Web Design, Photograhy & Industry Inspiration

This is exciting. If you’ve ever wondered how writers break into the publishing industry and what motivates them in their professional lives, this interview is for you. Today, we’re traveling all the way to New York City for a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what makes long time writer and current Vice President / Editorial Director, Ruthanne Terrero tick.

Ruthanne discovered writing at a very young age and was able to develop her enjoyment of it into what she does today. With decades long experience navigating her industry, she’s learned what it takes to thrive and how to truly connect with her readers.

Currently, Ruthanne is the Vice President / Editorial Director of numerous travel related print and online publications. She founded and has taken a leadership role in a program that focuses on new entrants to the travel industry. She also has a passion for guiding aspiring writers to help them get published.

If you’d like, you can read Ruthanne’s full bio as well as view some of her writing here. You can also follow her on Twitter.

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1. Looking back, can you remember when you first became interested in writing?

I was in 5th grade and we had just moved. My father had passed away and my life had changed dramatically over the past year. It was a very tough time.

With the move, I had gone from being in a Catholic school, where everything was very strict and fundamental, to a public school, where the creative arts were very much a part of the curriculum. One afternoon, in my new school, we had a creative writing lesson, which meant we were given half an hour to write about whatever we wanted to. I can’t remember what I wrote but I do remember sitting at my desk and feeling a brand new sense of joy and freedom that writing brought me. I literally decided I would be a writer at that moment.

2. Was there a point in your life when you realized that you’d like to see yourself as a writer by profession?

When I was choosing colleges, I selected Oberlin because it had a Creative Writing program. I loved my time there and learned a lot about what makes good writing and what makes bad writing. When I graduated, I returned to New York to work in publishing.

3. What was life like after graduating from college with your Creative Writing degree? How were your first few years in the business?

It was the mid-80s and the economy wasn’t great, so I took a gig as a receptionist at a literary agency, which was very entertaining because we had some big-name clients. I eventually got bored servicing other writers, so I took a job as an editorial assistant at a financial magazine. In 1987, the stock market crashed on what is now referred to as “Black Monday.” That day, the editors of the magazine had to throw out an entire issue that was just going to press and rewrite it to reflect the crash, overnight. The editor-in-chief was so desperate to get it all done, he threw me an assignment, even though I had not yet published any articles. Luckily, I had been studying the style in which he wrote (very clipped and sardonic with a lot of war motifs to describe the goings on on Wall Street) and filed my copy in just the way I thought he would write it. He loved it. I don’t think he quite realized that I’d purposely mimicked his style. The next day, I was promoted to assistant editor and became a published writer.

4. How did you go about integrating writing with travel? Was it an opportunity that presented itself or was it something you sought?

When I realized financial writing was not for me (there was no Google then to research and learn about the industry so it was super challenging), I decided if I were going to spend my entire day at a desk writing it should be about something I enjoyed. Writing about travel seemed to present boundless opportunities more so than my other passions, which included sewing and knitting and painting with watercolor.

5. What is the biggest reward from life as an Editorial Director in the luxury travel industry?

I do get to go to some amazing places and stay at the world’s best hotels. But for me, the biggest pay off is guiding a young writer who is truly serious and passionate about the profession and helping them to publish their first article. I’ll never forget that day the stock market crashed when I got my chance and I enjoy giving that opportunity to others to cross over to that “published” status. It’s life changing for them.

6. What do you think the most challenging aspect of being in your position is?

Finding a balance is vital. As an editorial director, there are many, many responsibilities in managing an editorial team; you have to ensure your writers are happy and comfortable in their work environment so they can produce their best work, but you’ve also got to exist in the real world. There’s the business side of publishing, which I’m quite involved with, but I still have to maintain the editorial integrity of our magazines and websites. There is the future planning to ensure we remain relevant to our readers. But I still love to write more than anything, which is the most challenging part. Managing and writing most definitely use two different parts of your brain and finding the time to write is the challenge, albeit a joyful one.

7. I understand that you’ve traveled around the world quite a bit. Is there a particular location that you enjoyed more than all the others and if so, what was so special about it?

I’ve just come back from a cruise through Greece and Turkey. Mykonos is amazing because you can get off the ship and be sitting at a seaside seafood restaurant in a matter of moments and of course, there’s always some gorgeous cat sunning themselves on a stone wall or in the middle of a street.

In Turkey, I was delighted with how mellow and hospitable everyone was. We went sailing one day in Bodrum on a yacht and I believe it was one of the top five experiences of my life because the water was so beautifully clear. We even pulled over to a cove and went swimming, then had a beautiful seafood lunch with crisp white wine. Istanbul is amazing because it’s developing rapidly in a very dynamic way, yet it’s filled with antiquities.

Savannah and New Orleans are my tried-and-true favorites because I love Southern cities that have the promise of being haunted.

8. Having written for both print and the web, what do you think the primary differences are between the two? For a writer, does one offer an advantage over the other? Are there pitfalls to be concerned with?

Because reading in print is much more of a visual experience, (one can see the entire page and possibly the page after it with a layout of photos, so the beginning and end are in sight) I believe you can still take your time a bit to roll into a story. Not too much, mind you, as people don’t have a lot of time to read these days so you’ve got to get to it.

A pitfall with print travel writing is what I call the “long and winding road” feature that’s all about how the author feels about a place and never getting to the point of a story. I once took an issue of a travel magazine on a plane I was taking to Tuscany because on the cover it said there was a story about Tuscany inside. Turns out, the article was all about how the author felt when he landed at the airport and how he felt in the car on the way to his hotel and it ended without telling me a single thing about the destination. It’s okay to share some emotion, but with travel writing there’s got to be the delivery of facts. I left the magazine on the plane.

With web writing, you’ve got to get to it more quickly. Jump in and jump out. The biggest pitfall with web writing these days is people are writing too short at times. A paragraph on a piece of travel news that has no background or context doesn’t work. Bad journalism is bad journalism. Being online is no excuse for writing short or being careless with facts. You can’t leave the reader guessing what you were trying to say or expecting them to Google the topic so they get a full view of what you’re talking about.

9. Has your role in the industry evolved through the years? If so, can you tell us what your role used to entail as opposed to what it entails now?

Before online, it was all about print and we had a weekly news deadline. We’d stay late on Thursdays to get the very latest coverage into print. Now, news is always happening and we’re always publishing. We still have print deadlines, but they’re every other week and we tend to save the news for online.

Print, however, has become more intense in that we do many industry profiles that are cover stories. These pieces delve very deeply into the careers of the most successful travel industry executives and take a lot of time and research.

People still get a thrill out of being featured on the cover of a magazine. I’m not sure there will ever be an online experience that will replace that.

10. In your opinion, what makes a great travel story?

A great lead that pulls the reader in, no more than three or four sentences. The rest should be a well-written piece filled with facts that are pulled together with amazing prose to ensure that the readers are enjoying themselves as they’re learning about a place to visit. If reading about travel is not enjoyable and educational, you’ve not done your job as a writer.

