We are extremely lucky to have so many talented photographers in our local community, and feel honored to be able to help educate, inspire, and support each and every one of you. Although some may say that the market is "oversaturated" we disagree with that term, because having so many talented photographers around us gives us the unique opportunity to have several mentors and role-models. We believe we can lift each other up and grow from one another, rather than compete. This week, DUSTIN LEFEVRE gives us an honest and inside look at his workflow, so that you can learn and grow from his success! Dustin is a frequent visitor to pictureline and we are always ooh-ing and ahh-ing over his beautiful images.
What camera(s) do you shoot with and why?
"I shoot with a Nikon D810, and an Olympus OMD EM5 mkii. They serve a different purpose to me. My main camera is the Nikon though. The image quality is incredible and the control layout has been converted to muscle memory at this point so I can change quick with changing conditions. The little Olympus is really fun to use and has a lot of cool features. The size and low weight make it a great hiking camera. In the end, modern cameras all produce excellent images that put to shame anything from just a few years ago so pick one that you enjoy using."
Your wildlife images are really amazing. What is a piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting out shooting wildlife?
"Wow, thank you. I'm actually pretty new to wildlife myself. Knowing how your autofocus works is important. Typically you will want to be on continuous tracking to keep moving subjects in focus. If your camera has it, back button autofocus is highly recommended, this allows you to keep the autofocus working without pushing the shutter bottom until you are ready to take a picture. Take a lot of pictures. Animals are moving fast and memory is cheap so don't worry about taking "too many" pictures, whatever that means. My most important tip is to respect the wildlife. Don't get to close, try not to disturb the animals you are trying to enjoy."
What is your favorite lens for shooting night skies and starry photos?
"My favorite lens is my Tamron 15-30mm f2.8. It is fast enough to capture a lot of detail in the sky, it has little vignetting and great coma correction so the stars come out looking sharp."
What is your favorite place in Utah to take pictures of? We know, that’s a hard question, but if you had to choose.
"You're right, that is hard but Escalante is the winner here. Without too much trouble it is easy to find solitude in the Monument and there is so much variety in the landscape. It is spectacular!"
How often would you say you try and get out and shoot?
"I usually try to get out once or twice a week. It is therapeutic to direct your focus through the viewfinder. It's almost like meditation being completely focused on the task at hand."
What is something you’ve learned about creating a large social media following?
"It can be easy to get sucked into social media and let it influence your photography. There are so many amazing artists out there and it is good to be inspired by them but make sure you are creating art that you actually want to create because doing it for the likes is going to be a roller coaster."
Make sure to follow @dustinlefevre on instagram to see more of his beautiful work! And if you're interested in getting a print of his work go here!