Please present yourself:

[Matt]: My name is Matt Copeland. I live in Salt Lake City, Utah in the USA. For my “real job”, I’m a project lead for a major video game developer. My background is in graphic design. I have an awesome wife and three kids who are very accommodating of my photography hobby (I have to say that or they will stop being accommodating .

[Alan]: I’m Alan Copeland. I moved out here to Salt Lake City, Utah a few years ago to work with the same video game developer as Matt. I’m a game designer with over a decade of User Interface (UI) specialization. I’ve got a beautiful wife, Jennifer, and amazing two year old son.

How did you get to start photography?

[Matt]: I took several photography classes in high school. I then earned my spending money in college by being a photographer for the college newspaper and shooting weddings and graduations for a friend’s studio. This was all back in the day, so I had to do all my own darkroom work for the classes and the newspaper work. After college, with no access to a darkroom, the amount of photography I did quickly declined because of the costs. About two years ago, I decided to get back into it and bought a Nikon D40.

[Alan]: I worked at Glamour Shots as a regional photography trainer during their big-hair hay-day. When I moved to St. Louis, Missouri I really tried to integrate myself into the art community. I built a reputation as someone models could trust and had a handful of gallery showings. When I got married my photo studio quickly became a nursery and the birth of my son made it difficult emotionally to tap into the same melancholy style of art I was accustomed. When I moved out to Salt Lake City, two years ago, Matt and I decided to mix it up and creatively go in an entirely different direction.

What’s your favorite Nikon gear?

[Matt]: I upgraded to a Nikon D5000 with a Nikkor 18-55mm VR lens back in June. I haven’t had much exposure to the rest of the Nikon line except my brother’s D70 and D300. The D300 would be a pretty nice upgrade (especially the shooting speed and the built-in AF motor), but I really like the weight (and cost) of my D5000 so I’m happy for now. =) I also have a 50mm f2.8 prime that is great for indoors.

[Alan]: I recently upgraded my Nikon D70 to a D300. I enjoy the slightly older Nikkor 18-70mm DX lens and have a 70-300mm lens that I use for most of my wildlife photography.

It sounds like you go shooting together. Is that the case?

[Alan]: Absolutely. As often as we can get away.

Any good stories from your outings?

[Alan]: Whenever Matt and I go hiking, there’s always a “thing” (we usually call it out when it happens). It’s something really unusual that happens that we didn’t see coming. Once it was a big rattler by the trail that surprised us. Another time we were almost a mile from the car and got caught in a freak hail storm in June. The most memorable for me though, is when we came around a bend in a trail and a guy was leading a pack of llamas down the trail. Definitely didn’t see that one coming.

[Matt]: The surprise hail storm in June was probably the freakiest for me. Not only was it hailing, but we were off-trail following a creek and there was a lot of lightning and thunder. Since we were up one of the larger canyons and at a high altitude, the storm was *right* over our head. We are not small guys, but we moved pretty quickly that day.

Got shooting and processing tips?

[Alan]: The best advice I can give for outdoor photography is that it’s about the journey, not the destination. My brother is the guy that prints out the trail maps and finds the best locations. I’m the guy that goes wandering off the path because I heard a waterfall in the distance or breaks our schedule to track down a nearby moose. (I admire my brother’s patience when I do such things.) Often those little things you can find along the way are far better photos and stories than what you find at trails end.

[Matt]: I know a lot of photographers will tell you to pre-visualize a shot before you take it. If that works for you, great. If it doesn’t, don’t get tripped up by it. If you think there is a shot there, just take it. If you are not sure, take a lot of them. =) The thing I love most about shooting digital is the freedom to experiment without worrying about how much each shot costs (well, that and the instant feedback).

What’s your goal?

[Alan]: Shoot happy. One of my biggest challenges is to find inspiration in the brighter things, but I’ve found it to be more rewarding when I do.

[Matt]: Photography is a lot of fun for me and a HUGE stress reliever. The last thing I want to do is get burned out on it, so my main focus is to not get too stressed about it. I want to keep learning as a photographer and have that reflected in my work.

Favorite photographers?