11. What characteristics do you think all good writers have in common?

Being able to focus on your craft is the only common denominator I can think of. If you don’t have focus, you’ll never be able to drill down to that place where your mind is thinking clearly and purely about words and thoughts and putting it all together properly. Otherwise, I think we all do it differently. Some write on inspiration, others are very staid and diligent.

12. I see that you have a passion for mentoring aspiring editors and writers. Can you offer some words of wisdom for those thinking about breaking into the world of writing and travel?

If you’re pitching a story or interviewing for a writing position, read, read, read the publications and websites of the company you’re trying to break into. An editor can tell right away if you’re winging it. Also, if you’re pitching a travel piece, don’t just say you’re going to a hotel or destination and can I write about it for you. Tell me why this piece needs to be written and ensure you’re pitching me the type of story we write about.

13. Can you share or recommend any travel related books or authors who have influenced you through the years?

I love good, funny non-fiction. I was a big fan of Nora Ephron.

14. Do you regularly visit any industry websites or blogs for inspiration? If so, which ones?

I tend not to go to industry sites, more than anything I’ll read The New York Times, of course to get the news but also to expose myself to some excellent writing. Immersing myself in great prose, fiction or nonfiction, puts me in the groove to write. I also read the Daily Telegraph out of London every morning.

15. What do you see your industry looking like in 10 years? Are there any noteworthy changes on the horizon?

There’s always the threat that print will go away completely, but it hasn’t yet, at least in the travel arena, because there’s nothing like a full page travel advertisement of a hotel or destination to inspire someone to purchase travel. Banner ads don’t have the same effect. Either way, there will still be a need for professional first-hand, travel content, whether it’s in print or online, or both.

What’s important is we keep an eye on what today’s travelers want to know about. Millennial travelers want to hear about new boutique hotels in edgy destinations, they want to live like locals and understand how to get that travel experience. People of all ages are traveling the entire world as they never have before and we’ll have to be sure we’re providing them with relevant and inspiring content that they’ll use as a reference.

Today, I’m going to mix things up a bit and bring you something different. We’re going to move to the world of travel blogging, where I’ve got a great interview from a well known travel blogger from London, named Chris Sharpe. Chris specializes in visiting locales from around the world to bring his readers perspective on local culture, bars and clubs as well as his travel highlights. It’s a life many dream of and Chris is doing it.

Chris, thanks for taking the time to participate in this interview and best of luck to you with all your future travels. I hope to read about your adventures long into the future!

If you’d like to find out more about Chris, you can visit his blog, Make New Tracks, or follow him on Twitter.

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1. Can you please tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi everyone, my name is Chris and I’m a travel blogger with a serious passion for craft beer, adventure and photography. I first realised I wanted to write about travel when I went on a post-university gap year around Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and fell in love with the idea of being a long-term backpacker. Fast forward a few years and I may not be a full time blogger yet, but I travel more than I ever have and run a blog called Make New Tracks, where I share travel stories, tips and advice about world travel and London life to help inspire and inform my readers.

2. Where do you call home?

I’ve settled in London for the moment, due to its perfect proximity to Europe. Being in the city allows me to have a full time job and still plan plenty of long trips and weekend city breaks frequently throughout the year; the best of both worlds in my opinion!

3. When did you first realize that you wanted to get into travel blogging and how long have you been involved with it?

Like I mentioned previously, I came up with the idea on my gap year. I would tell people I met that I was a wannabe novelist, after which they would question why I didn’t have a blog. I sorted that situation pretty quickly and fell in with the awesome travel blogging community in London, where I gradually improved my blog with great advice from friends and blogging experts. I’ve been blogging for about two years now, but Make New Tracks in its current form is probably only around a year old.

4. What is your favorite part of heading out to a new location?

I’m actually not huge on planning – ask my girlfriend – but my favourite thing to do in a new place is both to get to the highest vantage point in the city, and also to enjoy a local beer. It helps break me in to a new destination and get a, literal, taste of what the area is like.

5. From reading through your website, I see that you’ve been to a number of locales. Which would you say is your favorite and why?

It’s always hard to choose a favourite, but one of my most treasured recent trips was when I visited Malta with my girlfriend earlier this year. It’s one of those places with a reputation for being a package holiday spot for Brits who want to tan, but it’s so much more than that. Besides boasting some of the oldest Megalithic temples in the world, the island is bursting with incredible architecture, some of the most amazing food I’ve ever tasted and jaw droppingly beautiful beaches.

6. Which is the worst place you’ve ever visited and why?

I once visited Paris when I was much younger and I was massively disappointed with the experience. I found the city very dirty and the people quite rude. I’ve been thinking about heading back to see if my opinion of the city can be changed, as I think every destination can be enjoyed and deserves a second chance.

7. To date, which of your posts has been the most popular?

At the moment, my most popular post is my guide to Tallinn. I visited the city earlier this year when the snow was on the ground and the whole city was virtually empty. Estonia is one of those destinations that is often overlooked, and I hope that my readers enjoyed the post because it showed that there are plenty of places in eastern Europe that are just as beautiful as Rome and Barcelona.

8. How do you stay motivated to keep writing about your travels?

I love to write. It’s something I do every day of my life and being able to share something I am so passionate about is something I find very rewarding. It can certainly be hard to juggle blogging with a full time job, but if you surround yourself with inspiring people, it pushes you to do your best.

9. What advice could you offer someone who would like to break into the world of travel blogging?

There is absolutely no fast results with travel blogging. The ones who last in the industry are those who stick to their set targets, whether you’re publishing once a day or once a month. Definitely invest in yourself, getting a logo, or website designed is your first step to being considered a professional, and travel companies will take you more seriously. Overall, the most important thing to remember is why you started blogging in the first place – to have fun and share stories.

10. Are there any areas of the world that you’d still like to visit and write about?

There are many, many places I still have on my list I’ve yet to visit! I have yet to step foot in Africa and America, where I feel South Africa and Machu Picchu calling, and I have a huge thing for Eastern Europe at the moment. I love to write about Asia because it’s so fantastically diverse and such an exciting, alive place to visit, so I know I won’t be able to keep away for long. For now however, I am exploring the best home-grown locations in the UK, European city breaks and bringing my readers some cool London tips.

What a great interview! It’s always nice to learn about far away places through someone else’s eyes. And when that someone happens to have a camera in their hands, all the better.

I’d like to introduce a very talented traveling photographer named Joan Carroll. Joan is a Texas resident who has moved around quite a bit before landing where she now calls home. An avid traveler, having visited a good number of locales around the world, Joan specializes in architectural photography with inspiration stemming from urban scenes and urban architecture. As you’ll see from the photos Joan sent over with the interview below, she truly has a flair for telling a story through the images she captures.

Joan, thank you for allowing us to learn about some of your adventures through your photography and for allowing us to get to know a bit about you. You are a brilliant photographer and someone who’s work is definitely worth following.

If you’d like to learn more about Joan, please visit her website. You can also follow her on Twitter.

