winners

Interview by Nicole Young

Bill Jeffries is a computer consultant living in Greensboro, NC. His beautiful image of geese flying across Oak hollow lake won him a seat at the upcoming workshop in Mt. Rainier. He has been serious about photography for the last two years and loves to photograph nature, wildlife, and people.

Please tell us the story behind your winning photograph.

My son and I went to Oak Hollow Lake before sunrise to shoot it, but the sun just came up, not very spectacular. I had been looking east at it and moved over to look west across the lake when I heard the Canada Geese start honking the way they do before they take off. I pointed my D300 at them and held focus on them and shot 30 or 40 frames as they took off and flew across the lake. Right in the middle of the series, the sun broke over the trees and washed the far shore with great red gold light and I had a feeling I’d gotten a good shot. This was one of my favorites from 2008. It was taken on December 13th, a great cold winter morning.

What do you feel is one of the most important aspects of being a good photographer?

Making photos that provoke an emotional response. It doesn’t have to leave them in tears, but just “wow, that’s so cool” or “that is really beautiful”. It can be funny, or shocking, or beautiful, or just cool, but it can’t just lay there. Also, I think you need to learn the gear, learn the rules, and then forget them as much as possible and just shoot. I would also say giving back what you can in whatever way you can.

Are there any other photographers who inspire you? Who and why?

Wow, tons. Martin Bailey, a great nature/wildlife shooter and great teacher. I love Pete Turner for his use of color. Joe McNally for just about everything and his willingness to teach. Cartier-Bresson for all those decisive moments. Don Hong-Oai is one I try to emulate; I love his landscapes. The list would go on and on. I love to look at photos.

What camera equipment will you be bringing with you to the workshop in Mt. Rainier?

I’m a Nikon guy. Bodies: D700, D300, and a Canon G9. Lenses: 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8, 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6, and I always take a 50mm f/1.4; Manfroto Tripod with RRS ballhead, circular polarizer, cable release, lots of batteries and cards, maybe a 60mm f/2.8 micro & Tokina 12-24mm f/4, depending on space and weight. I’m not sure about bringing flashes … don’t want to overpack.

You can view more of Bill’s photography here.

Interview by Nicole Young

Julie Stainbrook currently lives in Midway, UT with her two small children. Her photograph “In the Fog” won her the chance to attend the workshop in Mt. Rainier.

What type of photography do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy photographing beauty! It can be in the form of a newborn baby, sunset, children playing, a couple in love, the age of human life … I guess I don’t have a preference. I love to take what is seemingly normal and find the emotion behind it and freeze it in time forever!

Please tell us the story behind your winning photograph.

A few years ago my Dad was driving and noticed the beautiful morning with the fog and the sun just coming up. He said at that moment he knew he needed to call me and get me out there. When he called he told me to go to a certain area of town and to bring my camera. As I was driving and looking for a spot I saw this line of trees on the side of the road, right next to a business. At that point in my life I had no idea what ISO, aperture, shutter speed, or white balance was. It caught me off guard. I had driven by that spot probably 100 times before and had never noticed it. I got out and paced around for a while and then found the spot. I laid on my tummy for about half and hour at the base of a tree trying to get the settings and my angle just right… which was a task in and of it self but I refused to shoot on auto. I didn’t leave until I got the image that I had seen in my mind.

What is it about photography that got you hooked? Was there something significant that happened in your life that makes you passionate about photography?

I love being able to show how I see things. Everyone has a different perspective and to be able to share mine is a great feeling. I love showing people how I see them. Capturing the beauty, emotion and individuality of a person and then sharing it with them has been such an amazing experience.

What camera equipment will you be bringing with you to the workshop in Mt. Rainier?

As of right now…. I have two Nikon D80’s, 18-135mm, 50mm, polarizing filter, speedlight, tripod, lots of batteries, memory cards and my MacBook.

You can view more of Julie’s photography here.

William Jeffries
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wjeffries/3633244614/in/pool-anpw

Rhonda Holcomb
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronidesigns/3707917947/

Julie Stainbrook
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38526250@N06/3542466758/in/pool-anpw

Jarek Szymanski
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alteryourreality/2754842545/in/pool-anpw

See more of Elyse’s work here.

Congraulations, Elyse! Your image was beautiful. Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for our readers.

Where are you from?

I live in New York City

That is one of my favorite places in the world. What is your favorite place or subject to photograph in New York City?

I mostly enjoy walking through Central Park with my camera…grateful to have so much natural beauty right in the middle of a big city (a mini escape!)…many great water spots with their ever changing reflections right down to the puddles after a good rain…but the city streets certainly have much to offer up to the camera lens as well, such extremes! I feel lucky to have easy access to both.

You are lucky, Elyse. New York City and Central Park are wonderful places to shoot.

What kind of photography do you specialize in?

I prefer the natural world. Taking it in and appreciating all that is around me. Currently my enjoyment lies in attempting to venture beyond what and how my eye sees and trying to create something unique out of what’s in front of me. Playing with reflections, shadows, water movement, light, etc.

How did you learn about the trip?

