Featured photographer: Ross Harvey

Posted on September 18th, 2009

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Lips | 2 – Ribbon by Ross Harvey

Interview:

Where was this taken?
Home studio

What is your Nikon favorite gear?
That’s a tricky question! Each bit of equipment has it’s own use, so I’ll state the context and the favourite…

Studio / people & portraits: 85/1.4. Dreamy lens which is pin sharp for studio work and perfect for outdoor shooting. Best used filling the frame with heads and shoulders when outdoors.

Documentary: 35/2. Great little lens. The key to this lens is to get in really close at f2. Wide angle doesn’t mean you have to stand far away Joint favourite walk-around lens. Bargain too!

Macro: 105VR. This lens spoils you – it’s so sharp it’s ridiculous. Joint favourite walk-around lens, as you can shoot macro, landscape and it’s also great for portraits. Top choice for studio beauty work.  The 70-200 and 24-70 are both fantastic all-rounders.

Some shooting tips?
Get to know the strengths and weaknesses of your kit, where it excels, and where it lacks. That way you won’t get any surprises (e.g. out of focus or soft shots) in the processing stage.
Don’t wait to discover these equipment tips on the job. The same applies for in-camera settings.

Gear lust is hard to fight, but it can hinder your development. Instead of worrying about what you don’t have – master what you do have.

Many people get stuck in a perpetually damaging cycle of wanting kit they don’t have, spending hours a day reading about it on forums and whatnot, rather than going out there and shooting.  I tell a lot of new photographers that a 350D and a nifty fifty (50/1.8) is the perfect platform to learn from. It’s what I used, and loved every minute of it!

Try and explore as many avenues of photography (people, macro, fine art, sport) as you can, each uses different styles and techniques, which you’ll be able to use creatively elsewhere.  The most prominent tip I can give personally is to enjoy yourself and believe in what you do. Plan first, be prepared, then let go of any fears and go with it. The results will look after themselves if you let it flow and have fun.

Processing tips?
I highly recommend Lightroom. It’s very capable and costs relatively little. Shooting in RAW gives you more freedom in post production. Photoshop is used for beauty retouching and portrait finishing. The best way to learn is to experiment.

How did you start photography?
As a kid I was always drawing and doodling, so I had a passion for visual ’stuff’ from the start. Used the 350D + nifty combo for a year or so, taking it on holidays and taking shots that caught my eye, and fell in love with photography.

What are your goals?
I wrote the following text for my website, it’s a concise peak into what drives me:  ”Being energised by a passion is a wonderful experience. Sharing that energy, and directing it towards a single purpose, is even better.  Capturing a timeless photograph, a moment in time – a story – that invokes memories and emotions, is my purpose, my passion, my dream.”  Thanks for reading! Good luck with your photography

Website: http://www.rossharveyphoto.com/

Winning photographs of the Nikon Award:

Jenna Urban Glam