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1. Can you please tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Life has not been a straight line for me. My undergraduate degree was in Anthropology and I think that interest in other cultures was probably an extension of my wanderlust! I realized on graduation that the world was open to me and that I could live anywhere I wanted. I picked the Caribbean and luckily someone there picked me back so that I could get a work permit! For the next seven years, I was a charter sailboat crew member, a cook on a private 110′ boat, and a scuba instructor. Then I did a turn, went back to graduate school in exercise physiology and called academia home for about 25 years. During that time, I also learned to fly and held and instructor’s certificate. The recession of 2008 found me without a job and no inclination to spend any more time in academia. Photography had always been there on the sidelines of my life, and the circumstances came together at that point to allow me to pursue it full time. So photography has been my focus for the last 7 years. When I look back, I realize that I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for the sum total of where I have been.

2. Where do you call home?

No matter where I have lived, I always tend to call ‘home’ where I am at the moment. Right now, that is Fort Worth, TX. I grew up in NJ, went to school in NY, spent 7 years in the Caribbean, and lived in Florida and Mississippi before moving to Texas in 1998.

3. When did you first realize that you’d been bitten by the travel bug and what was it that prompted you to incorporate photography into each of your trips?

I ran away from home “for the first time” (according to my mother) when I was a month short of my 3rd birthday. Clearly, I wanted to go places from early on! But I also remember, early in life, an enchantment with airports, on the rare occasion when we would go to one. Airline travel was still exotic then. I also loved the adventure of taking the bus from our small town in New Jersey to “The City” (New York City). When I was about 11 or 12, I went on a trip with my mother to Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, part of which was a train trip on the California Zephyr from Denver to Salt Lake City. The Instamatic Camera had recently been invented and we brought one along. It was so easy to change out those 126 film cartridges, so I could easily indulge a budding interest in photography. In college, a friend introduced me to 35 mm photography and also to the photography of Ansel Adams. I got a Nikkormat camera and what a thrill that was! We also decided on a hitchhiking trip across the country the summer after my freshman year, destination Yosemite. Of course nothing I photographed remotely resembled Ansel Adams’ work, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. After college, I always looked for something adventurous in travel and always took a camera along. Back then, it was film so you had to anticipate whether you’d want black and white or color, and what ISO you might need. It was not unusual to have 50 rolls of film along for a week’s holiday!

Fast forward to 2008 and a trip to Beijing for the Summer Olympics. I had just been laid off from my job. I came to realize that finding another job in the same field was not in the cards. At that time, I was also exposed to some very inspirational places in Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai (China) and Lhasa (Tibet). Despite having only a point and shoot camera, I came home with many wonderful photos, and some were even good enough to sell! That started me on a new path in life.

I had always had a camera with me on travels, right from the start with the Instamatic. Maybe it was the fascination with that easy-load 126 cartridge that took away the great mystery of getting film in and out of the camera! It made photography accessible to everyone, much like advances today first with digital cameras and now with cell phones. But starting way back then, a trip just didn’t seem complete without a camera along.

4. How do you go about deciding on where to travel to next, meaning, what sort of inspiration does a location have to offer for it to be included on your list of places to go?

There are emotional/inspirational as well as practical reasons why I choose a place to travel to. Sometimes, there is an indefinable ‘something’ that prompts me to choose a location. A few years ago, I was reading about various cities in Italy. I thought I wanted to go to Venice, but as I was reading, I wasn’t feeling inspired at that time. But when I started reading about Rome, it instantly felt right. I think you have to be ready to accept when the inspiration strikes to visit someplace.

On another level, I enjoy places that seem to have a history and an organic growth. This is the sense that you get in many cities in Europe, particularly those that suffered less war damage.

On the practical side, places that are accessible are also on my list, since I often travel alone. Dealing with a lot of complicated travel arrangements is easier with a companion. When I’m by myself, I like to keep the travel arrangements simple. I love the trains in Europe and usually find myself somewhere where the trains go.

5. What do you think is the most challenging aspect of photographing while traveling?

Nowadays, the first major challenge in traveling by air is packing light while still including photography equipment! When I travel by air, I travel only with a carry-on bag and a backpack so some hard decisions have to be made on what to bring! I want the freedom to move about easily, not only during the transit portion of the trip, but also while I am ‘on location.’ Too much luggage or too much equipment gets in the way of the sweet freedom of travel. Making the best of the weather conditions that you are presented with is also a challenge and requires studying the weather to plan what days or times might be good for the photos you are interested in. Crowds and costs are two other issues and off-season travel helps with both. Finally, safety is a concern, particularly when I travel alone and/or when I photograph at night. Common sense and global awareness are important in that regard!

6. From reading through the “About” page on your website, I see that you’ve covered a wide variety of locations. Which would you say is your favorite and why?

I can honestly say that I have loved every place I’ve been to! There is always something to engage you wherever you are, if you remain open to it. That being said, I do love Budapest and Prague. Both of those cities are so exceptional that we have made multiple trips to each, including visits during the Christmas Market season in Europe. Part of the charm in both cities has been the absolutely fabulous B&Bs that we were lucky enough to find. The proprietors of those places made our visits exceptional! I also have a fondness for Spain and keep going back to visit more places. I’ve visited Toledo, Granada, Sevilla, Segovia, Barcelona and Madrid. You can tell Spain’s a favorite since I have nearly 200 photos from there in my portfolio! No matter what city we visit in Spain, the last stop is always a night in Madrid in order to fly home. And we always spend that night at a little hostel where they now know us pretty well. Closer to home, I love visiting the Spanish Missions, near San Antonio, TX, the lesser ones more so than the Alamo. And Cadillac Ranch, up in the Panhandle of TX, is a must-see tourist attraction Route 66!

Hungarian Parliament at night – Budapest, Hungary

Prague Castle and St. Nicholas Church – Prague, Czech Republic

Rowboats at the Plaza de Espana – Sevilla, Spain

Chapel at the Mission Concepcion – One of the Spanish Missions in San Antonio, TX

Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo, TX

7. While browsing through the photo galleries on your website, I noticed many types of stunning photography. What types of things do you love to shoot the most and why? 

When I first became interested in photography, I was enthralled with Ansel Adams and wanted to shoot landscapes like he did. But over the years I have found an affinity for architectural photography. Maybe my background in science makes me more attracted to the lines and angles of architecture. But you can really tell some great stories with architecture. Architecture speaks of its time and place and if you spend some time studying the details, you become fascinated with the social and political history surrounding its creation. I love the quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “I call architecture frozen music.” Music has a beauty and a flow and so does beautiful architecture.

8. Which is the worst place you’ve ever visited and what made it so bad?

I can’t say that there are cities of places that I would consider a ‘worst place.’ What I can say is that if a place is not to my liking, I need to rethink my liking! I can also say that when I have had what might be viewed as a ‘bad experience,’ I will try to articulate to myself what I learned from it. Maybe it’s an uncomfortable truth about myself that caused me to have that bad experience. When I am traveling, I try to stay open to possibilities so that if I’m not having a stellar day, I can move on to something better.

