Photographer Interview: Mark Nelson

In trying to improve my own photos I have ran across several photographers that I would have to admit I am a little jealous of their skills. Mark Nelson happens to be an Arizona photographer like myself, but I found his work at www.jpgmag.com. His photos find some amazing details in the events and locations in and around Phoenix, AZ.

What first attracted you to photography?

I would say Look magazine, National Geographic and World Book Encyclopedia. All of these are very visual and were part of my childhood.

How did you get started yourself? What was your first camera?

I have really only been getting into photography for the last two years. My wife bought me a Sony DSC-H2 and got me to post some of my photos on JPG. The very first camera I ever had was a Kodak telephoto 110 pocket camera. It had a slider thing that let you use an extra built-in lens to "zoom" in on stuff. I left this in a taxi cab in Germany about a week after I got back from a trip to Amsterdam it had 34 or so photos from that trip on it. I still mourn the loss.

What photographers - well known or unknown - inspire you?

Ansel Adams. Not his landscapes but more his portraits and architectural photos. Hipgnosis and designer Storm Thorgerson. They did all the cool album covers. The Cover of UFO's 1974 album Phenomenon just blew me away when I was 13 and still does. A lot of my inspiration comes from movies. Directors like Hitchcock, Sam Fuller and Dario Argento. All the "Film Noir".

A silent movie THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC will inspire any one who ever wants to make B&W portraits. My wife is a very big inspiration and a much better photographer than I am. A lot of the people on JPG are excellent and very inspiring.

What equipment do you use? Is there a certain piece of gear you could not live without?

My Sony A350 digital SLR. I love this camera, it takes great pictures and I use it the most. I also have a Sony DSC-H2, I don't use it much any more because it uses AA batteries and the heat here in AZ drains them in less than 15 minutes. I also have another older point and shoot Sony digital. I Have over the last few months bought 3 Pentax K1000 35mm cameras with various lenses. I gave one to my wife. I really like these old manual cameras. I think if you can shoot good photos with these you can shoot great photos with any camera. I have a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye that was give to me by another JPG member. Also I have a Hanimex 35mm fixed focus from the 1980s that my wife gave me.

Do you have any goals in mind with your photography?

To get better and better. To make people say "WOW" when they see my photos. Learn to process B&W film myself. I would like to get some of my photos published and some day have my work shown in a gallery.

Do you shoot in film or digital? Do you prefer one over the other?

Both. I am really enjoying shooting film and love how my Pentax feels in my hands. Just got a Cannon film scanner to use with my film photos. But Digital is way cheaper and faster. Instant gratification for impatient people like me.

What post-processing tools/software do you use? How much does that influence your photography?

Adobe PhotoShop. It is powerful and by far the best application for photo editing. Nothing else even comes close. Only problems are its cost and it has a very steep learning curve. Most people won't like the time it takes learn it. It does influence what and how I shoot. I'm always thinking, this will look good like this or that. It is all l about the artistic side of things for me.

How much into the "business" side of photography have you been into?

None. I'm not and never will be a businessman. I have no interest in being a wedding photographer or any thing like that. This is what I do for fun. The only photo that anyone has the right to print is my "Glowing Cactus" photo. I gave that to Frédéric Frognier, a JPG contact, he said it would look good hung on his wall.

What advice would you give new photographers?

Shoot as much and as many photos as you can. Don't always listen to what people say about your photos. Shoot what you like and post process it how you want. There are a lot of haters online, and most of the photo sites like JPG and flickr are for the most part "social" sites, so if your not down with the "in crowd" or like to post naked photos of yourself, you won't get a lot of notice for quite a while.
Learn as well as you can how to use a camera. Learn how to compose a shot and the rule of 3rds. With digital, don't be afraid to try all different types of post processing. Have fun, cause if you don't, it sucks.

Where can people see your photography?

http://www.jpgmag.com/people/markinaz
http://m1photos.blogspot.com/