Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Alex Lewis, a 17 year old photography enthusiast from Ormskirk in the United Kingdom. He is currently studying photography in college and considering a career in commercial photography. His work always attracts a great deal of attention on the photography network.
On this photo, i wanted to get a strong silhouette shot, so i drove around my local village (Burscough in the UK) on my bike to look for a decent landscape. It was just before sunset so i knew it would be a nice shot so i put my little tripod down and put it on self time, the angle wasn't intended to be on a tilt but i thought it made it more dramatic. All the post-processing work was just darkening it slightly, boosting the contrast and a slight bit of saturation boost.
How would you describe your photographic style?
I’m just really starting off my photographic journey, so at the moment I have no definite style. I love taking pictures with my 50 mm lens and using a very shallow depth of field, especially with close up pet photography. I take a lot of pictures of my cat who is always doing great poses. I try to get the image as dramatic as possible.
How did you first get into photography?
I first got in photography when i was 15 when I went to an exhibition with my grandparents near where I live. A lot of images inspired me and i just knew it would be my new hobby. I took a few photographs with a point and shoot camera and got some good reviews.
What is typically in your camera bag?
I currently have A Canon EOS Rebel XS (1000D) DSLR, I think its a perfect camera for its value. I have had it for 2 years and I don’t want to change it. I dont have any filters or a tripod at the moment but in terms of lenses I have: 50mm manual, 28mm manual, 18-55mm Autofocus, Zoom lens- 70-250mm
This photo was just taken in my back garden - sheer boredom and a bit of creative thinking. Using the Photoscape editing program, I adjusted selected colors, sharpened some of the details of the splash, and used a vignette to emphasize the subject more.
What are you looking forward to purchasing next?
Definitely a tripod; I want to try long exposures and get those pin-sharp photographs that professionals can produce. I am quite interested in a Macro lens too.
Did you have any formal training in photography?
At first it was just trial and error, looking online for tips, fiddling about with Manual mode. I found PictureSocial helped me a lot with tips and advice.
Describe your approach to post-processing and photo editing?
Didn’t at first, but i found this free software called Photoscape which I find very easy to use and very effective. I don’t do a lot, just brighten/darken, deepen, and often darken my skies for landscapes.
What has been your favorite photo location?
Last year I went to the Jurassic Coast in the UK, (Poole, Sandbanks, etc). I got most of my best photograph’s there. I would just love to go to Africa in years to come.
This shot i wanted JUST the eye... My friend has really nice eyes so i wanted to really highlight it with selective colour again. I "deepened" it on photoscape and also boosted up the colours, no fake colours were used.
What lies ahead for you?
I currently study photography at college, so eventually I would like to go to University, get some work experience and then work freelance and maybe work in the commercial side of photography.
What tips or advice do you have for other aspiring photographers?
Keep shooting!, Online websites- ask for advice, join groups. No one starts perfect, its just trial and error. Fiddle with your camera- try different modes and take pictures from different points of view. Another thing I did, is search for every photographer in the local community and ask for work experience, I gave out disks with my best images, and from this I managed to get some valuable work experience with a fashion photographer and a wedding photographer. I learned how to set up studio lighting and working on portraits with the fashion photographer, and got some great experience working at a wedding, setting up people. It really boosted my confidence with people. Also i posted (e-mailed) a few pictures i took around where i live, to the local newspaper. From this i manged to get some photo’s shown publicly.
This shot was just simply took on a bus journey- Take your camera everywhere! With my 50mm manual (Most of my shots are taken with this unless I'm doing landscapes). Also, ISO 400, Fstop 1.8- I like the shallow dof and soft effect. Exposure 1/500 seconds. I still very much love it and i did do a couple of little things to enhance it on photoscape. Iadded a slight blue tint, and deepened it (the photoshop dodge & burn equivelant).
I love my cat! He is such a great poser. This shot was taken again when i was a little bit bored to be fair. It was nice and sunny and he looked like he was in a trance staring outside. I used this brightening tool on Photoscape to brighten up Thomas and a bit of the outside garden, and then deepened the image again. I also boosted up the green colours and added a little sharpening.
To see more of Alex’s work, visit his profile or photo gallery.
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Well done matey
excellent interview and keep the images coming :-)
Just to say- Thanks so much for the replies everyone:D And Tom, I’m not too sure, probably is a prime haha:) But it does’nt have autofocus is what i was tryin to say.
What’s a 50mm manual? Do you mean “prime?”
Dear Alex
From the bottom of my heart I wish you a brilliant career. Your interview is candid! I am restarting photography now at 67; got into it when I was 15 too, but my career did not quite allow me to persevere (I am the retired Director of Environment, here in Mauritius). Ah, your interview brings basketsful of nostalgia to me. Above all, I haven’t come across such a genuine interview for a long time. Keep it up and good luck.
Interested in knowing more from Alex Lewis on how to use Photoscape software to emphasize one color on a photo and have the rest of the photo black and white. I don’t really see it on the Photoscape site on how to do it.
Great Photos. That got me Stoked.
Well done Alex.
A great interview, ….and keep up the great photography.