On the other hand, a bad isolated experience often makes for a good story later on! I stayed, with my husband, in a B&B in London where the room was so small that only one of us at a time could move about. The ‘breakfast’ part of that B&B was a small basket that had some granola bars and other awful snacks in it. We took pictures of ourselves sitting on the bed with our feet practically touching the wall on the other side. But with a sense of humor, you can make a good story out of it. We probably tell that story of London more than anything else we did!

Another not-so-stellar experience was visiting the Sistine Chapel in Rome. I know…one of the world’s premier sites…but it’s absolutely awful to visit. We bought our ticket online to avoid the lines outside, but we were totally unprepared for the line inside. You get to the Sistine Chapel through the Vatican Museum and it was so crowded that we literally shuffled along in sync with the crowd through the various halls and hallways. We hardly looked at a thing in the Vatican Museum, it was too difficult to get out of the crush. Then, once in the Sistine Chapel, there is not supposed to be any talking. However, if you pack 500 people in a hall and only some of them whisper, there would be a low rumble of voices. The guards were constantly bellowing “SILENCIO” and yelling at people not to take photos. If anything, the guards ruined the atmosphere more than the talking. We snuck out the ‘back door’ with a tour group and were happy to get outside again. Normally, we travel on the cheap, but this is one thing I would absolutely pay to see in peace and quiet if we ever go to Rome again.

9. What type of camera(s) do you shoot with? What’s your favorite lens?

Currently, I have a Nikon D7100. Most often, I use the Nikon 18-200 f 3.5-5.6. This allows me to do most everything I need to without changing lenses and helps keep my baggage lighter! I often can’t resist taking another lens on my trips, thinking ‘what if…’ but end up rarely using it.

10. What is your favorite photography accessory?

When I travel, there isn’t room for many photography accessories. One essential, however, is a tripod and cable release! I won’t travel without them! A flashlight (with a red or green light) is essential for night shots. An umbrella can do double duty to block floodlights often found around historic buildings at night. And good for shielding the camera from the sun when it’s at the wrong angle.

11. How important is Photoshop or other image editing software in your final images?

VERY important! It’s been said that the best way to get great location shots is to live there! However, when you visit, you have to make do with the weather and conditions that you are presented with. Night shots, shots in the middle of the day, blown out skies, the wrong sun angle, rain, fog, haze, no clouds, too many clouds, they all make for challenging lighting conditions. Shooting brackets and then using digital editing to bring out the best from those images is essential. I use Photoshop, onOne software, Nik software, and Topaz. As I have become familiar with each of the programs, I am more easily able to choose the best tool for what I am looking to create.

12. Do you plan on purchasing any new equipment and if so, what are you on the lookout for?

I am not an equipment junkie, not someone who always wants the latest and the greatest. I also know that the best equipment is inside your head. That being said, I’d love a full frame sensor camera someday 😀

13. How do you stay motivated to keep photographing your travels?

It hasn’t been difficult to stay motivated to keep photographing and traveling since I love doing both. I am usually going someplace new or back to a location where I really want to spend more time, so there is always some excitement. I’ll look at photography or travel websites to get an idea of different places to go or different vantage points for a particular scene. Sometimes I set myself a ‘theme’ that I want to pursue that day, like looking for interesting doors, windows or balconies, while I am walking from ‘here to there.’

14. What advice could you offer someone who would like to break into the world of photo travel?

Well, you have to love travel, of course, and love to learn about new places. If you are traveling outside of the US, embrace the idea that things will be different. Money, food, customs, it’s all different. It’s not better or worse, just different. Don’t stay in an international chain hotel, do travel the public transport, do shop in the local grocery stores. Get off the main tourist drags. Eat in a hole in the wall establishment. Stay more than a day in a city, get to know more than the big attractions! Don’t ride the red tourist hop on – hop off buses. Sure you’ll see the highlights, but nothing insulates you more than spending your day with a bunch of other tourists. Learn the money! Don’t hold out a fist full of change and tell the clerk to take what they need! Respect the local people and customs. Travel light. It’s hard to navigate the metro or public bus with a gigantic suitcase and camera bag. And after you travel light a few times, you will wonder what the heck you ever carried before that required a bigger suitcase!

15. Do you regularly visit any photography or travel related websites for inspiration or learning? If so, which ones? 

For inspiration, I will check out location-specific photography and travels sites before I travel for ideas of what and where to photograph. I will also read travel books to learn more about the location so that I can have a better appreciation of the place I am to visit. For learning, I find it very helpful to participate in webinars hosted by various software companies that help you learn the software better and inspire you to try new things. I check out videos and courses from photographers such as Jimmy McIntyre, Blake Rudis, and Phlearn for new processing techniques.

16. Are there any areas of the world that you’d still like to visit and photograph?

WOW, yes! We have traveled a lot in Europe, but when I look at a map, I see how tiny Europe is in the context of the entire globe. I’d love to photograph some elephants in Africa, love to visit New Zealand’s south island, love to return to Lhasa Tibet, love to see Uluru in Australia. Eastern Europe, along the Adriatic, Cuba…lots of places are calling. I have yearned to go to Antarctica for decades, having read and reread the adventures of Scott and Amundsen, and some of the misadventures of Ernest Shackleton. I’m not sure I’ll make it to all these places but I’ll keep dreaming!

I’ve recently had the distinct pleasure of interviewing a very talented, experienced and thought provoking nature photographer from the great state of Illinois. His name is Paul Antonetti and his interests range from capturing the essence of his environment to deciphering what he’s gathered into a piece that we can all learn from and admire. As you’ll discover from reading the interview below, Paul’s perspective on photography, and somewhat on life in general, is one that’s driven by a person who regards his craft carefully. It’s my pleasure to share Paul’s thoughts and ideas with our readers. And to Paul, I extend a heartfelt “thank you” for taking the time to respond to each question in a manner that, not only gives us an answer, but gives us an opportunity to glimpse into the mind of a person who truly enjoys what they do.

If you’d like to learn more about Paul, please visit his website. You can also follow him on Twitter.

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1. Can you please tell our readers a bit about yourself?

My name is Paul Antonetti. I’m a freelance nature photographer and landscape designer living in northern Illinois. That’s the basic, “facebook profile” answer. Neither very interesting, nor very revealing. Perhaps a better way to introduce myself would be through the lyrics of a song…

“The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round”

Those particular Lennon and McCartney lyrics, from the song “The Fool on the Hill,” have always resonated with me. I’ve always been something of an introvert…someone more comfortable alone in the middle of nature, observing and contemplating, rather than someone surrounded by strangers at a crowded pub. Not that I don’t enjoy the company of other people, of course. It’s just that I’m more comfortable than most with extended periods of solitude. Rather than being a lonely existence, I’ve found time spent alone with my own thoughts to be richly rewarding. The periods of solitude have heightened my powers of observation, granting me the ability to notice the small details most others overlook. It’s in those details that you often find the beautiful and the miraculous. Best of all, you can find it all around you, often right outside your own back door.

2. Where do you call home?

I currently live in the Near Western Chicago suburbs. A great place to live if you like good food and weather extremes. I happen to be a fan of both, so it works out well for me. It does make it a little more difficult to be a nature photographer – the area lacks the awe-inspiring scenery found in many other parts of the country, and I often have to drive long distances to escape the buildings and concrete. However, if you look hard enough, there’s plenty of natural beauty to be found within a couple of hours of downtown Chicago.

