Dylan Fox (http://dylanfox.com.au) is one of those local young guns that makes me want to cry. One of his recent images popped up in the Canon Australia FB feed and I was totally blown away. Further investigation showed me a varied and full portfolio, including some really unique comps I hadn’t seen before from popular Western Australian destinations. Check out what Dylan had to say in his own words below.
1) What’s a favourite image you’ve taken and why?
My answer will change on a fairly regular basis. Usually it’s one of my most recent photographs. As my style is tweaked and evolves my views on older photographs will have changed. As with most artists (or at least photographers), I am very fussy with my work and always evaluating pieces, which is I guess is why we progress.
Right now my favourite piece is ‘The Reward (see first image in slideshow above). I had previously captured a very similar composition to this photograph but under very different conditions, but when I arrived back at this beach I couldn’t resist setting up for this frame with the clouds looking like they would provide a colourful sunset and the tidal and swell conditions were right to shoot it again. The shoot was exciting to say the least. A number of times the water rushing through the channel was completely engulfing my tripod as it was set very low and only falling shot of reaching the camera by about 10cm! Not only that, but incoming waves were splashing at me so I had to keep an eye on them to ensure my gear didn’t cop any of them! Then to my surprise, as the colours were peaking lightning started striking regularly, landing right at the end of the channel! I was so stoked with the distant strikes, but when the bright one landed so much closer to shore than any of the others and I captured it, I was thrilled!
I wanted the photograph to be a fairly soft image with the lightning strike interrupting that calm feeling of the photograph. I love to photograph with a ‘no risk, no reward’ attitude, and this photograph in particular I considered a reward.
It was such an awesome night knowing I had captured lightning strikes in a colourful sunset! Lightning shots were something that had eluded me until recently.
2) If someone was visiting Western Australia for the first time, what spots would you consider photographic must-dos?
I would always suggest the south-west. You can look in any direction down there and find something amazing. I love visiting the Cape Naturaliste area. The coast is stunning with brilliant rock formations. I have so much shooting I still want to do down there. Every time I visit the area I go down with one particular shot in mind that I want to capture, so there will be many trips south in the future! You can also head further south and visit Esperance and other towns. I am yet to get there but cannot wait to make the drive down!
3) How does your post processing differ from other landscape photographers?
I really don’t know… I don’t really read or research all that much when it comes to post-processing techniques, so I don’t really know what a lot of other photographers do. If there is a certain look or feeling to a photograph that I want to achieve I will often just work out a way to do it on my own. There are so many different ways to go about creating similar effects. If there is a technique that I really want to know I am not afraid to ask a photographer who does it well, and more often than not they will tell you how they do it or point you in the right direction. I would simply suggest trial and error. If you know your way around Photoshop and know what you want to achieve, you will often be able to achieve that result with a bit of patience.
4) How successful have you been monetizing your photography, and what advice would you give to others looking to do the same?
I am quite proud to call myself a professional photographer now. It was a title I held off on. I am a full-time photographer keeping busy with shooting landscapes, continuing to build my print sale figures on a yearly basis, and picking up contract work. The dream is to one day not have to take on the contract work and only shoot what I love. I have a commerce degree with majors in marketing and advertising, so I am going about things in regard to my landscape work in a very strict manner, which I guess could hurt the pocket in the short-term, but I am making these decisions for long-term gain.
5) What can we expect from you in 2013?
I am excited about 2013. So far it has been a great year. I have a list of goals that I want to get through. I have a trip to the States in June/July and hope to get a number of trips in around Western Australia. I am wrapped with the direction my photography is taking and really can’t wait to get out in search of my next shot! If I can add 12 or more photographs to my collection that I am proud of I will be thrilled. I plan on doing a bit more night photography this year as well. I have a number of photographs in my head; just waiting on the right conditions for some of them. Some of them have to wait until I get to the US.
Be sure to check out more of Dylan’s extraordinary work via his website.