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Spirit Allen Thornton Photography
www.allenthornton.org
What have you found essential kit for shooting the best of the west? My kit currently includes a Canon 5D MK II & Canon 50D body, Lens include Canon 17X40 mm, 24X105 mm and 70X200 Zoom lens, and 300mm and 500mm prime lens plus a few specialty lens and filter as well as a Gitzo tripod and Kirk ball head, standard equipment for most outdoor photographers.
What are the top three tips you have garnered from experience? It may come as no surprise, but they don’t include equipment. 1. There is no substitute for experience, get out and shoot, every day if you can. 2. Read and study everything you can about photography and your subject. Attend workshops and take classes. 3. Seek out and spend time with like-minded photographers. Don’t be afraid to ask for honest portfolio reviews and suggestions on equipment and new shooting locations.
In learning your craft what resources profited you most? As for me, it is that old thing about standing on the shoulders of those who came before you. In the mid 70’s I traded some camping equipment for a used Canon SLR camera, within weeks my brother Dan and I were building a makeshift B&W darkroom in my basement. Ten years ago I moved from film to digital both capture and printing. Once again my brother, a great portrait photographer in his own right, was there to help with the transition. Currently I’m working with Dan Beck an awarding winning oil painter, Dan is no photographer, but his knowledge of composition is amazing. The list goes on, including editors, art buyers, gallery owners, print makers and master photographers. With time, I have developed my own personal interest and style. Today I’m working on a new fine art portfolio, which in a way takes me back to where I started with B&W images.
Where do you advise aspiring photographers start? Aspiring writers are often advised to write what they know. The same is true for photographers; start in and near your hometown, if you wait for your vacations and long field trips, it maybe be an up hill climb to learn your craft and developing a personal style.
Which areas of America’s wilderness offer the best photographic opportunities? Our national and state parks are a great place to start. Wildlife within our parks, are in many cases, both abundant and somewhat comfortable with people, giving wildlife viewers and photographers abundant opportunity to study and enjoy them.
What unique challenges does this terrain present a photographer? Unfortunately, many times it is not the wildlife or the terrain, but other park visitors who approach and crowd wildlife that many times spoils the unique opportunities for everyone.
What is your favorite subject to work with?
I have thousand of images of mountain goats, but each year I go back up into the mountain tops to watch these amazing animals. Mountain goats are fearless, rugged and a classic icon of the west and the Rocky Mountains.
Once you are amongst the wild, what instincts and inspiration arise within? As a photographer, once I locate my subject, I start looking for the light. This has become second nature to me. Quality light is a key factor, without it many images fall short. Once I find my camera position, I look for personality; a highlight in the eye, a turn of a head, things people call body language.
What virtues of this line of work are you most grateful for? It would have to be humility. You can’t stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon or at the foot of Mount Evans without realizing how small and insignificant each of us are.
How might a typical day in the field unfold? Much of an outdoor photographer’s life has little to do with photographing wildlife or landscapes. We spend a lot of time dealing with the business side. A perfect day in the field starts well before daylight finding my way to a preselected location. I setup my equipment and wait. This is when the natural world comes alive. As the light changes I might reposition my equipment following the changing light. Generally mid-day is used for travel, looking for a new subjects or just rest. By late-afternoon I return to the field to take advantage of afternoon light. I often shoot well after sunset for twilight can offer many unique opportunities. I end my day backing up my images, cleaning my equipment and planning for the next day.
Still
KNOWLEDGE
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