Hi Andrew! Tell us about yourself in two sentences - who are you?
I’m based in the UK and married with a teenage daughter. I developed my love for photography after experiencing the limitations of point and shoot cameras, so around ten years ago I bought my first DSLR camera and never looked back, as it is a tool that helps me to be more creative in my work.
QWhat's the weirdest situation you've found yourself in while taking a photograph?
ANot so much weird, more humorous – I spotted what I believed to be a water vole swimming in a pond, so I spent considerable time trying to capture my subject with passers-by querying what creature I had seen – I confidently stated a ‘water vole’. It was only when I gained a clear view of the ‘water vole’ I realised, to my embarrassment, it was a rat. From this, albeit humorous, situation, I learnt that knowing your subject matter before telling people is extremely important!
QWhat do you shoot on? What's your favourite set up?
AI have two favourite set ups at the moment – a Canon 50D and Sigma 105 mm Macro ex Lens, which I use mainly with a ring flash for macro insect photography. This enables me to get closer to insects without disturbing them too much. The ring flash allows me to shoot at speeds up to 1/250th, helping me to gain a sharper image. My second set up is a Canon 5D classic. Although it is not as technologically advanced as its successors, it produces beautiful, smooth, colourful images. When coupled with a Sigma 50 mm macro ex Lens the maximum aperture of f2.8 allows for fantastic shallow depth of field.
QWhat's your number one tip for an aspiring photographer?
AResilience is key! Don’t expect every shot to be a successful photograph – every image should be seen as a learning curve. Many different aspects bring an image together; be it lighting, being in the right place at the right time, or having the right mind set. Sometimes a composition just doesn’t work, but never lose heart as there are endless other photo opportunities to grasp.