3. When did you first become interested in photography and how long have you been involved with it?

My history with photography comes in two parts. I first picked up a camera back in the 1980s, for a college photography course. Though I was immediately drawn to photography as an art form, the cost of film, and my own slow progress frustrated me. A couple of years in, I’m embarrassed to say that I threw in the towel. It wasn’t until the first affordable DSLRs began showing up, around 2006, that I decided to have another go at it. At first I dabbled, but it wasn’t long before I was hooked. Thanks to the instant feedback loop of digital, I found my skills progressing at a much faster pace, and I was no longer burdened by the cost of film and processing.

4. Are you self taught or formally taught?

With the exception of that aforementioned college photography course, I am self-taught. It’s a lot easier to be self-taught today than it was 30 years ago, with the abundance of resources available online. I’m also inclined to take a “figure it out myself” approach to whatever task I undertake. It’s simply how I personally learn best. Of course, everyone is different, and I have little doubt formal education and photography workshops can be extremely beneficial to many people.

5. What is your favorite type of photography, meaning, what do you love taking pictures of the most?

I am, first and foremost, a nature photographer, though I do enjoy other types of photography as well. If I weren’t a nature photographer, I’d probably lean towards travel or documentary work. There is, in fact, some element of documentary photography in the images I make, though recently I find myself increasingly drawn towards a more impressionistic style. This may not be fully reflected in my work at this point, but I definitely feel a pull in that direction. In terms of specific subjects within the field of nature photography, I can’t say that I have a particular favorite. I do enjoy photographing wildlife, though the opportunities to photograph animals are not abundant, given my current location.

I’m mostly drawn to what I call small scale landscapes. Not the sweeping vistas shot at sunset that you see so often on photography sites, but rather small slices of those bigger scenes. I like to zero in on the details… elements that stand out because of shape, texture, pattern, color, etc. I’ve found a great deal of inspiration in the work of Eliot Porter, a photographer known for his colorful images of small scale landscapes. Sometimes I like to get in really close, at a macro level, to reveal those tiny hidden worlds that we often pass by without a second glance. I still consider those “landscapes” in a sense. My attraction to these small scale landscapes is out of both necessity and preference. Because of my proximity to a major city, there simply isn’t much of an opportunity to photograph those grand wide-angle landscapes. I’ve had to learn to focus in on the details, and in a way I’m thankful, because this particular style has become my preference, both in my own work and in the work of others. I find that these smaller, more intimate compositions give me a greater sense of place than do the all-encompassing landscape images, in which as a viewer, I often feel lost.

The one thing I want to emphasize is that I’m not someone who goes out looking to photograph specific subjects. Rather, I’m looking for a combination of interesting subject and flattering light. From my perspective, photography is all about the light. You can create a good image with an average subject and beautiful light, but the greatest subject anyone’s ever seen, photographed in lousy light is still going to make for a lousy image. If I could only give one piece of advice regarding photography, it would be to think light first, and subject second.

6. What is your favorite part of being a photographer?

Obviously being out in nature is pretty great. Even on days when the light is not cooperating, or your struggling with the elements, it’s still a joy to be out in the middle of nowhere, to feel, and to renew your connection to the natural world. It’s like therapy, only it costs a lot less, and you’re not stuck in an office laying on a couch. The best part, though, is being able to share not just what I see, but how I see it, and how it makes me feel. Hopefully my best images accomplish all those tasks. Photography at it’s best is communication. A songwriter shares his or her thoughts and feelings through words and music. I share mine through images.

7. When shooting subjects, what do you find most challenging?

The great challenge of nature photography is controlling contrast. The studio photographer has complete control over the light in his composition. He can add light, subtract it, make it softer or harder, direct it to a certain spot, pretty much bend it anyway he so pleases. Nature photographers are at the mercy of… well, nature. There are some ways in which we can control light using flash or reflectors/diffusors, but most of the time we must simply wait for the right light. Nature photography is not an endeavor for the impatient. What’s the “right” light? That often depends on the subject – light that is flattering to one subject might be completely inappropriate for another. Learning to read the light, and knowing what type of light works best with what type of subject is one of the keys to good nature photography.

8. What do you do to keep your photography fresh and how do you stay motivated to keep on learning?

Motivation has never been difficult for me, with regards to the things I love. And I certainly love photography. I love creating images, and I love communicating through those images. If I didn’t, I’d be doing something else. I want to be good at what I do, out of respect for the art form, out of respect for the subject, and out of respect for myself and whatever talent I was blessed with. If you’re going to do something, then you should do it as best you can, or don’t do it at all. I’ve never been someone who can do something just for the fun of it. For me, the fun comes not from doing, but from doing it well. Now inspiration is another matter all together. We all get in creative ruts from time to time. There are lots of ways to remain fresh and innovative. My favorite is to spend a day shooting with a single lens, usually a prime lens. This often forces me to be creative, to find new compositions, new ways of seeing. I consider learning to be a lifelong process. One of the things I love about photography is that there are so many different ways to accomplish the same goal. I’m always searching out new techniques, both in terms of shooting and post-processing, in an effort to find what works best for me. What I’ve found is that what works best changes from day to day, depending upon either my subject, or my own state of mind at the time. So I continue to absorb new information, to keep pace with the increasingly varied subjects I shoot, and my ever-changing moods and tastes.

9. What advice can you offer to someone who wants to learn about photography?

Start by learning about the history of photography. What’s that old saying?… “You can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.” As you learn about the progression of photography through the years, you’ll be exposed to different genres and styles, different ways of seeing and thinking. A small digression – there’s lots of talk nowadays about finding a personal style. I think it’s good to remember that style is not, or at least should not be static. If you’re continually growing as an artist, then your style should be continually evolving. Truthfully, I dislike the term “style” – worry less about developing a personal style, and more about creating images that convey and elicit genuine emotion, images that reveal something essential about both your subject, and your own emotional response to that subject.

I realize it sounds so 20th century, but books can be a great source of knowledge and inspiration. A few of my favorites include “Photography and the Art of Seeing,” and “Photo Impressionism,” both by Freeman Patterson. “The New Art of Photographing Nature: An Updated Guide to Composing Stunning Images of Animals, Nature, and Landscapes,” by Art Wolfe. “Eliot Porter: In the Realm of Nature,” and “Galen Rowell: A Retrospective” are also favorites. Lastly, “Frans Lanting: Okavango,” a masterwork documenting the great African wilderness.

Don’t just stick with photographers, however. Your photography can also be enhanced by studying the works of great painters. Books by Monet and van Gogh sit side by side with my photography books. Make note of how they compose their paintings, how they use color and interpret light.

Photographic workshops can also be beneficial, giving you the opportunity for one on one engagement with real experts, often in fantastically inspiring locations.

Finally, get out there and shoot. Trial and error is often the best teacher. Learn the rules, and then go break them. That’s often how great art is made.

