Photo Live Issue 3

PHOTOlive
ISSUE THREE 2018
Cover shot by Renee Robyn — Feature Artist
TRAVEL
STREET
FILM
PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo by: Travis Burke (See page 26).

CONTENTS
4 WELCOME!
Polaroid Photography
6 INSTANT DREAMS
8 SELF DEVELOPING NOSTALGIA
Film Photography
14 PUSHING FILM
Fine Art Photography
20 RENEE ROBYN
Adventure Photography
26 TRAVIS BURKE
Mobil Phone Photography
32 BEAUTIFUL SIMPLICITY
Travel & Street Photography
38 MEHMET IZDES
Passion to Pro
50 THE JOURNEY
What We’re Loving
60 BOOKS
62 SOFTWARE
Publisher : Rob Jenkins (www.robjenkinsphoto.com)
Design : John Montesi (https://johnmontesi.com)

WELCOME!
PHOTO live ISSUE 3
Welcome to issue 3!
This issue takes us on adventure with Travis Burke, to the streets of Turkey with
Mehmet Izdes. We load up our film cameras with Hashem from Pushing Film,
get our Polaroid cameras out as we watch Instant Dreams, the brand new movie
from director, Willem Baptist. Plus sit down with the amazing Renee Robyn and
fall in love with her art. Plus we talk to a couple of “just starting out pros” who
share the highs and lows of going pro...
Being a not for profit magazine means we do this out of our love of
photography and our desire to share with you photographers you may know
and those you’ve never heard of. There is so much talent across this planet, so
many great photographers and they all have stories to share.
If you really like Photo Live and would like to support it, consider buying me a
cup of coffee using the link on the button below. It doesn’t actually allow me
to rush out for a lactose free soy latte but it goes to paying people like John
Montesi for his amazing design work.
Finally if you have a suggestion for someone we need to talk to for our next
issue or your a brand wanting to be involved with sponsorship, email me and I’d
love to talk to you and spend your money making Photo Live bigger and better.
Thanks all
Rob
Rob Jenkins
Editor/Publisher
p.s one thing everyone can do and it’s free is share Photo Live on your social
media, or website to give these photographers the exposure they deserve...
click here to buy me a coffee - lactose free please

Photo by: Charlotte Nicholson (See page 50).
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POLAROID PHOTOGRAPHY
INSTANT DREAMS
a feature documentary by Willem Baptist
Instant Dreams is a feature
documentary by Willem Baptist
(Wild boar, I’m Never Afraid! )
about the fascination and love
for Polaroids.
When Polaroid announced the
end of instant film in 2008, the
last still working factory was
bought by a small group of
enthusiasts. Among them is the
retired scientist ,Stephen Herchen
who previously collaborated with
the inventor of Polaroid and is still
trying to unravel the secret of the
lost chemical formula.
In this overwhelming cinematic
journey, Baptist introduces us to
a number of quirky individuals
who are connected to Polaroid in
a special way: the German artist
Stefanie Schneider, who does
a photo shoot in the California
desert with her last existing
original Polaroid stock; New York
Magazine editor Christopher
Bonanos, who wrote a book
about Polaroid’s history and tries
to capture the relationship with
his son with his instant camera;
and a Japanese girl who first
discovered the magic of Polaroid
in Tokyo.
Everyone tries to keep the instant
dream alive in his or her way.
Slowly we also begin to feel
the magic of Polaroids. Like the
instant photos, we are chemical
creatures full of unpredictable
reactions.
Eventually, the Polaroids in Instant
Dreams are a metaphor for our
desire to capture our dreams.
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Q: Mr Baptist, why is it important
we keep Polaroid alive?
The more connected we are, the
smaller the world seems to get and
the less we really experience. When
is the last time you got lost, really
lost? I can’t remember.
I really enjoy the fast moving digital
age but I’m also old school, in
a sense that I really have strong
memories of writing pen-pals and
waiting for an actual letter to arrive
weeks later, discovering weird
records on your own in a record
shop or winding up in alien places
because you just walked miles in
one direction because you felt like
it. Embracing the unexpected and
having the time to really take in
experiences are things that I feel are
lacking nowadays.
Polaroid pictures are tangible, draw
you in and compel you to think
about the moment. At the same time
the results are unexpected, blurring
fantasy and memories over time.
Q: People love to hold a printed
photograph, how do you
communicate that feeling in
your film?
Holding it and sharing the moment
is very important, the social aspects
of it. In Instant Dreams we see for
instance one of the characters,
Christopher Bonanos a writer at New
York magazine, casually shooting
pictures on his SX-70 camera at a
party and handing them out to the
guests. While the picture develops in
their hands interesting unexpected
conversations start to happen. One
could say that the chemical reactions
happening within those who partake
in this ritual mirror those happening
within the Polaroid pictures it self.
Q: Tell us a bit about how the
project got started? What was
the driving force?
It all started with coming to terms
with my desire to keep on shooting
my films on S16mm celluloid while
moving to digital.
Trying to keep that feel of cinematic
mystery alive in a digital world
using artificial means. Secondly the
realization that many people do the
same, putting filters on their digital
photos to make them feel more
‘analog’ or ‘real’.
