew you to photography?
ME: What drew me to photography was quite simply I wanted to take better pictures of Japan. I love Japan and during my first couple of visits I used a point and shoot camera. But as happy as I was with those cameras, I didn't feel like I had the proper skill to take a decent shot. So I set off on my way to learn more about photography.

PA: What is your favorite type of photography?
ME: My favorite type hands down is landscape photography. There's something about being out and about among nature that really makes me happy. As anybody else with a camera, I also like to shoot whatever is in front of me, but if I had to pick one, it's definitely a nice, scenic landscape.

PA: Do you have an artist that inspires you?
ME: I don't have any one person in particular that inspires me because truth be told I draw inspiration from so many. From landscape photographers to street photographers, I truly just enjoy photography.

PA: Tell us a secret: what makes you mad when you are photographing?
ME: Hmm, what makes me mad? I honestly can't say anything makes me mad when I'm out on a shoot. Even people that walk in front of my lens during a shot doesn't really irk me. The way I figure is that they just want to enjoy the scenery as much as I do so I just wait for them to move, or I move myself, or I use that person(s) in the shot. No biggie for me in any case.

PA: What is your dream location or subject to shoot?
ME: As of right now my dream shoot would be any of the wonders of the world, though I am leaning towards the Great Wall of China, or any epic mountain ranges like the Himalayas, the Swiss Alps or Mt. Everest.

PA: Make a wish (photography related)
ME: I would like to... I would like to be able to shoot in all seven continents of the world. Well, for starters anyways. He he.

Talking photography specific

PA: Select one photo from your gallery and let's talk about that.

PA: What inspired you to select this location?
ME: I selected this particular photo because it represented a lot of firsts for me. It was my first trip to Death Valley. It was my first time getting to meet many photographers whom I had only interacted with online on G+. Quite honestly, before G+ I hadn't heard of a majority of the photographers I know now. This trip really represented to me personally a (for a lack of a better phrase) broadening of my horizons in several aspects.

PA: What gear did you use?
ME: The gear I was using at the time was my trusty Nikon D90 with a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 ultra wide angle lens. It's a camera I truly adore and though it's now just a backup I don't think I will ever part with it.

PA: Care to share some EXIF details & setup environment?
ME: This was my first time doing any kind of super long exposure and it was also my first attempt at star trails. I had met Jeff Sullivan and Lori Hibbett for the first time out there during the big G+ DV photowalk and they were more than willing to teach me and some others how to shoot in such a scenario.
What got me this result was a 1468 second exposure at f/2.8 and 400 ISO.
I wasn't as proficient at processing then as I am now, but it's a result that I've been happy with since I first loaded onto my computer.

PA: Describe this photo. You can use only one word.
ME: Educational.

PA: Any tips for photographers that are trying to shoot the same genre?
ME: My tip, more like advice really, for anybody wanting to go out and shoot landscapes, whether it's star trails at night, or the ocean at sunset: is to be patient. It's a tip that most photographers already go by, but it's worth repeating I think.
Just stay patient on location at the scene.
Even if things look bland, hang around, compose your frame, and wait because something epic could happen just a few moments later.
Mother Nature likes to tease us photogs a bit, so don't give up on a scene so quickly.

More works from Mark

 

 

Guest Photographer - Manuel Votta

Manuel Votta is an italian photographer that enjoys architecture, landscape, HDR and long exposure photography.
Manuel is a constant presence in the Google+ community. His talent is recognized among the community, his B&W photography are definitely a must see.
You can follow Manuel's fantastic portfolio at Facebook.

PA: What drew you to photography?
MV: I cannot give a precise answer to this question because since I was young and can remember, taking photos has always fascinated me.
But it was only around 2009, when I gave my girlfriend a DSLR camera as gift and started to use it, that I discovered a real passion in photography.
Guess what? I couldn't stop shooting since then!