[Alan]:
Aknacer

abo_fahod_75

Sarah Thomas 23

[Matt]:

For Ashlee

cor23

Nudibranches

Website?

[Alan]: http://www.brokeni.com or my flickr account for more recent stuff.

[Matt]: No. I mainly use my Flickr account to show my work.

Nikon Award Winners

[Alan]:

Nails

Tap

Horns

Golden Eagle 2

Lazy Rhino

[Matt]:

Scorpion Fish

Llama Pass

In Motion

Elephant

Crystal Clear

Giraffe

Elephant Wall

Other Notables

[Alan]:
Tiger

Hunt

Reflection of Mary

The Shore at Antelope Island

Ripples and Reflections

[Matt]:
Reflections

Rhino Pen

Hidden Falls

Alps

Please present yourself.. My name is Carlo Tardani. I live in Follonica in the centre of Maremma Toscana. I’m free from job. i’m retired

What s your favorite Nikon gear? I always had Nikon. Actually, I have a D300 and my lens are a Nikkor zoom 18-200 , a Tambron 12-24, a 105 Macronikkor and a Sigma 120-400.However, no equipment can focus on the viewfinder that looks to me as the photographic equivalent of the blank page or canvas and how it symbolizes the endless possibilities to express

Got shooting and processing tips? Despite the D300 has an instruction manual of 420 pages I use the machine in manual. I still work in manual or priority of time by performing underexposure controlled.

How did you get to start photography?
When I was travelling I need to tell what I saw and the emotions materialized. Failed with the writing, the camera seemed the most appropriated tool to express myself.

What is your goal? My goal is to give a personal reading of the world around me. Who does the camera half the reproductive system, they never looked at pictures, even if they have seen a lot. And they’ve never even looked at the reality otherwise would have noticed substantial difference between an object and its representation through his photographic perspective.

Favorite photographers?
It’s impossible to make just one name and naming someone make immediate the risk of forgetting some other one. There are several excellent photographers and my favourites one are:

Emmanuel Smague 
(for his ability in representing the reality he sees by means an unreachable use of black and white )

OmbraEluce

Alda Cravo-Al Saude
(for the creativity of their works),

Domido / Stricher Doris 
and the new entry foto-grafica- elena / Elena Mariotti
(for their research in new languages)

Winning photographs of the Nikon Award:

I Bagni

La casa dei sogni

Tempo d’Estate

La bruma mattutina

Amori distanti

Affittacamere

Notable work

What s your profession? I am the IT manager in a publishing house in Belgium. Additionally to working in information technology I do photos and documentaries for magazines.

What s your best photographic tool?

My best tool is my Nikon D300. Coming from the world of reflex cameras I didn t believe in digital photography at first, but when I see the results today and easiness of use I don t miss the past

Got advice to share?

Always have your camera on you, beautiful photographic moments are often unpredictable. Use natural light, keep your framing and background neat and always choose your subject carefully.

Always be self critical, only keep the best

How did you get to start photography?

At the age of 15 in a black & white lab processing lesson. I bought a second-hand Nikormat FT3 with my savings and later on a Nikon FE camera. Both still work.

Much later, in 1997, I got to try digital photography with a Nikon D50.

What is your goal? To please myself, it s a game of techniques and emotions:)

Favorite photographers?

Nick Brand (United Kingdom)

 www.younggalleryphoto.com/photography/brandt/

Xavier Rey (France) www.xavierrey.com

Got a website?

www.lucnix.be
There are more photos on my website than on Flickr

Winning photographs of the Nikon Award:

Paris tour Eiffel reflection

Stunt Pyrotechnics

Total solar eclipse

Sybilla pretiosa Afrique australe

Tenodera sinensis

Cascade de Gavarnie

Jardin Botanique

Notable work

Please present yourself.. Rick Barry from Seattle WA.
Electronic technician and photographer for Experience Music Project.

What s your favorite Nikon gear? My favorite Nikon gear is the D3 with a 80-20mm and a 1.4X converter,
the 50mm f1.4 and 60mm macro.

Got shooting and processing tips? I shoot hand held most of the time so I like the low noise of the D3 at higher ISO.
I take allot of images ! So I like to upload with a little or no adjustments.
Its very important for me to be able to find images so I have a developed a numbering system that works well and is efficient.

