Hello everyone, once again snaptured is back with amazing interview with wildlife photographer turned into stunning landscape photographer…lets see what he have to say about his experiences…
Hello and welcome to Snaptured.com, please introduce yourself, where are you from etc etc…
Thanks for the warm welcome! My name is Ian Gaston (IMG Imagery) born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am 32 years old and currently reside in the Santa Cruz mountains.
You have amazing talent of landscape photography; can you tell us how you got started in photography?
I appreciate your kind words. I’ve been photographing seriously for about 5 years and started my career as a wildlife photographer. From a young age, I was extremely drawn to the outdoors and started immersing myself in nature. I was fascinated specifically with birds and how to document them in their natural environment. This is where I taught myself the basic operations of a camera. Shortly after, I developed a desire to photograph landscapes and eventually it took over my interest.
What genre of photography you mostly do? What other genre you like….
Well, as I previously mentioned, I started off as a wildlife photographer, but transitioned into landscape photography. Perhaps I may change genres in the future, but for now I will stick to my love of landscape.
Which place you like most to do landscaping, what all places you have visited?
There is not one specific place that I prefer. I still have yet to travel to many locations I wish to photograph. I feel as a landscape photographer you are always searching for that “next place”. Although I do admit that I have a soft spot for seascapes especially in northern California, I have been up and down the western United States and still there is so much more to discover within that area.
What took you to be at this level? As a successful Landscape photographer?
Honestly, it’s just all about passion, practice and persistence. It may sound cliche but that’s usually a pretty solid formula for success. Keep practicing your craft and I believe people will start to understand your passion.
What difficulties you face in the field of landscape photography?
Where do I start with this haha….there are many difficulties with being a landscape photographer. One of the most challenging personally, is making a decision where to shoot. There are so many amazing areas that you can travel to and once you have gained a good basic knowledge of camera operation the world is your canvas. The trick is understanding when the best times are to visit these places. I recently went on a road trip to photograph frozen waterfalls up in the Mt. Hood area and although I knew I was going up during prime time, I didn’t really know what to expect. I quickly learned that it was not as simple as I imagined and that the well below freezing temperatures caused many challenges both to my gear and to my body. But because I researched the area extensively, I was well prepared and was able to go away with something I was happy with.
Typical question, which image is your very best till now? We know all of your images are best but we want to know that one best image
My most popular image is a shot titled “Transition” It was taken very early in spring at a local coastline about a half hours drive form where I live in Davenport, California.
What gears, filters, lenses etc… you usually use for landscape photography?
Currently I am shooting a Sony A7r and canon glass…a CT-3372 Feisol tripod paired with a Sirui K-40x ballhead (great bang for your buck ballhead!)!. My favorite all purpose lens is the Canon 16-35mm 2.8L but I’ve head the new 16-35 is extremely sharp around the corners. I only use B+W filters from Schneider Optics. I believe they make the best filters money can buy.
What do you do when you are not photographing?
Researching new places to visit, editing photos, listening to podcasts… and eating.
Which programs you use for editing purpose?
I use Lightroom and Photoshop for all my post production.
What is the best advice you can give for the young upcoming landscape photographers?
Keep at it and don’t give up. There are so many unbelievably talented photographers out there, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any room for you. Find who inspires you and learn form them. Develop your own unique artistic style and build from that.
Finally, what is your goal for life? As a landscape photographer.
My goal is to allow myself to keep being inspired by nature. If I didn’t have a camera I would still be out backpacking and camping. To me, being outdoors is my therapy and if I didn’t have it in my life I would probably go insane.
Publications / Awards and Partners
- Outdoor Photographer
- Digital Photographer
- Australian Photography
- Canon contest winner
- Macphun contest winner
- Mentor Photographer for Schneider Optics B+W filters
