360Photography

You’ve been reading their articles for months or years, have you ever wondered “Who are the photographers who write for dPS”? We thought it would be a good time to introduce them to you through a series of interviews. No worries, Darren will get his turn too!

Today meet Peter West Carey, Seattle and LA based photographer and long time contributor for Digital Photography School.

1. Hi Peter! How long have you been shooting? 

I became addicted to photography about 22 years ago. I started shooting professionally five years ago.

2. Do you have a full time job or are you a full time photographer?

I live a freelance lifestyle, which means a little of this and a little of that. I earn my wages from writing about photography on DPS and other sites, teaching photography through local and international workshops, leading photography tours to Nepal, Bhutan and Hawaii (and sometimes Alaska) as well as shooting occasional weddings, portraits and products. It’s a mix of all things photography.

3. If you had to limit yourself to one genre of photography, what would it be and why?

I’m going to go broad on this one and call it “Outdoor”. That’s mostly landscape photography but in my mind that also includes travel photography, which some people consider a separate genre. The majority of my travel photography includes landscapes. Can I call it “Outdoor Travel” and cover it all?

4. When did you start writing for dPS ?

I started writing for DPS in the Spring of 2008 when the blog had about 30,000 subscribers.

5. What do you shoot with and what is your favorite lens?

I shoot with a Canon 7D and 28-300mm L lens most of the time. I also use a Canon EF 10-22mm wide angle lens. Throw on top of that a Tamron 90mm Macro as a kick around lens I picked up for doing some work for them. I use f-stop bags (the Satori and Guru being two excellent bags) and have recently fallen in love with a Think Tank Aviation Navigator roller bag. That bag will help keep my back from bending out of shape. I have three flashes (580 EX II, 580 EX and 420 EX) and some gel filters and Gary Fong adapters for them. I use Singh Ray graduated filters and Hoya haze filters. I also test a variety of gear throughout the year, thanks to shops like BorrowLenses.com and often use Nikon and Pentax gear. I’m not one to be a brand snob; I’ll use whatever is handed to me as long as it produces quality results and won’t take me five hours to read the manual.

6. What would be your number one tip for any new photographer?

My number one tip to a new photographer is to look at light all the time, not just when you have a camera. Start asking questions about how light is falling on the street where you walk to work, the trees above you or the buildings. How does it reflect off surfaces and what is the quality of the light at different times of day. Also, how does the same subject (building, for instance) look in different light? Photography is about capturing light and the sooner you start thinking critically about the light around you every day, the sooner you can improve on capturing that light.

7. What’s your next big project?

I am hell bent on finishing a series I started on my blog in October called 31+ Days Of Photography Experiments and then turning it into an ebook for those taking my photography classes. The best way to learn photography is to do it, all the time. And to keep learning by experimenting. I am halfway through the series with 20 days of free photography experiments already listed, but I need to hammer out the remaining 15 or so.

8. Where can people go to find out more about you and your work?

I am on the normal slew of sites: Facebook, Twitter, 500px, Google+, Flickr, Etsy, Pinterest. I have a blog and a professional site where people can learn more about the photo tours I lead. I love to help people learn more about photography and that is the main reason I write for DPS. If you have a specific photography question, drop me a line and I’ll do my best to answer it either here or on my blog. And lastly, a link to the 31+ Days Of Photography Experiments previously mentioned. http://thecareyadventures.com/blog/2012/31-days-of-photography-experiments/

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

Meet The Photographers Who Write For Digital Photography School ~ Peter West Carey

Digital Photography School