How did you get to start photography?
I got started photographing the night sky at a planetarium in Long Island NY 1990 and the Kitt Peak observatory in Tucson AZ.

What is your goal? My goal is to continue to communicate as a photographer and I would like to be a freelance photo journalist.

Favorite photographers on Flickr?
I have too many favorite photos and photographers on Flickr and it’s hard for me to be judgmental of other peoples work. I almost always say “I wish I would have taken that shot … wow!”

Winning photographs of the Nikon Award:

Flower

BlueHeron

Parasol

Spiders

Notable work

Please present yourself.. my name is Paolo Borsati and I live in Verona Italy,
I manage my own company ,producing furniture,
like sidechairs armchairs and sofas, classic style,
and I sell them in almost all the word.
In my businness photography is indispensable.

What s your favorite Nikon gear?
Recently I solved my problems , and have found the best
solution with the D90 and NIKKOR 18-200
I’m using this camera mor or less for each kind of picture

Got shooting and processing tips? I’ve always photographed, and I like to freeze everything which is around me,
I love photography because it s natural, and not always those pictures which we would like.

What is your goal? Reporting all places I saw around the word is my goal,
I’ve taken pictures of people met in their countries, their culture and their traditions.

Favorite photographers on Flickr?
I like pictures of flaviogallinaro, lorytravelforever, joker74, paul grand

Got a website? I dont have my own website

Winning photographs of the Nikon Award:

Ferrara il castello

La cisterna

Dolce attesa

Con le ciabatte in mano by paoloborsati

Lazize lago di garda

My best pictures

More

I am married and have a wonderful family that inspires me every day in my passion.

Occasionally my passion becomes a job. I love photography!

I have two Nikon, a D70 and a D50 with a lens and a Nikkor 18/70mm Tamron 70/300mm macro that satisfy me forever.
My machines are dying and soon I will buy another Nikon (300 or D700). I use them in manual mode and my goals are simple and without stabilizers.

I rarely use filters because I love to photograph nature.
Occasionally I play with the masks of contrast.

I have no advice to give to anyone because photography is an art and each of us must use it according to your tastes.
For those who enjoy playing with filters of lights, I recommend Topaz Labs; he creates effects similar to HDR but from single photo.

My website is www.cartagabriella.com

Winning pictures

Magic Moment

Momento di vanità

In a stalemate

I love Italy

Il volo

S. Efisio by Gabriella Carta

Leon

Il mio piccolo sole

Please present yourself..

Living in Sydney, but about to move to Perth (Western Australia). Former journalist (print and television) now heading up external media affairs for a bank. Yep I know, strange how life pans out.

What s your favorite Nikon gear?

I’ve only recently tried my hand at digital (started in March 2009) and was able to get an absolute extortionist deal on a second hand D3 for the price of a good “prosumer” so I jumped at it.

I love the D3, it just feels “right” and the weight is perfect. Ergonomics is very important to me and I was looking at Canon and while they make very fine cameras it didn’t feel right in my hands. I love picking up the D3. It makes me want to take pictures!

I also love the 14-24mm, 17-35mm, 28-70mm, 85mm 1.4 and 80-200mm 2.8. LOVE ‘EM ALL!

Got tips in landscape photography?

Try and visualise what you want to capture. I spent a lot of time years ago with a 6×6 format film camera that took just 12 exposures so I found myself being very fussy about what I shot. I still am today and will often set everything up, take a look, say “nup” and pack it away and head off without taking a shot.

Visualizing the scene before you’ve even looked in the viewfinder helps. And be patient. If it doesn’t work today, go back, and back,and back. It might take a month or so of visiting the exact same spot before you get the image you want.

Got shooting and processing tips?

I try to get the images as spot on as possible in camera and attempt to minimise processing (er, yeah, and I do a lot of HDR!) I do a lot of work with a tripod, mirror up to minimise slap and remote. Invest in a good tripod!

How did you get to start photography?