I saw an interesting way to use the
story of Polaroid, it’s invention and
the love people have for it, as a
metaphor to tell a bigger story about
our relationship with photographic
images and our desire to capture our
dreams.
Why do imperfect images feel more
real to us than accurate captured
FIND OUT MORE
ones from your latest device? Or
what if I told you the concepts for
the Iphone and Instagram where
invented in the 70’s? These are some
of the ingredients that triggered me
to make this film.
Q: What do you think of
photography today and film
making in general, are we
relying too much on post
processing and special effects?
I think, the more digitally tinkered
with films or photographs become
the less the experience affects us.
At the same time there is a growing
longing for authenticity in our digital
world. Thus we ironically try to
artificially create it.
Q: What’s your next project?
I’m shooting a documentary for
television about show-wrestling in
The Netherlands and contemplating
transitioning into feature films as a
director and looking for a suitable
project to direct.
www: instantdreamsmovie.com
Instagram: instantdreamsmovie
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SELF DEVELOPING
NOSTALGIA
mike rollerson
Mike Rollerson is a well
established photographer who’s
creative and experimental style
has inspired us here at Photo
Live and has been featured
regularly in magazines and
online interviews. Mike is based
in San Diego and is known for his
cosplay and event photography
as well as his brilliant horror
themed photography.
When we decided to feature the
new Instant Dreams film interview
we had to ask Mike about his
instant photography he’s been
featuring on his Instagram feed.
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Q: Tell us about your Polaroid
project, why Polaroid (instant
prints)?
My first step into photography was
as a teenager, carrying a backpack
loaded up with disposable film
cameras and a couple packs of
polaroid film to a comic convention
and I remember having a blast with it.
Times were much different than with
digital where you can fine-tune your
exposure, composition and focus
to get the perfect shot. With the
polaroid and disposable cameras you
had no idea what you were getting..
it was always a bit of a surprise. I
moved onto digital and have been
shooting that for nearly 15 years now
and decided to pick up one of the
Instax cameras a couple years ago
to use as a fun behind-the-scenes
camera at shoots. I quickly realized
how addicting it was and loved the
throwback to my starting days with
film.. There was just something
refreshing about it. As much as I still
love Digital (and have no plans to
move away from it) there’s something
nice about a candid instant print and
looking back at it years later.. It’s a
completely different feeling than with
looking at an album of JPEG files!
Q: What do you want to
accomplish with the project?
My main goal in starting with it was
to just have a good time with it - and
I definitely have been! - it’s also been
great seeing others so into it. With
Instant Film making a big comeback
in recent years a lot of people are
getting it (either getting back into
it or discovering it for the first time)
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and seeing what it can do. There’s
a totally different experience than
shooting with Digital.
Q: I’m guessing many of the
people you photograph may
not know much about Polaroid,
do you get any interesting
reactions from them?
Surprisingly, I still find a lot of people
who are new to the whole polaroid/
instant film process! The cameras
themselves are usually the first tipoff
(especially the bulkier and almost
brick-looking ones you’ll find from
companies like Lomography) but
seeing the print pop out and start
developing is something that most
people want to see. I’m always happy
to shoot an extra shot for them to
keep as a take-away!
Q: Do you think instant prints have a
sense of nostalgia that makes us
love them?
There’s definitely a sense of nostalgia.
There’s also the fact that they’re far
from perfect. Shots can be unerexposed,
out of focus, off-center but
they’re still special. While these are
usually shots I’d delete on digital,
having a one-of-a-kind print to look
back at years down the road is really
cool. There is no negative to make
copies from, just the original photo
itself which makes it a bit special.
Q: There is a sense of simplicity
about the prints, how do you
go about taking the pictures?
This is one of the things I really liked
seeing.. every instant photographer
tends to have their own process.
Some get in very-close for more of a
headshot, some stand further back
to get a full-portrait. I usually bring a
few different instant cameras with me
since each one gives a very different
feel (some give a more dreamy look,
others give a sharper look.. some are
wide-angle, others a fisheye-effect
and some are more of a portrait
lens), same for the films (color,
monochrome, different borders)
which help set the mood of different
shots. It’s a lot of trial an error, but
more importantly just having fun with
it and trying new things. Sometimes
it works and you get some really
awesome shots, sometimes it
doesn’t -- either way it’s always a new
experience!
FIND OUT MORE
Q: You take hundreds - it must cost
a fortune!
I’ve taken probably 15,000 (if not
more) over the last couple years. It
definitely adds up (and I prefer not
to think about it sometimes!). In the
end though, it’s all about enjoying it
and having fun which I definitely am.
I look at it much like a hobby though.
When you get some really neat shots,
you don’t worry about the money. It’s
when you’re not getting those shots
that you start to feel the cost of them :)
Q: So what’s next with the
project..? Perhaps a gallery or
display somewhere?
I’ve recently started sharing more
an more of these online. A gallery/
display would be great but no
plans for it quite yet. I’d love to
put together a book of instant
photos (either just my own work or
even partnering with other instant
photographers to share the different
styles we shoot). There will definitely
be lots more to come from the
project in the future!
Q: Mike - thanks for being our
friend and letting us feature
you, where can readers see
more of the Polaroid Project??
