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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. |
Each month the Renderosity
community votes on The Renderosity Artist
Of The Month [AOM] ... August's
AOM is 
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