People’s Choice Award at Cape Cod Art Center
Hi, everyone
I hope you are having a good weekend. It seems the Spring has finally arrived!
First things first. I uploaded a new video tutorial on my YouTube channel. In this tutorial I show how I edited a beautiful fall landscape image from Lake Jasna in the Julian Alps, Slovenia.
Fall Colors in the Julian Alps
Second. There is only one week left until the first half-day workshop of waterfall chasing. Come join me to enjoy the beautiful weather and spring growth.
Finally, one of my images was chosen as People’s Favorite in the recent “It’s a Beautiful World” exhibit at the Cape Cod Art Center. They center has also posted a short featurette of me on their website. Below, I am reprinting it with the center’s permission.
Misty Forest
How did you discover your talent for your medium?
I’ve been interested in photography since I was a kid, when my dad used to print family black and whites at home. As I grew older, I always took pictures on vacations etc. Even when I had no idea what I was doing, and only had a pocket point-and-shoot camera, people would comment that I had an eye for composition. I was also fascinated by the technology and the technical side of photography. Finally, when I moved to New England with my family about five years ago, I got serious about my photography and started investing the necessary time to learn. As they say, “And the rest is history…”
Which artist has influenced you most?
I am self-taught and follow multiple photographers on Youtube, taking inspiration from their work. The photographers who influenced me the most in the way I approach photography and in my editing style are probably Nigel Danson and Mads Peter Iversen, though there are many others. My photography really took a leap forward about three years ago when I discovered their channels. In addition to photographers, I enjoy exploring the works of different painters. In particular the Dutch seascapes with their moody skies.
What do you enjoy most about working in this medium?
There is nothing like climbing to the top of the mountain to watch the sunset or getting to see the landscape basking in the first rays of the sun. One of my favorite quotes comes from “The Hobbit” by J.R.R Tolkien, “Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.” My first love is to enjoy the beauty of this world, whether natural or man-made. Photographing it is just an icing on the cake. That being said, I get a thrill from the entire process, starting with planning the shots, trying to predict the weather and figuring out the best angle for the shot at a specific time of day, all the way through the editing process where I bring the image to life, and, finally, holding a physical print in your hands.
How do you describe your artwork?
I am a landscape and travel photographer who dabbles in macro and wildlife photography (I am not very good in these genres, but I am getting better). I enjoy capturing both the natural wonders as well as the man-made structures as they fit and complement the landscape.
Tell us about your creative process.
My work is a combination of pre-planned shots and serendipitous moments. I try to travel as much as my time allows. In cases where the travel is to locations I am unlikely to visit very often, I try to explore possible shots and build contingencies depending on the weather. Closer to home, I tend to return to some of my favorite locations again and again to try and capture them in a different light/perspective. In such cases, I generally have an idea of a shot that I want to capture and wait for the right conditions to go after it. Of course, I try to keep my eyes peeled, as many of my favorite shots were not pre-planned and resulted from me just noticing things along the way.
Is there anything you want people to take away from your work?
My main goal with my photography is to bring that sense of wonder about the beauty of the world to the viewer. I want people to feel like I felt when I took the shot. I want them to experience it, even if only second-hand. Finally, I want to inspire people to get out and go exploring.
Apart from creating things, what do you do?
Read, watch TV/movies, play badminton and table tennis. I also work full time as a research scientist.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a great week!
Dimitry