Always great to be featured with you
guys! I’ve recently put together a
portal to share these . . .
www: instax.mikerollerson.com
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PUSHING
FILMhashem
mCADAM
We came across the Pushing Film channel
on Youtube and decided to ask Hashem
why he loves film so much that he created a
channel dedicated to it... We’re so inspired
we’re looking for a film camera ourselves to
experiment with!
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Q: Why is film so popular now?
I think it’s because it’s gone
full circle. At one point digital
photography was new and cool, and
kept improving to a point where it
reached a plateau, therefore people
who previously shot film found
inspiration in going back to it, and
a younger audience who’d grown
up by then found something that (to
them) is “new” and different.
Q: You do a variety of photo
genres - I’ve seen landscapes
and weddings, what gets you
most excited?
I think the most exciting
photography for me is anything
candid, especially street or
documentary photography... which
is funny because I initially hated and
was terrified of invading people’s
privacy. But I forced myself out of
my comfort zone realised you don’t
have to violate any social etiquette
in order to document life through
photography if you do it right.
Q: As someone who loves film,
do you try to make your digital
shots emulate the look of film?
(If you only shoot film please
ignore this question)
Yes, I sometimes do. The reason is
that you generally get nicer colours
and character out of film, especially
with some flat/raw images. But
that doesn’t mean overdoing it or
adding a ton of grain which doesn’t
belong, but merely being inspired
by the colour pallete or tones of a
particular film stock.
Q: You’re weddings are beautiful,
how long have you been doing
them?
Thank you! About a year; I still
consider myself new to weddings,
and have mainly been “second
shooting” until this point to gain
more confidence in delivering the
standard of work that I strive to in
a high pressure environment like
weddings.
Q: When you shoot a wedding
using film, what gear are you
using?
I use a Pentax 645N medium format
camera, and sometimes a Canon
EOS 3 35mm camera.
Q: Do you ever get nervous not
being able to see the wedding
shots until they are developed?
Yes, this why it’s good to shoot
“hybrid” by using digital alongside
film!
Q: Is photography your job as well
as your passion?
I would definitely say so!
Q: Talk to us about the Youtube
channel - how and why did you
guys start it?
We started it because we thought
“why not!” and there were no
Australian based Youtube channels
on film photography at the time,
and we would always be watching
other channels put out great content
overseas. It was a way to connect
with the community that we already
loved and saw potential in.
Q: The channel features nice video
quality as in the style … are you
doing the edit?
For the most part, yes. I’m fortunate
enough to have gotten the help of
others on a few videos however,
such as our recent Perth vlog which
was edited entirely by my partner
Sarah.
Q: your Japan Blog part 2 was
really nicely made, are you
planning on more travel
themed video?
Absolutely. I think travel and
photography go hand in hand, and
it would be a shame not to record at
least a bit of footage to share with
the world.
Q: Some of those Fuji Velvia shots,
the purple toned, how did they
come out like that?
The thing about Velvia is that it is
known to have a purple/magenta
cast. It can appear strongly
sometimes more than others. It is
a beautiful slide film in the right
situation, and I’m especially a fan of
the 50 ISO version.
Q: Do you think photographers
need to tell stories with their
images? Can you share some
tips on story telling with a
camera?
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I do think so, but there also is
nothing wrong with taking photos
merely for the enjoyment of a
subject or the documentation of
memories.
Personally I’m still trying to grow in
the way of being able to photograph
with a sense of story and purpose. I
think good photos should be made
for others, and should have multiple
elements that come together rather
than just a single aesthetic aspect.
The photos I enjoy the most illicit
some kind of response in me for
having seen them, and that is the
kind of ability I’d like to achieve.
I think a good tip is to simply ask
yourself “what am I saying with this
photo” or “what reading or response
do I want the viewer to have”.
Also to look at something in more
than one way and dig deeper... “what
underlying elements are present in a
situation that someone may not see
at first sight?”
Q: What’s a film camera you really
want but don’t yet have and
why?
I am actually quite satisfied with what
I have at the moment. If I had to pick
something I’d say a Contax 645,
but they are really overpriced in the
current market!
Q: OK to wrap up - where can our
readers go to find out more
about you and your channels..?
We can be found as “pushingfilm” on
Youtube, Instagram, and Twitter. We
also have an article on the website
“Australian Film Photographers
Scene” (afps.blog)
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FIND OUT MORE
Youtube: pushingfilm
Instagram & Twitter: pushingfilm
19

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY
Renee Robyn
PHOTOGRAPHER | ARTIST | TEACHER
Q: How would you describe your
photography?
This is definitely a part of personal
branding that I’ve often struggled
with, I’ve never really been sure how
to nail it down. It’s mostly the result
of a lifetime reading fantasy novels
and playing video games, expressed
with photography and crushed
through Photoshop.
Q: How or where does the idea for
an image start for you?
Another question I wish was a simple
answer. Images start anywhere from
a dream, a book, a conversation with
someone else. Sometimes I find a
prop or I’ll watch a scene in a film
and notice a little detail that starts
this rabbit hole of a thought process.
Other times I’ll be in the studio and
shoot a frame and go “Oh wow, I
have to build something with this
one day”, or I’ll be out shooting back
plates and suddenly everything just
flashes into my mind and the entire
concept is clear as day.
