Hi David! Tell us about yourself in two sentences - who are you?
I’m a part-time photographer from York with a background in architecture and graphic design. I am also a Civil Aviation Authority approved drone operator.
QWhat's the weirdest situation you've found yourself in while taking a photograph?
AI was commissioned to take some product photographs for an air purifier retailer. I did some shots of each of the different types of purifiers on a white background but the client also wanted them photographing in a domestic environment which happened to be her own house. Part way through the day she asked me if I knew what other products she sold. I didn’t, so she led me to her garage where it was packed full of sex toys, lingerie and bondage gear!
QWhat do you shoot on? What's your favourite set up?
AI have over £10,000 worth of camera equipment which includes a Canon 5D mkiii but for most of this year I have been concentrating on drone photography using my DJI Phantom. This drone has a tiny 12 megapixel pixel camera but is capable of producing stunning results. I love finding geometric shapes in the landscape and taking the shots from a ‘top-down’ position gives a unique perspective. Drone photography has literally given me a world of new opportunities to create unique landscape images.
QWhat's your number one tip for an aspiring photographer?
AAim to get out shooting at least once a week. When I first started with photography I only tended to go out with the camera when I was in a creative mood and was easily put off from heading out when the weather didn’t appear to be that great. This resulted in me getting very few photographs each month and therefore my development as a photographer was slow. It wasn't until I started to enter #WexMondays on Twitter that I got the motivation to get out shooting as often as I could. Seeing the work by other photographers gave me inspiration to try different styles of photography and led to the development of my own style.
'My favourite pic would have to be my ‘Ghost Lake’ image taken at Skipwith Common in North Yorkshire. Like many of my aerial drone shots it is difficult to scout out new compos... Read more
'My favourite pic would have to be my ‘Ghost Lake’ image taken at Skipwith Common in North Yorkshire. Like many of my aerial drone shots it is difficult to scout out new compositions until you are up in the air. The high viewpoint gave me the opportunity to view the expanse of the common and look for interesting shapes on the ground. From around 100m up in the air this lake looked to me like a ghost. This image was also commended in Landscape Photographer of the Year 2016 which made this one of my life’s greatest achievements!' Read less
by David Hopley
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