I receive emails from “Apple Hot News” and that is where I read about the announcement. It totally caught my attention and sounded to me, like such and awesome experience and opportunity!

You are right on that one Elyse. It is an awesome experience and opportunity. And you were one of four winners out of over 2000 entries! What do you hope to learn on the trip?

I am so anxious to be side by side with the four professional photographers and I think just to be able to observe “what they do” and ask questions along the way will be such an invaluable and memorable learning experience. I am also looking forward to meeting Ara, Bryan and Olga. I think spending time alongside one another and sharing our experiences will be an added benefit to the trip.

What gear are you bringing?

Canon EOS 30D
Canon ef 70-200, f 2.8
Canon Macro 100mm, f 2.8
Canon ef-s 17-55mm, f 2.8

I am anxious to check out the Lensbaby. I am not familiar with it but it sounds like something to have fun with!

What challenges do you think photographers face today?

My first thought in answering this is the type of images that I am capturing now. The sometimes abstract or painterly look, are thought by some to have been manipulated after – aside from the typical adjustments to exposure, contrast, white balance, etc. I don’t actually know how to manipulate my images and right now am not really interested in doing so. I really want my images to represent what was recorded in the camera-the way I see them.

What is your “day job”?

By day and night I am a stay at home mom with three daughters.

That will keep you busy! How do you find time to shoot?

My girls are 11, 15 & 17 so they are not so dependent on me and it allows me more time to go out and “play”. But I also keep my camera ready to pick up and capture something.

Thank you, Elyse. We look forward to seeing your images from Yellowstone.

Interview by Cathy Chung

Congratulations, Ara! Your image was stunning. Thanks for sitting down with me so that our followers could learn about you.

Where are you from?

I grew up around Portland, Oregon and have also lived in San Francisco. I am living in Portland now.

Portland is a very pretty area. What is your favorite place/subject to photograph in Portland?

The waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge. Mount Ranier National Park is another favorite.

You are lucky to have both of those places in your backyard. What inspiring places to photograph.

What kind of photography do you specialize in?

Landscapes and cityscapes. A lot of long exposures. I’ve started doing wedding photography and portraits.

How did you learn about the ANPW contest/trip?

I did a search for Lensbaby on Google

Well lucky for you, Ara-Lensbay is one of the prizes that you get.

What do you hope to learn on the trip?

Different perspectives! Every time I go out and shoot with other photographers, I learn so much. The ANPW instructors are selling professionals, and I want to absorb as much of that wisdom as possible.

The pros that are coming on this trip are amazing, Ara. You will be learning so much from them.

What gear are you bringing?

Cameras:
Canon 40D
Pentax MX
Holga
Lomo Fisheye

Lenses:
Canon 10-22mm
Canon 17-85mm IS
Canon 50mm 1.4
Canon 70-200mm f/4
Pentax 28-70mm f/2.8
Pentax 50mm f/1.8

Filters:
Hoya Moose Polarizer/Warming
Hoya ND400 9-Stop
B&W 6-Stop ND
Singh-Ray 3-Stop soft GND with Cokin 10x macro ring

Misc:
Bogen Tripod
Hot-shoe level
Gary Fong Lightsphere
Vivitar Flash
Velvia Film
Remote for Canon 40D

I’m really excited to try out the new Rotation 360° backpack from Think Tank. It is really sturdy and holds a lot of gear!

I am excited to hear that you are bringing film cameras. You will enjoy the Rotation 360° backpack. I used it on my trip and it worked perfectly!

What challenges do you think photographers face today?

There are a lot of talented photographers in the world and it’s a challenge to stand out and offer a unique outlook. It can be easy to rely on technology and the latest and greatest to make you a “better photographer”, instead of going back to your eye, imagination and individuality. I love the photographers who can shoot with a $10,000 SLR or a $20 plastic camera and come up with equally amazing photos. Marketing and finding outlets to sell photography are other challenges that I want to learn more about facing. Again, with so many talented artists out there, standing out from the crowd is tough.

What is your “day job”?

I am a Litigation Project Manager for a legal support company. I manage databases and electronic evidence for law firms and corporations.

Lastly, do you have a website or a blog that we can link to?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aralani

Thanks for you time, Ara and I look forward to meeting you face to face in Yellowstone.

Kimberly interviewed by Liana Lehua

I have always known that any activity can be fun depending on the people involved. So, how lucky am I that the next ANPW workshop in Yosemite will be a great activity AND we’ll have great people in the field together. Meet Kimberly Haugen, just one of four contest winners who will be enjoying the Yosemite winter with us.

Kimberly’s location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Online photo gallery, website or blog
http://littleknoll.blogspot.com

Main camera body and equipment used:

Canon 40D
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L
Canon 50mm f1.4
Canon 70-210mm
Canon Speedlite 580EX II

Your dream photography trip (location):
Anywhere in Africa.

What are you passionate about shooting? What do you shoot? (Example: portraits, sports, landscape, etc.).
I am passionate about shooting the peoples of Africa. When I’m not in Africa, I enjoy capturing portraits of friends and family.