The rest of the time it’s an
endurance race, of just sitting down,
and crushing through ideas, and
it sometimes takes me a year or
three to figure out what the hell to
actually do. I have three images in
my mind right now that have yet
to be completed because what I
thought was clear and simple in my
mind, when I got down to it, was not
any of those things at all. It can be
frustrating, but I’m learning to accept
that sometimes that’s just how this
brain works.
Q: Your post about “somebody
hates you” really nailed it
for me, what the heck is
wrong with people? Why
do even other pro’s feel
the need to attack another
photographer? (I’ll link to
it cause I love it and think
it’s important : LINK : www.
reneerobynphotography.com/
somebody-hates-you/
I’m not a psychologist, so I can’t
really give you anything there other
than personal experience. I rarely
find pro’s attacking other people’s
work, they’re usually too busy
working to troll, but I’m sure there’s
examples. Reality is, this is our world
right now, and while we can try to
change it for the better, we still have
to build coping mechanisms to
survive what comes at us.
20

"Reality is, this is our
world right now, and
while we can try to
change it for the
better, we still have
to build coping
mechanisms to
survive what comes
at us.”
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Q: Composites, why are they so
hard (for me)... I mean why
do you think getting a good
composite is so hard. Perhaps
share a bit about how you
got into them, what they are
and perhaps a few tips for
beginners.
For some people, they think with
a composite mind naturally, and
others do not. That being said, I
think most people can learn it. I got
into it because I was involved in a
motorcycle crash and I couldn’t walk.
I wanted to be anywhere other than
where I was, so I would Photoshop
myself into places that were not
the bed I was stuck in. Composites
are like entry level painting. You’ve
got to understand perspective,
composition, color balancing
between images used, masking, lens
distortion, depth of field, and so on
- also just making something with an
interesting story.
There’s so much effort put into
making compositing faster and more
efficient, and I really think there
are steps being skipped by taking
the easy way out early on. My best
composites don’t come from using
quick mask... They come from being
accountable for every single pixel in
the image, and taking my time with
each one.
Q: Finally where can we find out more
about you and tell us about your
training...
My website has a blog which is a
lot of my brain thrown into words.
You can also search on Creative
Live, RGG EDU, and SmugMug
Films for more education and some
longer versions of how I got started,
although I don’t recommend my
method. :)
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FIND OUT MORE
www: reneerobynphotography.com
Prints: reneerobynphotography.com
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adventure photographY
TRAVIS BURKE
live passionately
Travis Burke’s diverse and
creative approach to outdoor
adventure photography stems
from his own perspective on life.
His dedication to conquering
anything thrown at him and
living life with no regrets shines
through in his photographs.
Whether it’s walking a slackline
over canyons, freediving
through caves in the ocean or
capturing the Milky Way Galaxy
in remote locations, Travis is
constantly pushing himself and
the boundaries of his craft.
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Q: Travis you’re a dream chaser,
what dreams have you
achieved that you are most
happy with?
My dream of becoming a full-time
adventure photographer and athlete
is definitely my biggest achievement
so far. It wasn’t all that long ago
that I was scraping grease out of
restaurant vents to make ends meet,
dreaming about one day being able
to support myself doing what I love.
determined by last-minute factors
like the weather and the needs of
my clients and brand partners. This
keeps things interesting and it’s a
lifestyle that keeps me energized and
inspired, but it can be hard to predict
exactly where I might be traveling
next month or even next week. With
night photography though, it’s a
little easier to plan ahead since I’m
typically working with phases of the
moon. A lot of my adventures are
structured around that.
Q: How do you choose your next
adventure?
Almost all of my adventures take
hours of planning, especially when
I’m executing specific shots or
scenes, but my day-to-day is often
Q: You’ve created images for
a range of clients including
National Geographic, Red Bull
and Google, tell us about some
of your first paid projects, how
did they happen?
My breakthrough project was with
GrindTV. I happened to meet one
of their editors who was teaching
a workshop I was attending, and
showed him my portfolio. They
ultimately paid me to take a 100-
day road trip across the Western
U.S., and social media began to
really take off for me from there.
That, along with a lot of persistence,
allowed me to continue to travel and
work on assignment for a number of
larger clients.
Q: How many people are in your
team that you work with?
Right now I’m working with a team
of four who help me with everything
from social media to business
development. But up until the
middle of last year, it was just me.
Q: Apart from Betty (your van)
what 3 things must go with you
on any adventure?
My camera, my headlamp, and a
slackline.
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FIND OUT MORE
Facebook: /TravisBurkePhotography
Instagram: travisburkephotography
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MOBILE Phone PHOTOGRAPHY
beautiful
simplicity
mark cushway
About Mark...
Sydney based. Married.
Father. Photographer.
Business owner
One of the longest surviving
people still living with Cystic
Fibrosis
Double lung transplant 20
December 16
Exhibitions:
Head On Finalist 2015 with
‘Yellow’,
2 Dank St Gallery, Waterloo.
2015
Space’, Bellevue Street
Gallery, Bellevue Hill. 2015
‘13’. Group exhibition. Town
Hall. 2016.
32

“When I first saw Mark’s work, or vision if
you like, I was spellbound. He has such a
unique way of stripping away distraction
in a frame. Such a clean image. Little
people in a big beautiful world...”
