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

 

 

Guest Photographer - Natty Netsuwan

As you can see by her own description on Google+, Natty is a former engineer that turned into an accidental photographer.
If you see her pictures you will know that she enjoys a good meal and she is also able to capture that yummy scent in a picture. It makes you want to taste what she is having or what she is photographing.
Natty is active on Google+ and she is one of those photographers that truly know what a community is.
Visit Natty's profile on Google+.

PA: What drew you to photography?
NN: I started a food website and needed pictures to communicate to readers what the food looked like. In 1999, Nikon had CoolPix that was affordable and that was how I got started in digital photography.  I loved it so much I burnt out 5 or 6 cameras.

PA: What is your favorite type of photography?
NN: I love food photography and landscape photography.

PA: Do you have an artist that inspires you?
NN: Several photographers on G+ inspire me to go out there and have fun. Chatchai Rombix, Moon Lee, Nicholas Ong, Sumit Sen, just to name a few.

PA: Tell us a secret: what makes you mad when you are photographing?
NN: When I can’t get the right shot and I’m hungry. My subject (food) is smelling good but I can’t eat it yet.

PA: What is your dream location or subject to shoot?
NN: Some cool cave somewhere near the ocean.

PA: Make a wish (photography related)
NN: I would like to... have a closet full of lens and camera gadgets (picture Matrix when Neo went into the weapon stockroom).

Talking photography specific

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

PA: What inspired you to select this motif?
NN: This massaman curry picture was one of over 100 pictures of the dish that I took from 2 separate preparations. I tried many different compositions and containers to get this one that I like. I love the curves on the dishes and the red curry inside the dish that accentuated the curve.  Everything on the dish is natural and real.

PA: What gear did you use?
NN: Nikon D7000, with a 50mm lens.

PA: Care to share some EXIF details & setup environment?
NN: I use natural light, so the dish was set right by a big window. I stood on a chair to get top down view.
ISO: 100
Speed: 1/15 sec
Exposure: f 6.3
No cropping, No flash
Lens: 50mm f1.8

PA: Describe this photo. You can use only one word.
NN: Luscious
PA: Any tips for photographers that are trying to shoot the same genre?
NN: Food photography is fun and rewarding.  I learn a lot from having a fixed subject that won’t move and is simply beautiful just the way it is. The two variables are the light and the composition.  If you can be sensitive to the light, food photography is easy. I love the simple, natural truth in the subject: I rarely use a flash, I almost never tweak or adjust the food once it’s on the plate. For the most part, I find the food itself is so beautiful, so I aim to reduce the amount of external visual influences and props that detract from the subject.

More works from Natty

 

 

Guest Photographer - Eustace James

Eustace James is a photographer that is actively participating in the Google+ Photography community.
Since the beginning, Eustace always presented us with inspirational pictures, filled with meaning and technique with extreme high quality and pleasant results.
He kindly agreed to share his thoughts with the world and the well composed answers you will read below shows that he knows what he is doing and takes his photography very seriously and with attention to details.
Visit Eustace's Portfolio at www.eustacejames.ca.

PA: What drew you to photography?
EJ: Good question. I started shooting pictures when I was very young with a Kodak 135 Instamatic that my parents bought me. I was always the person in the family with a camera in hand or behind the viewfinder of the 8mm movie camera. I started shooting more seriously when I was in high school, at which time I stole my mom's 35mm SLR to join the yearbook staff. For a while there, I didn't shoot at all. I owned some point-and-shoots, but didn't really focus on photography at all. Then in 2006, I bought a dSLR on a whim. Admittedly, my wife did encourage my purchase. I may have mentioned that I missed taking pictures, so she told me to spend the money and that I wouldn't regret it. That was seven years ago, and she was absolutely right. I haven't regretted a moment since.

PA: What is your favorite type of photography?
EJ: I'm not sure that I have any kind of favourite. Right now, I'm shooting a lot of flower macros, and I'm doing a lot of experimentation with the quality of light that I can evoke with a single handheld flash.

PA: Do you have an artist that inspires you?
EJ: I don't have a single artist who inspires me. I look at as much photography as I can, and I try to pull some of those ideas together to produce my own interpretations. I'm a be your own hero kind of guy.

PA: Tell us a secret: what makes you mad when you are photographing?
EJ: How can anyone be angry when they're shooting? *wink* (Shooting people can be frustrating sometimes. The guy who, in the middle of the family portrait session, babbles about making sure he can have all the work from the shoot because he's great at Photoshop? That guy's a little bit annoying. He means well, sort of, but he doesn't really get that the photos you make happen not just in the camera but also at the computer after the shooting's done and that they're not really your photos if someone else is playing around with them in Photoshop.)

PA: What is your dream location or subject to shoot?
EJ: I'd love to shoot some of the older European cities. Until I can get my wife to conquer a mortal fear of flying, I'll have to make do with touring the US by road and stopping at every quirky little roadside attraction I see.

PA: Make a wish (photography related)
EJ: I would like to... take one iconic photo that everyone will recognize as soon as they see it. They don't even have to know that it was me who took it. They just have to know the photo itself.

Talking photography specific

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

PA: What inspired you to select this location?
EJ: This is Antelope Canyon, in Arizona. Until I got there, it had been one of my dream photography destinations for a number of years. My wife and I love to take road trips, and she allowed me to drag her to this spot on one of our journeys through the US southwest. The place is magical, and it's almost impossible to take a bad photo when you're walking through the slot canyon -- it's that beautiful in there.

PA: What gear did you use?
EJ: This was shot with a Nikon D80, and if I'm not mistaken, I used the kit lens that came with the body -- the 18-135mm lens. That lens was notorious for broken AF motors, as I recall, and mine was no exception. At the time I took this photo, it hadn't yet given up the AF ghost, nor had I yet dropped it in the desert sand and screwed up the aperture blades.

PA: Care to share some EXIF details & setup environment?
EJ: This was sort of a tough shot to take. I had to set my tripod in some soft sand, which didn't provide stable footing at all. It was shot at ISO 100 for five seconds at f/8. The camera was pointing upward toward the top of the canyon, and although the blue looks out of place, it really was there. Our guide was very helpful in terms of pointing out some cool landmarks and some good places to shoot while we were wandering the canyon, but I found this one on my own.

PA: Describe this photo. You can use only one word.
EJ: Surreal.

PA: Any tips for photographers that are trying to shoot the same genre?
EJ: I guess I would consider this a landscape, so here's what I think about when I'm out shooting landscapes.

I hate to tell people to think outside the box, because I dislike that cliche quite a bit. What I will say is this: find an unusual angle. Think of the unlikely story -- the one that no-one else would want to tell. Tell that story instead of rehashing the same old tired tale. What you're doing isn't wrong. There's no correct way to shoot a landscape. You don't have to shoot sweeping vistas with a wide angle lens in order to make good landscapes. It really is all about the light. It's not easy to make your own light when you're out in the big wide open, so you have to learn how to make the very best of what you have when you have it. You won't always be able to shoot at the golden hour or the blue hour -- you may not be able to be where you need to be exactly when you want to be there. You can find a way to shoot at noon and make a good photo. Stand where you think you can make the best photo, and take your shot. Then go stand someplace else and make another. There's beauty waiting to be revealed everywhere.

More works from Eustace