10. Do you visit any photography related websites or blogs on a regular basis, and if so, which ones?

There’s a blurb from the “about” section on my blog that I think says it best, when it comes to photography websites… “The opinions expressed on this blog are just that – opinions. Don’t assume that I’m always correct, because I most certainly do not. I’m always learning, always growing, as a photographer, and hopefully, as a person. There are plenty of other fine photographic resources available across the internet. Make use of them, I certainly do. The more opinions you consider, the closer you’ll come to the essential truth.” The trick is to make sure you’re absorbing good information. There’s so much information out there these days, but so much of it is, frankly, not very useful. There are very few unbiased sites written by knowledgeable people with vast amounts of experience. There are unfortunately an almost infinite number of sites written by self-proclaimed experts handing out information that is often factually wrong, or at best questionable. The goal of many of these sites seems to be to steer you towards their affiliate links, rather than to provide you with useful information. Make sure your BS sniffer is set to maximum as you surf the various photography sites out there.

Some of my favorite sites include the following:

bythom.com

This is a portal that leads to several sites authored by Thom Hogan. Thom’s main focus is Nikon, but he offers a wealth of information that’s useful regardless of what camera brand you use. Unbiased. No-nonsense. Plenty of dry humor and a dash of snark.

theonlinephotographer.typepad.com

This site is more about the art of photography than it is about gear or technique, and it’s often an informative and enlightening read. I also appreciate the fact that it’s author, Mike Johnston, frequently and entertainingly strays off-topic.

luminous-landscape.com

Michael Reichmann and friends deliver opinions backed by decades of experience and sprinkled with more than a little good humor.

Gear-related sites:

dpreview.com

The fact that they’re now related to a big retailer (amazon.com) makes me a little uneasy, but their camera tests are generally as thorough and sound as it gets.

imaging-resource.com

I appreciate the fact that their reviews also often include a greater emphasis on real world use, rather than just lab numbers.

lensrentals.com/blog

What’s this, you say? A lens rental company? Roger Cicala at lensrentals.com is a bright and curious guy who often uses the lensrentals blog to document his many adventures in testing – and occasionally disassembling – the gear he rents. Informative, occasionally eye-opening, and frequently funny.

Sites for inspiration – a roll-call of some of my favorite photographers:

williamneill.com
guytal.com
cristinamittermeier.com
artwolfe.com/blog
andybiggs.com
amivitale.com
ianplant.com
anniegriffiths.com
leeseungkye.com

11. What type of camera(s) do you shoot with? What’s your favorite lens?

I switched to the Micro Four Thirds format about three years ago, and I consider it to be one of the best decisions I’ve made. I made the switch for two reasons. The first was that I had a terrible customer service experience with the brand I had been using – so bad that I no longer trusted them to stand behind their products, or to be able to deliver products that consistently worked properly right out of the box. Quality control and customer service are two things that should be taken into serious consideration when choosing camera gear. The second reason was lenses, or lack thereof. The lenses I needed simply weren’t available for the cameras I was using at the time. I find the m4/3 system to be an almost perfect balance of size and capability. I can now carry more gear into the field, while carrying considerably less weight overall. The best part is, I don’t feel as if I’ve given up anything significant in the way of performance. I currently use both an Olympus OM-D E-M5 and an E-M10.

I’ve always been partial to telephoto lenses. It’s simply the way I see the world. Most of my images are made at focal lengths between 90 and 200mm. Quite a few are made at focal lengths over 200mm. I think many people would be surprised to learn that this is true for most nature photographers. When people think “landscapes,” they often think wide angle lenses. Truth is, many, if not most landscapes are shot with telephoto lenses. My current personal favorite is the Olympus 75mm f/1.8. In 35mm terms, it’s basically equivalent to a 150mm angle of view. It has great edge acuity, micro contrast and edge to edge sharpness, even wide open. A very well behaved lens in every regard, capable of fantastic images. The nice thing about the m4/3 system is that there’s an abundance of excellent lenses, at every price point, and the number continues to grow.

12. What is your favorite photography accessory?

I’m going to stretch the definition of “photography accessory” and say my Lowepro backpacks. They are well made, rugged, and most importantly, comfortable. Of all the backpacks I’ve tried, Lowepro is my favorite brand. I currently own three of their bags, and I couldn’t be happier with the quality.

I’d also rank the small 12″ reflector and diffuser I carry with me as favorite accessories. They’re invaluable in controlling contrast and adding a bit of fill light during macro shooting.

13. How important is Photoshop or other image editing software in your final images?

Photoshop often gets a bad rap from those who don’t really know much about it. Their criticism often arises after viewing images created by those who tend to use Photoshop with, shall we say, a heavy hand.

If you’re trying to eek out every last bit of image quality from your camera – and if you’ve spent hundreds or thousands of dollars for it, why wouldn’t you be? – then you’re recording images in the RAW file format. Those RAW files need to be, for lack of a better term, developed. A JPEG file has qualities such as contrast, saturation, white balance and sharpness “baked” into it. The RAW file does not. It’s up to the photographer to define these parameters using Photoshop, or some other image processing software. I rarely use Photoshop, as I don’t need the sophisticated editing abilities it offers. I mostly use Adobe Lightroom 6 for my basic RAW conversions, and then often use one of the plugins from Nik, On1 or Topaz Labs to further tweak an image. Just how much tweaking I do is dependent upon the individual image, and the effect I’m trying to create. Most of the time I’m making pretty basic adjustments, but on occasion I’ll push things a little further if I’m going for a specific effect, or if I was shooting in difficult light and my image needs extra work to bring the exposure in line. Whatever the case, I always try to use a light touch. My rule is, if I can see the processing when I’ve finished, then I’ve gone too far.

I’ve recently been experimenting with a bit of software from Topaz Labs called Impression. It can be used to turn photographs into images that resemble paintings. It’s more than just a simple filter. It’s a sophisticated program that gives the user a tremendous amount of control over the final look of the image. I’m quite encouraged by the results so far. So much so that I’ve opened a new gallery on my portfolio site for images created using this software. Some people might find such software gimmicky, but I do not. At the end of the day, like Photoshop – and like the analog darkroom was in the days of film – it’s just another creative tool to help the photographer express his creative vision.

14. Do you plan on purchasing any new equipment and if so, what are you on the lookout for?

I will most likely be upgrading my telephoto zoom in the near future, and adding a super telephoto prime, as soon as it’s available. I’ve been using the Panasonic 100-300mm lens, and while it’s quite good, especially for the price, there are times when I wish for a bit more quality. I’m pretty happy with my current camera bodies, even though at least one is getting a bit long in the tooth – three years is ancient in digital camera terms – but if, in the near future, there’s a big leap forward in image quality, I’d certainly consider upgrading.

One of the benefits of using the same cameras for an extended period is that you really get to know their strengths and weaknesses, and the longer you use them, the more quality you’re able to squeeze out of them. The images that I’m making today with the E-M5 are better than the images I was making with it three years ago. The camera hasn’t gotten better, but I’ve gotten better at using the camera. Also, when time is of the essence, I don’t fumble around looking for the right button. By this time I know where all the controls are, and I don’t have to think, just react. That’s one reason why you should never take a new camera on an important trip. You’re likely to miss shots just because of unfamiliarity with the controls.