Georgie Parker @georgieparker, Actress, Mobile photographer
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Q: Take us back to your first
camera, what was it, what did
you photograph and how did
that lead you to where you are
now?
Think it was a Kodak Instamatic.
People shots, festival crowds,
sporting events, whatever was
going on. I can trace my minimal
style back to a shot I took in the
1980s of a solitary aqua blue seat. It
still resonates with me today. I was
crouching low looking through the
viewfinder when I heard a girl say to
her friend, “he’s taking a photo of the
bench” then laugh as they walked
away. I took that one shot and left.
Q: One image - Don’t sweat the
big stuff, is so peaceful and
sparse, tell us about that shot.
It’s a blend of two shots: a guy
relaxing on a seat looking towards
the horizon and beach grass. I
blended them using Superimpose
and the Blender apps and edited it
in Snapshot.
Q: How often are you shooting?
I look at the world around me like
I’m looking through a camera lens.
I used to shoot all the time, now I’m
more deliberate. It’s more like once a
week now, at dusk.
Q: Your images generate a mix
of emotions when looking at
them - peace, loneliness, even
longing, what are you thinking
when you’re creating them,
are you creating based on your
mood at the time?
Thanks.
I like to find simplicity in my world
around me.
I like to tell a story by removing the
clutter and reducing a shot to its core
using a solitary person, a tree, bold
contrasting colours, a long shadow,
the horizon or just simple lines.
I like to capture people lost in a
moment. That innocuous glance or
movement. The way people wait.
How they sit, stand or slouch as
they’re zoning out. I try to capture
that moment and set it apart from its
surroundings. Minimalism has a way
of telling more with less.
Q: Is shooting therapeutic in some
way?
Yep. I like the solitude of shooting
and the peace that it brings.
Q: gear also minimal?
An iPhone. It’s about as minimal as it
can get. I have a few SLRs but they’re
too obtrusive for street photography.
Q: What’s next for you … are
you planning on teaching or
travelling?
Planning a trip to New Zealand.
Always been keen to shoot the
countryside there.
Q: Finally where can readers see
more of your photography?
Follow me on Instagram @mark_pc
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Find out more: Instagram @mark_pc

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“Mark Cushway
has the kind of
Instagram feed
that the platform
was built for; sexy,
minimalist and
consistent.
I enjoy following
Mark’s work
because his
squares are always
a breath of fresh air
on my Instagram
feed.”
Lauren Bath @laurenepbath. Photographer,
Australia’s First Professional Instagrammer
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“Mark Cushway’s imagery, as zen in his taste for minimalism
as it is precious in his aesthetic, is living proof that sometimes
going small is a choice to go actually for big and bold.”
Sion Fullana @sionfullana, Mobile Photography Pioneer
FIND OUT MORE
Instagram: mark_pc
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TRAVEL & STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
MEHMET IZDES
FROM TURKEY WITH LOVE
Mehmet has the gift of
capturing emotion on the
street. People going about
their day, children playing and
moments of life from Ankara
Turkey.
Q: Can you tell us how you got
into photography? When and
what was your first camera, and
also why…
I got into photography in 1973.
I was a 7th grade student at a
boarding school. My four friends
and I established a dark room
in the school and started taking
pictures and processing them in our
darkroom. Taking pictures during the
week and developing them over the
weekend was just fun for us.
My first camera was a Zenit E as it
was a really good and affordable
one. Everything to do with taking
and developing the pictures was
fine but we were having difficulties
accessing the knowledge as there
were no photography books in those
days.
Q: What’s the photography scene
like in Turkey?
The photography scene in Turkey is
really interesting. Historical places,
landscapes (such as Cappadocia,
Istanbul, Lake Van, Mount Ararat,
the North Anatolian Mountains,
the Mediterranean Coastline), and
people with different cultures are
always of interest to photographers.
Q: Are there any photography
clubs in Turkey you’re involved
with?
Yes there are several photography
clubs in Turkey. I am a proud
member of AFSAD (the Association
of Art Photographers of Ankara)
which has been an active club for 41
years.
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Q: You have an amazing mix of
street photography, portraits
and landscapes. Are all your
images from where you live?
Although most of my portfolio is
from Turkey, I also like travelling a lot.
I have visited more than 30 countries
and wish to travel more.
Q: How often are you out
shooting?
I mostly go shooting twice a week,
but my camera is always with me.
Q: And what is you’re preferred
genre to shoot - portraits?
Street?
I like taking portraits of people and
also street portraits.

Cuba
Q: Are people in Turkey accepting
of photographers taking their
picture in the street?
Generally the people do not object
to photographers taking their
pictures in the street. I think it is
just about establishing the right
dialogue with people.
Q: Do you have any tips you can
share with our readers on
taking street portraits and
street shots?
I use two types of cameras, a
FF DSLR and a mirrorless one.
Mirrorless ones, especially with
the tilted screen, are an advantage
to photographers taking street
portraits and shots, as you do not
draw much attention from people
while taking pictures.
Q: What plans do you have for
2018?
I have lately been focused on “stage
photography” and primarily “theatre
photography”. I am planning to
develop portrait shot projects with
actors and actresses. I will also
continue taking landscape and
street shots.