Back in 1979 I inherited my dad’s Pentax and a few Haminex lenses when he died. I was 15 and a mate and I (well, he did all the work) set up a “darkroom” in a wardrobe. We (he) made an enlarger from a wooden box. We hung the light sensitive paper on the wall and mounted the “enlarger” on a chair….moving it back and forth to enlarge or reduce the image.

We fixed a 35mm lens on the front and made a “neg holder” out of gaffer tap and cardboard. We used the lens to focus and set the aperture. The safe light was a torch with some red cellophane taped over the end.

We couldn’t afford to buy Developer, Stop and Fix, so we used vinegar for the Fix, or was it the Stop?

Fly by the seat of pants but a huge amount of fun.

What is your goal?

I’d really like to sell some images to flatter my ego! Failing that, continue learning and enjoying photography.

Favorite photographers?

Sally Mann

Ansel Adams

Sebastiao Salgado

Robert Capa

Winning pictures:

Coogee Pool

HDR Sydney

Crawley Bay early mist

Fingers that Point to God

uluwatu cliffs

Perth boat shed

Desmond

Notable work

Most interesting

Recent

Interview:

Please present yourself.. I’m Marc, a French guy living in Paris; I choose the nickname wildpassion as this is what i love, wild.. and also as I’ve a mngt position in a large corporation to not mix business and personnal life

What s your favorite Nikon gear? For the Camera body my D2x and D700; Dream about a D3x but will be later.. ; 
For the Lens , really depend on the photo to take;
Wildlife , then definitively the 300 2.8VR 
Portrait the 85 1.4 f is a great one
General purpose the 70-200 2.8
Landscape , then the new 12-24 with the D700 of the previous Dx one are both nice lens

Got shooting and processing tips? Practice, practice, practice is a good way;
Thinking of course about the timing to get to the point for the light; I usually work only in A ; Know the strengths and weaknesses of your equipment and re-check the change you did in the menu for the previous shot …If you are remote then check in zooming in the picturethe sharpness , getting back home its too late..
But like in anything the tool do not replace the idea and skills; That’s neither a given at least for me, i’m till practising; trying.

After a safari went with several hundreds pictures and we thought it was amazing, enormous we then had the opportunity to discuss with some pro in this field like Vincent Munier, they told us that 10 000 is common… That’s the risk with the numeric on one side to make too many photo , on the other making good each time is certainly possible (was in analogic) but that’s not my skills;
Processing tips:


I use mainly Lightroom and very few now photoshop. It’s effiicient and quick; I neither learn post-processing and that’s something i think about

How did you get to start photography?
When I was 18 on a reflex I assemble myself… Then when money came a little bit with a minolta x700 and I really start back when the D70 became available and then decided to make it more seriously; That’s a familly passion during holidays and that make a common point of interest; Difficult to go somewhere for photography if your close do not share a minimum passion too;

What is your goal? In Photography: Fun.. . Passion.. discovering very nice areas that are eye catching; Looking for a trip in thinking what we could catch mean you seriously plan

Favorite photographers on Flickr?
I started on Flickr 2 weeks ago ! So very difficult to say it; I’d say Eric Lafforgue a pro who make fantastic portraits , Joanne Ratkowski a psy that mix photography and psy-humour, Rebekka Guðleifsdóttir that have splendid picture of the marvellous light of Iceland..

Got a website? Website: www.pbase.com/marcwildpassion

Winning photographs of the Nikon Award:

Love Shape

Paon

The 5th element

Comanche portrait by Marcwildpassion

Paris – L’avenue des Champs-Élysées

Da Vinci

Africa in Black and White -Zebra run

Bat can be nice

Model Slave

Earth

Landscape of Southwest USA

Paris – la Defense

Love in the wild

Notable work

Interview:

Where was this taken?
It was taken in a field of mares and foals on our stud farm, in Hampshire, UK.




What is your Nikon favorite gear?
I look enviously at the D700 every time I see one in a shop or on the net and I stare rudely when I see one round someones neck. The stories I hear of low lighting excellence make me drool.



Some shooting tips?
I really don’t feel qualified enough to be giving out tips, but I do like to use the shutter of 125-200 for panning the running shots. It gets good blurred legs and background for a good sense of speed whilst keeping the head relatively sharp.