15. Are there any areas of photography that you have yet to pick up on that you’d like to learn?

I’d have to say all of them. Honestly, I’m only half joking. I believe it was French street photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson who said “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” Truer words have rarely been spoken. Nine years after returning to photography, I feel as if I’m just now becoming a competent photographer. I recall famed nature photographer Art Wolfe speaking about how he essentially threw away the first ten years of his work, because as he progressed, he realized it wasn’t up to snuff. If it takes someone like Art Wolfe that long to master the technical and artistic challenges of photography, the rest of us are unlikely to get there any faster. Oddly enough, that’s really one of the things that I love about photography. You can spend a lifetime working at it, and never truly master it. You might come close to perfection on occasion, but it always remains tantalizingly out of reach. Some might find that frustrating, and give up. I’ve come to see it as a motivating force. There’s always something new to learn. Every day is a new adventure, filled with the promise of discovery.

Today we have the privilege of crossing the Atlantic to learn a bit about a very talented and interesting photographer. His name is Aaron Northcott and, while based in England, he’s traveled throughout Europe to capture what I can only describe as mesmerizing photographs. Luckily, Aaron has graciously sent over some of his favorite photos for display alongside this interview, so you’ll have a chance to see what I’m referring to. It appears that Aaron has taken his love of photography and translated it into an art for all of us to admire.

To learn more about Aaron, please be sure to visit his website or follow him on Twitter. I’d also like to send out a personal “thank you” to Aaron for sharing some of his background and interests with us. I truly appreciate it.

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1. Can you please tell our readers a bit about yourself?

My name is Aaron, I’m primarily a photographer of wildlife and landscapes but I never limit myself to just that, and will always take the shot if there’s a great photograph awaiting, no matter what the subject or style may be! I have been in photography now for around 8 years properly, but I’ve always had a camera close at hand ever since I was young.

2. Where do you call home?

Colchester is my hometown – the oldest recorded town in England, heaped in history, and packed full of interesting buildings, landmarks (and even a castle!) for photography.

3. After browsing through some of your work and reading your bio, it’s obvious that you have a love of photography. What is it that led you towards photography and how long have you been working in it?

Wildlife has always been my true passion – I grew up watching Natural World (a BBC wildlife documentary series) every Sunday evening, and when most kids would be kicking a football around in the street, I would be looking for insects and spiders hiding amongst the undergrowth. Time passed by and I still hadn’t decided on a career path . . . skipping from job to job, until eventually my hobby of photography became something more and allowed me to combine two great interests into one amazing job.

4. Are you self taught or formally taught?

I’ve never had any formal training in photography and even all of my wildlife knowledge is self taught. I spent a long time playing around with cameras as I grew up, and began to learn the different settings and how to create certain effects and learn the compositions I favoured most.

Eventually I took things a little more seriously, and I spent many hours analysing the work of photographers I admire – figuring out why I liked different images and how I could draw different aspects of this into my own work.

5. Where have you found the majority of valuable information along your journey?

The internet is undoubtedly the most valuable resource – sure I’ve got a few photography guides and manuals (mainly bought for me as Christmas or Birthday presents from encouraging friends and family!) but they unfortunately do little more than collect dust on a bookshelf.

If you have a question about a certain area of photography, you’re looking for some inspiration, or even just want some advice, the internet is always there – and you can almost always find an answer to whatever you’re looking for with just a few taps on the keyboard.

6. From looking through the galleries on your site, I can see that you’ve been to a variety of locations. Of those you visited, which was your favorite and why?

It is so difficult to name just one place or one region as a favourite, because everywhere has something different to offer – the different foods, cultures, landscapes – and let’s not forget the wildlife!

I’m quite a solitary person and I like time away from people, and so for that reason I’m going to say that (so far) Norway is probably one of my favourite places. The tranquility of the forests and the mountains is unparalleled . . . the air is fresh and scented with pine, the landscapes change and progress as you walk, and (although it can be difficult to see) there is an abundance of exciting wildlife to photograph – from bears and elk, to lynx and goshawk.

7. Regarding your styles of photography, which do you prefer the most?

Wildlife photography will always be my favourite type of photography. It’s always been my real passion and it is what led me to becoming a photographer in the first place!

8. Regarding your wildlife photos, which truly are remarkable, what advice can you offer to those who would like to begin taking these types of photographs?

Study the work of photographers you admire and try to understand how they took the images you like most. A lot of photographers will also publish information with their images such as the cameras, lenses, and settings like ISO and Aperture they’ve used to capture each image . . . which is a great way of understanding how to correctly take photographs.

Don’t forget, photography is completely subjective and you’ll never be able to take an image that is loved by everyone, so the most important thing is to work on a style that makes you happy.

9. What is your favorite part of being a photographer?

The travelling. It gives me the chance to constantly experience new things, meet new people, and see different landscapes and wildlife.

10. What is the most challenging part of being a photographer?

The hardest part of being a photographer for most is finding income. It’s a fantastic job and one that I thoroughly love, but very few photographers will ever be living an extravagant lifestyle – work is contracted or commissioned, and you can sometimes go for a very long time before finding a new project.

11. What do you do to keep your photography fresh and how do you stay motivated?

I am quite competitive and I’m constantly comparing my work to others. I love to find amazing images that I could only aspire to take. That’s what inspires me to ‘keep going’ in the hope that one day I might take images as incredible as that.

12. Who or what inspires you in your personal life and work?

I have a lot of magazine subscriptions – BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, Traveller, the list goes on, and I’ve always drawn a lot of inspiration from the images and topics covered in these. I would find it difficult to work as a photographer if I didn’t have inspiration, or aspirations to create truly breathtaking images – and for that reason I would definitely say that publications like this have been a valuable resource from the very beginning.

13. Who is your favorite photographer?

There are so many photographers with amazing work, and across so many styles as well – it is hard to pick just one!

I think that Trey Ratcliff is a very interesting photographer, because he has managed to combine his blog, HDR photography, and courses into his livelihood in a way most couldn’t. It definitely takes a very particular kind of photographer with real personality to achieve that.

14. What industry sites and blogs do you read regularly? Would any stand out as particularly motivational or inspirational for someone who might be interested in learning about photography?

I’m always coming across new photographers and websites online with lots of incredible images and archives of photography tips and advice. Honestly though I don’t really have ‘general photography’ websites that I visit often, and most of my questions are simply answered by a quick search on Google!

There are some really interesting websites I do visit for wildlife news and photography – one of which is wildlifeextra.com. It seems relatively little known, but has some really good regular updates.

15. What type of camera(s) do you shoot with? What’s your favorite lens?

I mainly use Canon equipment. At the moment I’m enjoying working with the 6D, but I also use a Sony A7r mirrorless from some of my landscape shots.