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Turkey
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Iran
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Jamaica
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FIND OUT MORE
www: izdes.500px.com
Instagram: izdes
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The Journey
Photographers share their stories of taking
their passion to profession. This issue we
speak to two travellers...
Passion to Pro
Charlotte Nicholson
Q: Charlotte, why did you decide
to make an income from your
photography? When did you
get serious about it?
I emigrated to South Australia 8
years ago and after many years
without creativity I got back into
photography mainly to capture my
own family.
My love and passion for
photography grew with every
image I took and it very quickly
became a serious hobby. I joined a
photography club and thus began
my learning curve.
I soon went on to shoot with a team
of professional photographers
capturing cosplay and creative
portraits. This built my confidence
and skill set and I was being
approached for private sets and
paid consignments.
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Initially I did not expect to make
income from my photography but
it became clear to me that it was
something I could move forwards in
and make an income from.
Q: How did you deal with doubt?
For the first couple of years I strived
to learn and improve my skill set
but I was riddled with doubts and
criticised every image I took, picking
out every imperfection and letting
fear crush my progress.
Eventually I realised that I would
have to climb the mountain of self
doubt that weighed heavily on my
creativity. I took the first steps in
putting myself out there and opened
a facebook page and Instagram
account.
The years of networking and
building relationships with other
creatives and people from my local
community paid off and I found
myself well supported by the
aforementioned.
I then went on to complete a
business course to educate myself
on running my own small business.
I got started on writing my own
business plan and the dream of
Charlotte Nicholson ~ Photographer
was born.
Q: Do you still struggle with
doubt?
Every so often I find myself
dwelling on the imperfections in my
portfolio. Perusing others work and
questioning “Am I good enough?”
I have come to recognise that I can
use these feelings to push myself
forwards and to keep trying, learning
and succeeding.
Instead of comparing my work to
others I now take every moment
to enjoy what I am photographing,
seeing the beauty in my subjects,
encouraging them to see it too,
building up relationship and
creating images that invoke positive
feelings for the people in them.
~ Failure is the key to success. Each
mistake teaches us something.
Q: What was your first paid or pro
job you got hired for?

Paid work became a natural
progression forwards in
photography. I started taking on
shoots at request and charged for
my time. As my confidence grew my
work continued to improve enquires
for shoots started to trickle in at a
steady pace.
My first handful of paid gigs
where family sets and a couple of
weddings that have since gone on to
be a large portion of my income.
Q: You often hear from people that
they need to “hustle” to work
on the marketing, to network,
get clients - how hard is that for
you?
I dont feel it a necessity to chase
work. I expect seasonal peaks and
troughs to effect my bookings as I
shoot available light out on location.
All my work comes to me via word
of mouth recommendation. I have
spent immeasurable hours net
working in my local community, with
other photographers and creatives.
Q: Where do you feel you’re at
today with your photography -
both in artistic growth and as a
business?
Photography is my language of love.
Meeting people, listening to their
stories and connecting with them on
their level has become a skill that I
both cherish and it is paramount to
my business.
ONLINE:
My camera freezes moments in time,
taking a fragment of emotion or
memory and digitalises it in pixels
for my clients.
I can recall every session I have ever
photographed, how the person I
was working with was feeling, the
conversations I have had with them
and nearly every reason for taking a
shot.
My camera has been instrumental
in my life, to making friends with
people from different walks of life,
building confidence in myself and
helping me grow both individually
and creatively.
Q: What’s your plans for 2018?
2018 will be another year of steady
progression. Following my business
plan and adjusting it to fit well with
my growth as small business.
I want to continue pushing myself to
try new ideas,
challenge myself technically and
continue to learn and improve.
The life of a photographer can be
one of the most rewarding, fun and
adventurous careers available if
handled properly.
But, it can also be one of the most
frustrating as well.
Good luck to anyone wanting to
start they’re own business, There is
never and good time and tomorrow
never comes. My biggest piece of
advice is to just do it! Don’t let fear
crush your dreams and don’t forget
to remove your lens cap!
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Charlotte Nicholson
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Charlotte Nicholson
FIND OUT MORE
Facebook: /CharlotteNicholesonPhotographer
Instagram: charliegirlnic
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JOHN MONTESI
Q: Why did you decide to
make an income from your
photography? When did you
get serious about it?
I was unemployed. So I went back
to my old trade — graphic design,
as a freelancer. Through that I did
some product photography. I’d
shot a few wedding previously but
once some old work contacts knew
I was now doing a bit of corporate
photograph I received more work.
The photography increased to the
point that I pretty much stopped all
the graphic design.
Q: How did you deal with doubt?
I found myself going through this
cycle of “nup this isn’t for me” so
let’s see what employment is out
there . . . Then I go “nup!” and end
up back doing what I’m doing. Also, I
remember hearing someone say “to
succeed you’ve got to forget about
what other people might think of
you”. I kind of found that liberating.
Q: Do you still struggle with
doubt?
I think I’ve got a pretty good idea
of what good photography is but I
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often I feel I’m so far from it. Not that
my work is necessary bad but I’ve
got a long way to go.
Q: What was your first paid or pro
job you got hired for?