PA: What is your favorite type of photography?
MV: I like to experiment with many different genres, but my favorites are Landscape, Architectural and Panoramic photography (often in B&W). Lately I'm getting interested in Long Exposures as well, that's why I'm planning to seriously try that type of photography as soon as possible.

PA: Do you have an artist that inspires you?
MV: In my opinion every photographer is an artist. That said, I got to know hundreds great photographers thanks to social networks like Google Plus, where there is a big and active photography community. Many of them constantly inspire me, but it would require too much time to list everyone!
Just to name some special ones: Julia Anna Gospodarou and Joel Tjintjelaar with their amazing B&W long exposures applied to architectural photography, Elia Locardi with his colorful and super-detailed HDR landscapes/cityscapes, Johan Peijnenburg with his breathtaking mountain views, Jay and Varina Patel with their dreamy nature photos, and last (but not least) my friend Charles Lupica with his wonderful B&W shots.
But I could really go on for several hours!

PA: Tell us a secret: what makes you mad when you are photographing?
MV: I usually don't get mad when I take photos, because I always try to choose/guess the best settings and gear even in harsh conditions, plus I'm a very patient person!
But if I had to choose a situation (or two), I would say that I totally hate myself when I figure out I left home some important piece of my equipment! Or when you think you have just captured the EPIC shot and then, when you are processing it on a proper monitor, you find it's nothing special :-)

PA: What is your dream location or subject to shoot?
MV: There are so many places in the world I would like to visit and photograph at least once in my life, starting from here in Italy!
I love modern big cities and eye-catching landscapes, but I also like ancient history (I live in Rome after all, the eternal city!)

PA: Make a wish (photography related)
MV: I would like to... have the chance to take photographs for as long as I will find pleasure into it (most likely my entire life), and keep improving my technique.. It would really be enough for me!

Talking photography specific

PA: Select one photo from your gallery and let's talk about that.

PA: What inspired you to select this location?
MV: That is Positano (Italy), I think this explains it all! :-)
Jokes apart, I went to Positano during my short trip to the Amalfi Coast in 2012. Obviously I took hundreds of photos there (that place is so magical!), but once on the little pier I immediately knew I HAD to take a panorama of the whole sight (beach and town).

PA: What gear did you use?
MV: I used my old Nikon D60 camera with the 18-55mm kit lens, a humble T'n'B tripod and a Circular Polarizer. It makes me smile if I think that recently I've replaced ALL my equipment! (new camera, new tripod, new filters, new everything.)

PA: Care to share some EXIF details & setup environment?
MV: First of all I had to wait for a group of Chinese tourists to leave the spot, then I placed my tripod almost on the edge of the pier to capture as many things as I could. I set the lens/circular polarizer and framed the scene to take a sequence of photos, since I had in mind to create a stitched panorama. I adjusted some settings on the camera and finally began to shoot.

The final panorama is the result of a series of 7 shots taken at f/5.6, ISO 100 and 1/125th of a second. I adjusted and balanced the RAW files in Adobe Lightroom, then I created a panorama by stitching them together with a dedicated software and finally I converted the resulting image to B&W using Nik's Silver Efex Pro 2. That's it! :-)

PA: Describe this photo. You can use only one word.
MV: Poetry at its utmost level.
(Referring to the wonderful place. And yes, it's more than one word!)

PA: Any tips for photographers that are trying to shoot the same genre?
MV: Since I'm not a Pro photographer and I'm relatively new at shooting panoramic photos, unfortunately I don't have any Pro tip to share.
I can suggest to use a tripod whenever it's possible (best if combined with a panoramic head to avoid parallax issues), in order to keep all the sequential shots level and aligned. You can also shoot panorama's handheld (I've done it quite some times), but using a tripod will produce more precise images and it will speed up the stitching and aligning process.
Other than that... The higher the place, the better! Just go around and shoot, quality will improve with experience!

PA: Is there anything you would like to add to this interview?
MV: I truly want to thank you for the honor and opportunity of this interview, it came totally unexpected to me. You made my day! :-)

More works from Manuel