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 Each month the Renderosity community votes on The Renderosity Artist Of The Month [AOM] ... August's AOM is Adam Edwards [Meowgli]!
We congratulate Adam for an outstanding collection of works in the Photography Gallery!
Who is 'Meowgli'?
My name is Adam Edwards, 25, born and raised in central England. I guess you
could say I'm a fairly laid back country boy at heart, and much prefer the
open landscape to frenetic city living...however, as a recent graduate I'll
be happy to go wherever the jobs are!
How long have you been working in photography, and digital art?
I've only been taking photography seriously for a little under two years
now, though I've always taken pictures with whatever was at hand. I got my
first digital camera around about 6 or 7 years ago, I guess - a Pentax Optio
550 pocket cam, and though it had its limitations it gave me a taste for
creating images digitally, and I knew I wanted to be able to look at a D-SLR
without the slight undertone of fear I'd had before! I got my first one, a
Canon 400d in late 2007, and since that point photography has become a firm
passion.
Do you have traditional art experience?
Not really, just a few art classes at school, and I've done a bit of arts
and crafts...ha! That reminds me, I did help to build an arts & crafts
centre in Belize one time... does that count? My uncle has worked much of
his adult life as a carpenter, and growing up I would occasionally make
things like small boats with my cousin, but only so we could race them down
streams! Formally, I have a masters degree in the History of Art from the
University of St Andrews.
What are you currently working on?
Speeding up my workflow! It seems to be the curse of the digital age,
combined with my slightly perfectionist tendencies, that sees me spending
much more time at a keyboard than I'd ideally like to, so I'm really trying
to get everything right straight out of camera. The less processing the
better!
Other than that, I'm having to work a lot harder in my current location to
find interesting landscapes, and have started to adapt by focusing more on
indoor shoots - food, concepts, objects, etc...particularly getting to grips
with quality lighting on a budget as I continue to expand my stock
portfolios.
What software/equipment do you use and why?
I shoot with a Canon EOS-40d digital camera which I upgraded to from the
400d at the start of the year. It's fast (6.5fps), with a stainless steel
casing (which I already accidentally road-tested!), fits my hands snugly and
generally feels like my perfect camera for the time being. I use Canon,
Sigma, and Tamron lenses, and post-process my images on a PC using Photoshop
CS2.
There's no real reason I shoot Canon over Nikon, or any other brand, just
that it is the brand I was first given, and one which seems to be the
'chosen family one'...makes sense so we can share lenses when needed.
Honestly, I'd love to make the switch to Mac but would inevitably have to
replace all my current software in doing so, and sadly I'm not made of
money!
What do you think your best piece of work is and why?
I have thought long and hard about this one, and I'd have to say "Untamed
II". I think with a lot of memorable images, subject is key, and for me the
fact that these are wild, free to roam horses for which the Camargue region
is famous lifts the opportunistic shot into a 'keeper' and one I will always
cherish. As I have mentioned it was opportunistic, and with the afternoon
light catching the dust I got that satisfying sense of 'right place, right
time'...
Who/what inspires you?
Okay, this is going to sound totally corny, but honestly, I find myself most
frequently inspired by nature. Weather, animals, formations, colours,
lighting... all are among the things which spark my interest when taking a
stroll in the outdoors. So, naturally I'm inspired by those who portray the
essence of such things in their images, and recently I've been immensely
impressed with the photography of two individuals in particular - Nate
Zeman, and Alexander Nail. Popular nature and landscape photographers on
another online art site, both tread a line closer to 'traditional
photography' than 'digital art' and to me they are a real inspiration to try
and push it that one step further.
Of the photography masters, I am particularly fond of the Cartier-Bresson's
work.
What do you enjoy about photography?
I enjoy the challenge of photography, as it involves a variety of
disciplines and encourages looking at the world in fresh ways. Part of the
challenge in the landscape has always been representing vast
three-dimensional scenes effectively via a flat two-dimensional image, and
in this respect I really enjoy the dramatic perspectives offered by the
recent generation of super-wide-angle lenses for D-SLRs. They have their
weaknesses, but some of my most enjoyable photography time is spent using
such lenses out in the landscape...they can be a very effective
story-telling tool.
How has this online community (Renderosity) enhanced your work, relationships, and learning?
Firstly, you have my good friend Rich (inshaala) to thank/blame for my joining the site in the
first place. I had been impressed with his photographs, and given he was a
Forum Coordinator here by the point I was starting out, I thought why not
post the odd photo now and then. I quickly found the site to have a warm
sense of community with some very talented members to take note from, and
through viewing, posting and commenting on works I have been better
informed, and more conscious of the direction I personally want to take my
photography. Renderosity is the first online art community I ever posted my
photos to and hope it continues to inspire me to grow as it has done so far!
Parting Comments / Advice to other Artists?
I would like to thank everyone who voted, I am amazed to have been given
this privilege among such fine company seen daily in the photography
galleries!
My advice regarding photography would be to always experiment, become your
own worst critic, and never allow yourself to get into a rut. Shoot what
interests you and with an eye for the technical side of things you will
surely convey that passion through your images. Most of all though, have
fun!
We invite you to have a further look at Adam's Renderosity Gallery!
Be sure to also visit:
**Have a tutorial, or perhaps some general digital art Tips and Tricks to share? Consider posting to Renderosity's new Video Tutorial Center!**
All supporting images are copyright, and cannot be
copied, printed, or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the artist.
Artist of the Month is highlighting a talented Renderosity artist that has been nominated by mods and admins, and voted by the community. Recognition is given to this member for their collection of works for that year.
Since we only select one AOM per month, it is not about their works for that particular month. Instead, it is about highlighting a talented artist's works for that year, and they are recognized during that month.
To learn more about Renderosity's Artist Of The Month [AOM] award, and to view our past AOM's, please visit the AOM page, which can also be found on the sidebar under Highlights. |
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