Hello ViewBug Community! Today we are excited to share photographer Ericmontagna in our Community Spotlight. His awesome photos and the awesome locations he is shooting caught our attention. Lets all give him a warm welcome, have fun!
1. I love photography because:
It takes us places we would not normally be - it leads us down new paths that some of us wouldn't normally take. It also brings us closer to like-minded people who we eventually call friends. It continues to challenge how I look at things - it's something that I will never master. There's always something new to be learned every day, whether it be shooting or editing, there's always room for progression.
2. My camera lets me:
Be free. It takes away the everyday worries and helps me focus on what is right in front of me - kind of like living in the moment.
3. I find inspiration when:
I see other photographers photos - things that I have not achieved. An example: a beautiful sunset over the ocean or a beautiful portrait that makes you ask yourself how they achieved such perfection.
4. One of the photos I am most proud of is because:
I'm most proud of this photo because it's a view that not many people get to see and I was lucky enough to get there to see the most amazing sunset I have ever seen!!!
5. My favorite place to shoot isn't anything specific because:
To me it's more about the company I keep opposed to where I am. I could be in the most inspiring setting but if I'm not with someone to enjoy it...then it doesn't have the same effect.
6. The secret behind this photo is:
The secret behind this shot is that there isn't really any secret. It was shot with an 8mm fisheye paired with a Nikon D7100.
I like to walk around the subject I'd like to shoot, when I see the exact spot that offers the best view, it gives me chills!! It's like hitting a grand slam home run or you have a monster fish on the end of your fishing pole!!! I know it's only photography but it definitely has an effect on me!
Back to the shot, I found the perfect spot so I set up my tripod, clicked my camera in and dialed in my settings. I always shoot in HDR so it's a little bit of a process. I set my settings to bracket 5 photos at a time. The first bracket was to capture the lighter parts in the image so I made them very dark EV .7 with a little longer exposure while the ISO was set to 100 to reduce the noise in the final image. After that bracket was complete I adjusted my shutter speed even longer and EV 2.0 so I was able to bring out all of the darker parts.
I was happy with my brackets and I couldn't wait to get them home so I could work on the amazing part of editing! This was the end result, I was completely happy with how it turned out and that I was lucky enough to shoot an amazing location like this so I can share it with the world!!
9. These are 3 quick tips I’d like to share with fellow photographers:
1. Read all you can.
2. Practice every chance you get.
3. Experiment with new settings and find a good group to share your passion with.
Great job Ericmontagna! we cant wait to see what else you post here at ViewBug. If you enjoyed his photos please head over to his profile and award your favorites. Thank you again for sharing Ericmontagna!