Although it’s not great for the wildlife photography, my favourite lens is definitely my set 50mm lens with a f/1.8. It’s not a very fancy lens, but I’m a big fan of nice bright images with a beautifully blurry bokah . . . which this lens is perfect for.

16. What is your favorite photography accessory?

I often connect my camera up wirelessly to my phone and use a remote viewing app and trigger. It’s really useful when you need to be hidden from your subject – such as when you’ve set it up on a nest or den.

The only downside is that you can’t move the camera via the app, so you have to hope that when the subject comes into view it’s in a nicely composed position!

17. What piece of equipment would you most like to acquire that you don’t have yet?

To be honest I’m pretty happy with my set up at the moment. There are lots of cool gadgets and accessories around, but I think a lot of them are not really necessary and probably exploit a lot of the photographers who like to have everything, when really all it does is add extra weight for you to carry around (perhaps countered by the lighter wallet!).

18. Was there a point in your journey when you started to feel really good about your work? If so, what did it feel like to get past that “tipping point?”

I find this quite a difficult question to answer, because photography is so subjective I’ve always tried more than anything to create images that I am happy with myself (which rarely happens – there’s always something I would change in most of my images).

I value knowledge and I love to feel as though I really understand things – which I guess means my main ‘tipping point’ was when I realised that I could look at images that inspire me and instead of thinking ‘how do they do that?’ I could look at it and understand it technically. That’s the point I think I felt comfortable calling myself a photographer.

19. Are there any areas of photography that you have yet to pick up on that you’d like to learn?

At the moment I’m working on a lot of HDR stuff, and I’m really enjoying it. It’s obviously not overly applicable when it comes to wildlife, but it does allow for some really interesting and vibrant landscapes and urban photography. I’m soon going to be releasing some new HDR images that I took recently in Sweden, which will have quite a few photographs in this style among others.

20. What do you think the future holds for you? Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

I don’t have any definite plans for the future, but I would like to work more with some of the charities I’ve come across on my travels. I’m planning on donating some of my work for use in fundraising and to help raise awareness of conservation issues – and in particular, I’m hoping to work more closely with a couple of charities that are helping to rescue bears from bile farms in Asia.

It’s not often that someone gets to interview a photographer as talented as Patrick Gensel. That’s why I was extremely excited when he agreed to answer some questions for me. Patrick was born and raised in Northeast Pennsylvania and primarily shoots landscape, action sports and active lifestyle photography. If you’re interested in following Patrick, you can find him on his website, at Twitter or at Adventure Travel Buzz.

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1. Can you please tell our readers a bit about yourself?

My name is Patrick Gensel and I am a 30 year old photographer from Northeast Pennsylvania. I’ve been serious about my photography for about 6 years when I decided I needed a way to share my adventures with anyone who would pay attention. I also enjoy craft beer.

2. Where do you call home?

Shickshinny, Pennsylvania

3. After browsing through your website, I see that you’re truly immersed in the field of photography. What is it that led you towards photography and how long have you been working in it?

I have always been in love with visual things and photography, of course, is a natural extension of that. What really drew me into photography as an art form was my need to document my adventures. I began with simple local hikes and eventually blossomed into global travel.

4. Are you self taught or formally taught? Where have you found the majority of valuable information along your journey?

I consider myself self taught. All of my photography knowledge was gained either by self discovery or by browsing the internet extensively.

5. Are you satisfied with your choice of getting involved with this industry? Is there anything else you would rather be doing?

To be honest, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing. Photography compliments all the things I love so well. Photography currently is very technology-centric, which I love, and I get to photograph the physical pursuits I love so much, so it’s pretty great.

6. From looking through the galleries on your site, I can see that you’ve been to some far away places. Of the locations you visited, which was your favorite and why?

I’ve been a lot of really cool places, from Colorado to Norway, but the one place I keep going back to is Iceland. There is something very raw about the beauty of that place that draws me in. Being so close to the arctic circle makes it, in a lot of ways, feel like the edge of the earth. That’s really appealing. Plus it doesn’t hurt that the landscapes are absolutely stunning.

7. Regarding your styles of photography, which do you prefer the most?

I like to call myself an “Active Lifestyle” photographer. I loosely define that as photographing people who are out being active. Climbing, hiking, yoga, etc. Since I love to travel, and love beautiful places, I’ve found that this style of photography has been a great blend of landscape, action sports, and travel. For me that’s pretty perfect.

8. What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a photographer?

My favorite part is telling a story through images. There is nothing better than conveying the way you feel through a series of images. My least favorite part is that I have to do business type stuff, but in reality, that is a big part of it.

9. What is the easiest part of your job?

It’s all pretty easy when you love what you do.

10. What is the most challenging part of your job?

Sourcing clients can be tough. Just being a photographer isn’t always enough, so it’s really smart to diversify your income streams.

11. What do you do to keep your photography fresh and how do you stay motivated?

I often check out what my peers are doing. They are a super creative bunch, so it’s inspiring to see what they are doing, but mainly I just keep going to new places, trying to get a new look at things. I think that helps a lot.

12. Who or what inspires you in your personal life and work?

I think a lot of the people creating great adventure travel photography is a big part of what inspires me, as well as the images in publication like Nat Geo (National Geographic). There are some really talented folks taking photos in beautiful places.

13. Who is your favorite photographer?

Right now, I’d have to say I’m pretty stuck on Chris Burkard. What he is doing is pretty close to where I’d like to be.

14. What’s the best part of being a photographer?

Getting to show people how you perceive the world.

15. What industry sites and blogs do you read regularly? Would any stand out as particularly motivational or inspirational for someone who might be interested in learning about photography?

I spend a lot of time on Nat Geo’s website, but Fstoppers has been a treasure trove of photo knowledge that has been a great help.

16. What type of cameras do you shoot with? What’s your favorite lens?

I currently shoot with a Canon 6D and a Canon 60D, but I intend to transition into the Sony line of mirrorless cameras by fall. Right now, my favorite “do everything” lens is definitely the Canon 24-105L. It is super versatile. If I could only choose one lens to take on a trip, that would be the one.

17. What is your favorite photography accessory?

I’d be truly lost without my Fstop Gear Laptop ICU. They are designed to fit into an Fstop gear backpack, but as of right now, it has been working great on its own to organize my gear and keep my laptop protected too. It’s really great.

18. What piece of equipment would you most like to acquire that you don’t have yet?

Probably an actual Fstop bag to put my ICU in. It’s really not crucial, but it sure would be nice.

19. Was their a point in your journey when you started to feel really good about your work? If so, what did it feel like to get past that “tipping point?”

I have always tried to stay confident about the work I do, but I think I really solidified that after getting back from Norway when a shot I took of my girlfriend doing yoga on Trolltunga went viral on a few social media networks. It really drove me to keep at it and keep pursuing the dream.

20. Are there any areas of photography that you have yet to pick up on that you’d like to learn?

I’d love to get into unique travel and adventure related weddings. There may not be a huge market for it, but I think it would be really rewarding.

21. What do you think the future holds for you? Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

The future remains to be seen of course, but I would like to see myself traveling for big clients around the world getting them the shots that perfectly represent their brands.