Q
What motivates the photographer in you?
A
Beautiful light and beautiful moments. I'm always attracted to light that illuminates a subject in an interesting way that captures the viewer's attention; and when I photograph weddings, I look for moments that define the tone and character of the wedding day. The concept of a wedding day is similar across countries and cultures. What makes each wedding unique are the personalities of the bridal couple, their families, and their friends. I'm constantly looking for a distinct way of telling their story from behind the lens.
Q
How important is photography in your work and personal life?
A
I started photography as a casual interest. I wanted to buy a camera to document my travels around the world, but I had no clue on how to take nice photos. So I began doing a lot of research on the technical and artistic aspects of photography, and the more I knew, the more I wanted to know. I bought my first camera and shot only landscapes and street photography. One day, a friend of mine who is a local singer/songwriter asked if I would like take portrait photos of him to use on his website. I jumped at the chance and the resulting photos surprised me. I knew that I had something going on there and that I had found a new interest in taking people's portraits. Over the years, my photography journey has blossomed from a hobby into a career and labour of love. Being a full time photographer, creating images on a daily basis for work and for personal use is second nature.
I love how through my photographs, I am able to immortalise moments on a wedding day, and how the portrait photo of a person reveals the soul of an individual. Photography to me is a personal experience, it should be genuine, down to earth, and heartfelt.
Q
What are your expectations of your photography equipment?
A
I shoot in rather demanding situations, so I expect my photography equipment to be extremely reliable and robust.
Q
Who are the biggest influences in your photography journey?
A
When I started shooting portraits of people and weddings, I learned a great deal from Australian photographer Jerry Ghionis. He taught me to "look for the light" and I love how he manages to make everyone look his/her best in photographs.
Q
What is the greatest challenge you faced in your photography and how did the a7 series help alleviate this?
A
I constantly shoot in dimly lit churches and ballrooms. The a7 series does a fantastic job in helping me get the shot while retaining great image quality in these location settings. This rings especially true for the a7SII with its highly capable high ISO performance.
Q
Why did you choose the a7 series to be part of your work and personal photography journey?
A
The a7SII gives me fantastic image quality and retains a lot of details throughout its ISO range.
Q
What, to you, are two or three key features / advantages of the a7 series?
A
Very good high ISO performance, full frame sensor in a small and light camera body, good image quality with lots of detail retention.
Q
How do you rate Sony in the field of digital imaging?
A
Sony is one of the forerunners in the digital imaging sensor arena, and it is spearheading the mirrorless market segment to levels unseen of previously.
Q
What is your favourite lens?
A
The Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8. I love the 50mm range as it is a versatile focal length. I can step back for a wider perspective or move in closer for a tighter composition. I often shoot at wide open apertures and I'm really happy that this lens is very sharp at f/1.8.
Q
What’s in your camera bag?
A
2 full frame camera bodies with an ultra wide angle lens (16-35mm), a wide to mid tele lens (24-70mm), a fast all-rounder prime lens (55mm), a macro lens (90mm), a telephoto lens (70-200mm), an LED light, between one to three flash guns (depending on what I shoot), lots of spare batteries and memory cards, my laptop, and a snack (you never know when you might need a bite during a shoot!)