Apart from a few weddings, my first
commercial job was photographing
product for a handmade chocolate
manufacturer.
Q: You often hear from people
that they need to “hustle” to
work on the marketing, to
network, get clients - how hard
is that for you?
Like a lot of creatives, I’d much
sooner be left alone to do the work
rather than chase it. Fortunately for
me, practically all of my work has
been through word-of-mouth so
the “husltle” hasn’t been necessary.
In saying that, I have done some
marketing and attended networking
groups etc. But to be honest, not
much eventuated from it.
Q: Where do you feel you’re at
today with your photography -
both in artistic growth and as a
business?
When you’re being paid by a client
to photograph their product or
service art isn’t always the objective
— sure things need to look good and
communicate a message but as far
as being free to express yourself
creatively — that’s not what you’re
there for. What does this mean for my
artistic growth and where I’m at today?
. . . Ideally I need do some of that on
the side otherwise the artistic side will
slump. And as a business . . . Being a
freelance photographer has caused
me to grow so much as a business
person and as a result in myself
personally – You’ve no choice really!
Q: What’s your plans for 2018?
No real plans. I’d be happy for things
to continue as they are. Maybe earn
a bit more; work a bit less. Perhaps
one or two new clients . . . And
the opportunity to do some more
involved shoots using specialist
lighting and composite images. I’d
like to do one or two personal shoots
to experience a few new things for
myself.

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FIND OUT MORE
www: johnmontes.com
Instagram: john_montesi_photography
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WHAT WE’RE LOVING
BOOKS
Photography books are often collected for
their amazing images but as an opportunity to
discover more about those artists we love.
They allow us to dig deeper into
the process our “heroes” go
through when creating images.
Some people collect them and
leave them on the shelves like
trophies, while others devour
the knowledge inside. We’re a
bit of both. We love having the
books, but we also love sitting
in our comfy chair with drink
and just spending time with the
artist who made the images we
love.
This month we feature three
books we love and recommend.
Brandon Stanton :
Humans of New York
The book that started life as a blog
gathering millions of followers is a
beautiful book with inspiring photos
and stories about everyday New
Yorkers. The book is a stunning
coffee table book filled with photos
and captions, often from the subject,
about their lives, the moment or
something important to them. As
Stanton says on his website:
“Humans of New York began as a
photography project in 2010. The
initial goal was to photograph
10,000 New Yorkers on the street,
and create an exhaustive catalogue
of the city’s inhabitants.”
The author has gone on to create a
sister title, Little Humans in the same
vein.
This book is not a “how to” but more
about the heart of photography,
telling stories that capture the heart
and mind. Highly recommended!
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Mihaela Noroc:
The Atlas of Beauty
Jay Maisel :
Light, Gesture & Color
Another book that started out as an
online project, The Atlas of Beauty is
a collection of portraits from aroud
the globe by photographer, Mihaela
Noroc, who has been travelling since
2013. She’s visited over 50 countries,
photographing women in a way that
celebrates the diversity of beauty
in different cultures. I discovered
Mihaela a few years back when she
was raising funds for the next stage
of her journey. Seeing her amazing
photography, I bought the book
as soon as it was available. Like the
other books featured, it’s not a guide
on technical specs, it’s the emotion
and the story that is captured inside
the pages that keeps you turning
each page, absorbing each image
and wondering about the lives of the
subjects. It’s a wonderful book and
an example of how a photography
project can lead you to places many
of us dream of.
Jay Maisel is an American
photographer who has won
many awards for his outstanding
photography. I first discovered
Jay watching Kelby Training where
Scott Kelby took a walk with Jay and
asked questions on shooting as they
walked the streets of New York and
later on Paris. His ability to see the
key elements he talks about in his
book – Light, Gesture and Color,
are what makes his photography so
mesmerising. In this book he teaches
about three aspects of his street
photography as the title says.
This is not a technical book, this is
purely inspirational. No F-Stops or
Shutter Speeds, it’s about the story,
the moment. Seeing those moments
that are there for just a second or
two. Light, Gesture & Color is over
260 pages of inspiration and highly
recommended.
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SOFTWARE
This issue we decided to look at some great tools available for
photographers. Things we'd use in our photography. Skylum
have been producing great software including Luminar and so
we talked to the CEO of Skylum, Alex Tsepko
Q: Firstly can you tell us how it all
began.
We started in late 2009 as Macphun
- a company who built iPhone and
Mac apps. We had 5 people and did
everything ourselves. Our strategy
was to launch as many apps as
possible and get organic sales. Back
then we didn’t think about anything
big - we were simply experimenting
with what we can achieve doing
what we like. We grew and became
smarter.
Back in 2012 we have decided to
focus on photography software and
launched a number of products that
became Apple’s Best of the Mac
App Store for 5 straight years in a
row. These products are: Snapheal,
Intensify, Tonality and others. We
have been getting a lot of positive
feedback from the Mac users, and
that motivated us to try even harder
and to challenge ourselves to come
with something bigger and better
every year.
So in 2015 we partnered with Trey
Ratcliff to launch Aurora HDR that is
currently the best-selling HDR photo
editor for Mac and PC. It has topped
over 2 000 000 downloads since that
time. Aurora HDR success moved
us to focus more on proprietary
technologies, AI and so we started
to invest more into research and
development.
