Hi Richard! Tell us about yourself in two sentences - who are you?
My name is Richard Bacon and I'm a photographer living in Bend, Oregon with my wife and our black lab Buddy. I mainly shoot landscapes, but enjoy all types of photography, especially action sports, when given the chance.
What's the weirdest situation you've found yourself in while taking a photograph?
I love shooting star photos, but I'm also a big baby when it comes to being in the wilderness in the dark of night. Every rustle or noise in the bushes makes my mind immediately think a cougar's stalking me. One particular night - I was setting up some shots and heard some noises through the trees. I shined my flashlight over and caught a glowing pair of eyes staring at me, which then quickly dipped down behind a tree. My head immediately told me that it was a cougar and I went into a mini panic. After several minutes of trying to find the hiding animal with my light, I see it appear again and hop over a log towards me. Sure enough, it was just a harmless deer and my pounding heart starts to calm down.
A fun fact is that in the history of Oregon, there hasn't been a single report of a cougar death, and only a couple documented attacks. I try to recite that statistic when I'm freaking myself out during a dark night in the woods.
What do you shoot on? What's your favourite set up?
I currently shoot with a Canon 5d Mark III and the lenses I have are a 16-35mm f2.8 wide angle, 70-200mm f4 zoom lens, an 8-15mm f4 fisheye, and a 50mm f1.4. My go to lens is my 16-35mm because it's great for landscapes and also because the aperture goes to 2.8, it's a perfect lens for astrophotography.
What's your number one tip for an aspiring photographer?
What I'd recommend to photographers is simply shoot what you love. I think photography has become increasingly popular, especially in the Pacific Northwest where I live, which is great, but there's some pressure to shoot certain styles because that's what is popular. Rather than trying to build a following on social media, work on your craft and focus on what interests you, and that authenticity will shine through.
What's the one thing you love most about Picfair?
What I love about Picfair is the flexibility in pricing and the appreciation of the photographer, not just the client. Stock photo sites can often be a one-sided deal, and Picfair's fairness of cost to photographers is a refreshing change.
"Sparks Lake is one of the most scenic views in Central Oregon and this morning was particularly beautiful with the calm water and mist rising off the lake. I always try to look... Read more
"Sparks Lake is one of the most scenic views in Central Oregon and this morning was particularly beautiful with the calm water and mist rising off the lake. I always try to look for interesting elements to add in the foreground and loved how these branches weaved in and out of the water.” Read less
by Richard Bacon
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