Nikolai Hessenschmidt (nikolaihessenschmidt) is an IT consultant based in Copenhagen, Denmark. On his free time he lives and breathes photography - and dreams of becoming a professional photographer soon! Nikolai is a portraiture photographer and unlike many others he actually likes the idea that photography is hard to master, and therefore not anybody can be great at it. He also likes to get super creative and fullfil some of his dreams through photo shoots. Read our interview with Nikolai where he also shares his three best photography tips.
I love photography becauseā¦ I love the ability it gives me to capture a moment that otherwise would be forgotten. I like how photography is difficult to master and I like the feeling of how I after every photoshoot I get better and better. Also, I love photography because I get the chance to meet similar minded creative people!
My camera lets meā¦ Freeze time, it also let me forget the real world and its problems.
I find inspiration whenā¦
Watching movies, looking through other photographers fantastic work, when I go for a three hours walk alone I think about what I could photograph next and scouting for locations. The locations itself give me a lot of inspiration and ideas. The people I meet inspire me as well.
One of the photos I am most proud of is āValentine'sā becauseā¦
I'm so proud of it, because it was the one of the most difficult images to create. There was complex lighting, the candles are lit for real and I was very nervous about the models hair. Also, I was a little bit nervous about the surrounding and the furnitures because the photoshoot took place in an old place in HelsingĆør (Home of Hamlet) with furnitures from the 18th century!
The model actually made the the candle shoulder pads herself! Which is very impressive! I also used a talented MUA for this photoshoot which was a first!
My favorite place to shoot isā¦Ā Outside because I love being outside, using available light as light source for a photo shoot and at the same time getting some fresh air. It is also usually more interesting backgrounds when your are outside, compares to studio photo shoots.
One of my favorite photos on ViewBug is "Phoenix 2"Ā by Suzy Meadā¦
It is such an amazing shot, and I can relate to it. Life rising from the ashes, especially now, when my own life lies in ashes. I burned it down myself (Iām of course talking metaphorically) but as of right now I am starting my new life in a new apartment.
One of my favorite photographers on Viewbug isā¦āØ
There so many talented photographers on ViewBug it is so hard to only choose one!Ā I really Like Suzy Mead, Dani Diamond and many more, but I think IwonaĀ is my favorite, because she really captures theĀ magical moments of childhood.
These are 3 quick tips Iād like to share with fellow photographers:
1) Think long and hard about lighting, study how the light falls on your subject, but don't forget the surroundings.
2) Do not rely on Photoshop to give the image that magic touch. Make room for the magic earlier! Like my candle girl photo, it is real, like the girl in the forrest with pages flying around, itās real! It is edited in Photoshop, yes, but not made in Photoshop. Plan the shoot, but be prepared to change, be prepared that nothing really goes the way you want to and adapt accordingly.
3) Do not think that your gear makes the photo. Iām a gear head and suffering from G.A.S. from time to time, but most of the time I only use a camera and a fast lens.
One photo that was difficult to shoot was āFalling knowledgeā becauseā¦
It was difficult because the flying pages are real and we retook this photo over and over again. Picking up the pages and throwing them in the air over and over again, until I finally was satisfied. To make the matter worse, I picked a location with thorn bushesā¦ Haha!
The tips and secrets behind this photo: Itās real, so no secrets there! Just make sure to choose the right location and think about the light. I placed the model in on a path with the trees as the background, so there was shade. The photo can be interpreted in so many ways and there is no wrong way.
For more great images by Nikolai, visit his profile and website, make also sure to like his Facebook page.