We also decided that we want to
challenge ourselves even more
and bring the world the first real
alternative to Adobe. Not just
a cheaper clone of Photoshop
or Lightroom, but a more
innovative solution that will make
photographers’ lives easier. That’s
how the idea of Luminar was born.
After 6 months of Luminar being
on the market we decided to take it
even further and hired more teams
in US, Germany and Asia to help us
achieve what we want. Right now
Luminar is live with version 2. It’s only
1.5 years old, and we are just getting
started.
Q: It must be tough to compete
with some of the big names, yet
you’ve been very successful,
what’s your secret?
The only photography software
company that we are inspired with
and that we compete with is Adobe.
It is a real market leader, the most
innovative company in the industry
with great products. We have been
quite successful among the early
adopters, but we have a long way to
go to really compete with Adobe.
We are now focused on building
the world’s best product packed
with innovative features and a
unique user experience. As I have
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mentioned, right from the start
we didn’t want to follow the path
of many other photo software
companies who just create to clone
the key features of Photoshop or
Lightroom, and offer that for less.
We are really looking to create a
powerful alternative tool to make
great photos, and this is why people
switch to Luminar.
As a CEO, I am building a company
that tries harder and harder every
day. And this is literally so. Everyone
- from a software engineer to a
marketing manager is obsessed with
achieving the big goal. We want
to build a great product, but also
show that we take care about the
community. We invest in relations
and don’t rush, chasing short terms
revenues. I like that Skylum has a
human face and customer can always
speak to me and other leadership.
And I also love the fact that Luminar
is purely built on the customer
feedback.
We spend most of the time on the
road these days with the company
CTO and talk to photographers
in US, Japan, Germany, France
and many other countries. We
ask questions and get to know
their problems. Then we fix these
problems with Luminar.
Q: Luminar is your photo
management software, tell us
about it and when it will be out.
We will launch the closed beta within
a month or so. Skylum philosophy
is that an image is much more than
a collection of pixels. People collect
memories and their stories through
taking photos. That’s why we should
approach these images with respect
and care.
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We want to build an innovative
photo management platform that
will allow people to quickly access
their images, pick what they like and
make them better. We want these
images to be secured and safe. We
also want to make sure people don’t
waste time figuring out how the
software works, or waiting for the
image to get imported.
As I said, we want to build
something that others could not
create, and that takes a lot of time.
But we will definitely launch the
photo management module to
Luminar for Mac and PC by autumn
this year.
Q: I like the look of many of the
offered filters like Accent AI
and Cross Processing, will there
be more filters in the future
after release?
Accent AI is a unique filter. It is the
first product that came from our
research lab, and it’s the one of a
kind filter. It’s not something you can
create in bulks. There will be more
AI powered filters in Luminar for
portraits and landscapes, but they
will come later this year.
There will also be more filters that
give photos a certain signature look
that doesn’t exist in other software.
We will also introduce more smart
filters that will not require extra
efforts but will effectively fix the
photo.
Layers too! One thing I’ve been a
bit frustrated with is finding a great
preset with Lightroom but not being
able to simply tone it down a bit.
Lightroom is a software that’s almost
10 years old. Luminar is a new
software written from scratch.
There are a lot of things in Lr that
were impressive back in the days, but
we feel that now it misses so many
things that modern photographers
would enjoy.
Layers is an obvious thing, and there
are many more. We speak to many
photographers around the world,
and hear their frustration about many
things.
I don’t say that Luminar fully
addresses all their needs, but we
are definitely getting there. It’s an
evolving process and we are still very
young. You’ll be impressed with what
Luminar will become soon.
Q: Switching direction a bit
— are many of your team
photographers?
Everyone is a photographer these
days, shooting with a smartphone
or a digital camera. About half of
the team take photos on regular
basis with mirrorless cameras or
DSLRs. We also have a number of
professional photographers on the
team, including Scott Bourne, who
is the worlds top bird photographer
and Olympus visionary; also Evgeny
Tchebotarev - founder of 500px.com,
Richard Harrington - professional
photographer, Photofocus publisher
and probably the world’s best
photography educators. There are
more world-class photographers
who join our team, and we will
announce this soon.
Q: Are you working with
photographers on new ideas,
new updates?
We work ONLY with photographers
to come up with new ideas and
solutions. We are constantly
searching for innovation. That’s why
we asked Matthew Jordan Smith,
Joel Grimes, Dixie Dixon, Trey
Ratcliff, Jerry Ghionis to help us
make Luminar a true game changer.
I don’t think any other photography
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software company in the world can
boast having so much photography
talent on board.
Q: Finally where can readers go to
find out more?
Please visit skylum.com to learn
more about Luminar. Check out our
videos and try the software for free.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate
to email me directly at alex@skylum.
com. I love talking to people and
getting a feedback. Also, you’re
welcome to join our Facebook
Photography Group - we organize
a lot of photo walks and workshops
and invite people to join, and take
photos together.
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BARGAIN!
Get a saving of $10 when you buy Luminar 2018 or Aurora HDR 2018 using coupon code - PhotoLive
FIND OUT MORE
www: skylum.com
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Stock Photo by freestocks.org from Pexels
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