What are you most looking forward to during the ANPW experience?
I am looking forward to learning everything I can from the pros. Since nature photography has never been a focus of mine, I am excited to learn how they visualize shots, the best lighting to shoot in and proper framing. I’m also looking forward to the Aperture training. My image processing is such a confusing mess, I’m looking forward to being able to streamline that process and save me a lot of time.

What do you do for a living? How do you make the time for your photography?
I am a video director/producer by trade so images are a part of my daily life. But I love the challenge of still photography. Video captures and uses 29.97 frames per seconds to tell a story. Still photography is more of a challenge to a story and convey your message in a single frame.

What is your favorite aspect of photography? (Example: being outdoors, the art and science of capturing the image in the camera, telling a story, etc.).
I enjoy capturing a fraction of a moment in time for generations to enjoy. I find myself like a little child on Christmas morning when it comes to actually being able to see the images I captured. I enjoy the creative aspect of photography and how several photographers can shoot the same subject and capture completely different images.

Are you planning on buying any new gear specifically for the workshop between now and the workshop?
No, I’m not planning on purchasing any equipment. However, I have rented two lenses. Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II and Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS.

What inspires you?
The entire continent of Africa inspires me. I consider my time shooting here in America preparation for when I shoot in Africa.

What is your image processing workflow?
I have no image workflow. That is one of the things I am looking forward to learning with the Aperture application training.

John Harrison Interviewed by Liana Lehua

Photo credit for John Harrison’s portrait: Michael Soo of Soo Photography

Your location: I live in Sunnyvale, California in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Website: www.jharrisonphoto.com

Main camera body and equipment used:

Nikon D300 (I REALLY would like a Nikon D700!)

Nikon 18-200VR lens

Sigma 10-20mm lens

Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8 lens

Gitzo GT2541 Tripod

Singh-Ray graduated ND Filters

Your dream photography trip (location)

My dream photography trip would be shoot on the Fiji Islands and to look for incredible waterfalls. The fun part of shooting on islands in Fiji would be to go shoot sunset on one side of an island and then shoot sunset on the other.

What are you passionate about shooting?

I’m a landscape guy. I love capturing vibrant colors in sunrises and sunsets, textures in nature, the moon, flowing water and waterfalls. I try to capture the mood of the scene and love how the light interacts with the scene. My “Nature’s Firefall” image I submitted for the ANPW contest ties all of these together – a dramatic waterfall at sunset that looks like molten lava surrounded by the incredible rock textures of El Capitan in Yosemite. Water, rocks, tree bark, leaves….all things in nature have a texture to me. When I’m at a location, my challenge is capturing how the scene in front of me looks, feels, sounds or smells. Even with today’s equipment, it’s a challenge to recreate what your eyes see. If I’m successful, the photograph will remind me of that place I want to be on a Friday afternoon.

What is one tip you would like to share with photographers?

The one tip I would share with aspiring landscape photographers is to use a tripod! A tripod helps you get more depth of field and sharper images. The caveat with that is to move it around as well as raise and lower it – don’t just leave it fully extended. A tripod also gets you to slow down and think about your shot.

What do you do for a living?

I am a product manager at high-tech company in Silicon Valley working with computer security products. I just started showing and selling my landscape photographs last year and recently announced a yearlong solo exhibit with two new series of images.

How do you make the time for your photography?

It is challenging to find time for photography; often I am heading out at sunrise and sunset while on family vacations. I try to be smart about when and where to shoot. I study maps, tide tables, moon and sun rise/set tables so I can make the most of my time shooting.

I work on my images, read and learn about new techniques during late nights after the kids get to bed. The MOST important part in making time for my photography is having a supportive wife and kids!

Stay tuned for more on the winners – this week here at ANPW.

Here’s the news you’ve all been waiting for. The second set of winners in our contest are…(in no particular order)

John Harrison

Nikki Frantz

Kimberly Haugen

David Orias

Each of these lucky winners will accompany us to Yosemite National Park in January for a great workshop. Keep checking back here for more details and congratulations to the winners.

To those who did not win, don’t worry. You will have two more chances to win. We’ll open up the third section of the contest right after the new year.

Photo and article by Lisa Bettany

The lovely Catherine Burton Chung lives in Sarasota, Florida. You can find more about Catherine on her blogs: Look Through My Lens, Kite String Photography and on Photrade.

Tell us a bit about your photography and where we can see more of your photos.

I enjoy fine art photography the most. I do newborns, children, families, and commercial shoots. My experience shooting landscapes and nature is mostly from vacations that I take.

What do you hope to gain from the trip?

I hope the learn more about lighting and waiting for the best shot.

Lighting is a very important ingredient in great nature shots. What gear did you bring with you to the workshop?

Nikon D200 Fuji S2 Pro body Nikon D40x Nikon 18-55 mm f3.5 Nikon 55-200 mm f4 Nikon 650-1300 mm Sigma 70-300 mm f1.4 Nikon 55-200 mm f1.4 Tamron 19-35 mm f3.5 Nikon 135-400 mm f4.5 Bogen carbon fiber tripod Bogen ball head Cleaning supplies Batteries, chargers Dell laptop, since I can’t bring my iMac! WD Passport Hard Drive

Thanks Cathy! We look forward to checking out your photos from the trip!