Meet ViewBug community member jamiemacisaac, a self-trained photographer based out of Kirkland, Washington. He's been taking photos for most of my life but did not really start exploring the different facets of it until 2010. Jamie MacIsaac is a wilderness wanderer and is conducting photo workshops around the planet. Jamie has been a photo contest finalist on viewbug several times and is the recipient of thousands of awards.
I love photography because:
Photography has been a savior for me. Before I picked up a camera I had not traveled anywhere since I was a child. Right around the age of 8, I started to experience anxiety which over the years progressed into agoraphobia. In my twenties, there was a long period in which I was not able to leave my house as I was consumed with fear of the outside world. It was a very dark time. In 2009, I came across a photo online, it was of a waterfall in Iceland. I was struck by the beauty of it. I realized then, that I really had to see it in person. How was I going to travel to Iceland? It was a very ridiculous notion at the time as there was no way that the anxiety was going to let me. Within a week of seeing the photo of Iceland, I bought a Sony a100 and began to study landscape photography. I made up a very basic book of what I wanted to practice, it started with shutter speed. I took my first small trip up to Leavenworth, Washington in the dead of winter and very nervously forced myself to walk a quarter-mile down to the edge of the Wenatchee River. I set up my camera on my tripod and just sat in the snow and studied my shutter speed book. It all melted away!!! I had been so enthralled with the camera and studying my shutter speed book that my anxiety disappeared. That was the very moment that I realized this is what is going to liberate me from this thing that has had a grip on me for most of my life.
These are 3 quick tips I’d like to share with fellow photographers:
1. Study, study, study. Whether it be in a book, online, tutorials, etc… Yes getting out and shooting is just as important but I really think it helps to know what you want to do and study the heck out of it.
2. Take time to enjoy the environment you are in while shooting. Take time and look around, go up the forest service road, head down that hidden path to who knows? the best shot may not be the one you have seen 100 times before but the new one you just found and are about to shoot.
3. Don’t worry so much about gear. You can take a good photo regardless of what you use.
My camera lets me:
Show others the beauty in the world. Whether it is a bright gorgeous sunset or a stormy rain-soaked scene, there is magic there if you allow yourself to see it.
My favorite place to shoot is:
Oregon because it is only a few hours from me and there are so many places to shoot from the gorge to the coast and a million places in between. Plus it never seems like there is a massive amount of photos in one place. Most of the time on the coast you have the place to yourself. Not so much with the gorge but what do you expect that place is pretty incredible.
My favorite lens is:
The Nikon 16-35. It is sharp, deals with flare very well and I can throw a filter on if needed I know, everyone likes the 14-24 and it is a spectacular lens. I just can’t deal with the flare on it. I like shooting into the sun and the 14-24 is terrible with flare. The 16-35 flare if much better and the Sunstar on it is great. It is slightly soft in the edges but it doesn’t bother me.
Right now, I am really enjoying my infrared camera.
If I could shoot one dream location it would be:
The bridges formed by roots of trees in India because it is mind-blowing how they do it and I would love to see it in person someday.
Get inspired by checking out Jamie MacIsaac on viewbug and Jamie MacIsaac on Instagram.