Processing tips?
I’ve dabbled with a few shots that have taken a while with Capture NX2 but they lack the natural look and I strive to take pictures that have the old fashioned magic of photography: Timing and Light.


How did you start photography?
I started with my Grandad’s when I was young and have been a keen snapper for 20 years. It’s only this year that I have graduated from compacts to an SLR.



What are your goals?
I’ve had a great response this year with pictures of horses that have improved hugely and photos of my son, which I wouldn’t put online for fear of them being being abused. Such a shame as these are some of my best. I have had requests from strangers to snap their horses and I would really like to make a sideline taking horse pictures for studs around the country. I’m a Stallionman on a thoroughbred stud. It’s as good a job as there is in the world, and I’ve had a few, but it ain’t going to make me rich. So if I can make a few quid with this in the future I’ll be over the moon.


Favorite photographers on Flickr?
Favourite flickr members include Steve Durrant and Chris Sharratt, I don’t think you’ll find a finer set of nature pictures on the internet let alone flickr, Eduardo Amorin, whose is lucky enough to have such incredible subjects at hand and the talent to catch them and my favourite holland fotograaf. Jaap’s pictures of landscapes are just so subtle in their attention to detail and have a beautiful serenity. His macro is pretty is pretty good as well!

Steve Durrant

Chris Sharratt



Website?
No website yet but I’ll be getting there soon.

Anything else you d like to say?
Thanks ever so much to you and all the people who took the time to look and comment on the photographs. It really has made me very proud and given me many big bales of enthusiasm to continue improving.

Other winning photographs of the Nikon Award:

Best friends

Scratch in the shade

Weaned weenies

Happiness

Squabbles

Thanks to all who voted and viewed.
I’m in a pretty unique position because I have so much appetite and opportunity to sit in fields with horses. I spend about 2-4 hours a day sitting / walking with them so it’s a bit like a holiday snap.
You couldn’t plan this scene. One of the lads had run off with the rope still attached earlier in the day when being put out. The rope had fallen off and when I arrived at lunchtime they’d just found it and it was a great source of fun and games for them. You can view the set here if you’re interested.
The weather this summer has been so rainy that I have come back without a decent shot many times, so I’ve been playing with a few shots from the library, simply because I’ve had so few good new ones.
I think the secret with a black back is to get a unique and interesting pose. The colours were weak in the original so I dabbled about and got this one. I don’t think it’s the best shot of the series but it’s obviously enhanced by the work I did afterwards.
Cheers
Thanks again.
Ben

Notable work

Interview:

Where was this taken? The picture was taken from the roof of the opera house in Oslo, during our holiday in Norway this summer. ( Its geotagged )

How did you get to start photography and what are your favorite Nikon gear?? I started photographing many years ago with a Pentax spotmatic f and later with a Nikon FM. My favorite lenses then was a 24mm, f2.8 and 35mm and 28mm PC shift lenses. I was an enthusiastic amateur for several years, but took a break for some 30 years. 

A few years a go my son got hocked, and bought a Nikon D 50 with a kit lens. I was impressed of the results he got and started playing myself. 

Later we upgraded to the D3 and my favorite lens is the 24-70, f2,8 zoom. I find the D3 with the zoom too heavy, but away from the weight it is a dream machine. I can use it manually as I used the FM, and the old lenses can be used from time to time.

Got shooting and processing tips? I always shoot raw and processes the pictures in Lightroom. I haven’t learned photoshop and use it only for adding my watermark. Its exciting to se how much it is possible to adjust a raw file in Lightroom. I´m trying not to have the pictures look over processed though.

What is your goal? My goal is to have fun! 
I get inspired by the pictures i see on Flicker and try to carry the camera with me as often as possible. The key to good pictures is to be on the right place at the right time.

Favorite photographers on Flickr? I like to check my contact´s uploads and some of the groups I’m part of have tons of inspiring images. Its hard to select one favorite. It is fun also to take random searce´s by explore or by tags.

Website?
Flicker! – Of Course. Its so inspiring to get response from all over the world.

Other winning photographs of the Nikon Award:

Icelandic summer by Solavander

500×500

Summer, sun and soap bubbles

At the opera

Notable work