Mike Smith is a great photographer from England. He is doing great work with his Canon 6D. I hope you’ll enjoy the interview;
How did you fall in love with photography?
The first time I remember really wanting to pursue photography was three years ago, when a friend of mine shared some shots he took of his mountain biking season in Whistler. I thought that they looked stunning and wanted to be able to produce similar quality images. It was around Christmas and people were asking what I wanted. I took a risk and asked for my first DSLR camera. It was a Nikon D3300 and wasn’t the most advanced. I remember doing long exposures with it and being blow away. Looking back the images needed a lot of work. But I was in love and to me they were stunning!
How important is having a unique style as a photographer? How would you describe your style?
I think that all photographers aim to define their style. Although, I found this isn’t something that you can force. Instead it is something that develops with time. When I started out I used to want to oversaturated all images. Now, I like to think I keep the colours more controlled and aim to get those deep blues and dark greens.
Where did you grow up? How have your roots influenced your sense of style?
I grew up about 10 minutes drive from the Peak District National Park. When I started out I wanted to take photos of anything and everything. Having the Peak District on my doorstep made it easy to pack my stuff and head out exploring landscapes all day. As I have been in and around the peaks all my life it has definitely made me fall more in love with landscape photography.
What advice would you give to aspiring photographers out there?
Don’t stop getting out and taking photos. I only ever improved by practicing. Online video and books will help to a degree but there’s no substitute for hard work and practice. Get every sunrise and sunset possible and in no time you’ll see your photos improve!
Have you ever run out of ideas?
Never. The UK has such a vast diverse landscape. From the highlands in Scotland to the cliffs in Dover it is constantly changing. As I have gone on it has meant driving further to scout new locations. But some of my favourite places are still on my doorstep. In landscape photography a change in weather can mean a different photo of the same place, failing that there is other things you can do to change it up, like add a person to the scene or find a new angle. The possibilities are endless!
How do you find places and models for your shootings?
Mostly using the internet or maps. If I want to head to a new part of the country to shoot, I’ll have a quick search online for inspiration and review a map to find any interesting landscapes.
What’s the one piece of photo gear you couldn’t live without?
Not including my camera. It would have to be my 17-40mm Canon L Lens. It’s by far the best lens I’ve owned and the wide angle of it allows me to capture vast landscapes in one frame
Do you edit your photos? If yes, which programs do you use?
I use Adobe Lightroom. It’s a bit of a market leader and if I’m honest I haven’t tried out any others as this offers all I need. It proves good control of tones and colours and allows you to remove slight blights in the photo. After Lightroom I might make some final tweeks using VSCO, to check it’s ready for Instagram before posting
We would like to express our gratitude to Mike Smith for this great interview.
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