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- https://www.instagram.com/livingsta/
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@dahliaambrose- Posts:10695
Allows Edits? YesThis time around we learn a little more about David, @dchester1001
• Tell us a little about yourself and your photography journey.
Where do you live?
Right now I live in Brisbane (Australia) – an interesting place for nature photographers
as it is where the tropics and the temperate zones overlap. That means we get a wide
variety of animals and insects to stalk and photograph.My wife and I are planning a move to Tasmania within the next few years.
Hobbies & interests?
Aside from photography I breed snakes, and have two Devon Rex cats.
I love cooking, whale watching, air shows, enjoy gardening and recently took up cycling.How long have you had an interest in Photography?
A long time!
I got my first camera in 1970 – a Kodak instamatic 126. My first 35mm camera came
along in 1973 – a Ricoh Rangefinder 500 with bouncemaster flash. In 1982 I bought my
first SLR – an Olympus OM-10 with 50mm f1.4 lens.What got you interested in photography?
Growing up my dad used to shoot home movies all the time. That was never my thing,
but it got me interested in camera’s. Once I moved to 35mm, he helped me setup a dark
room, complete with wet bench and all. I am always driven to the technical side of
things, and this certainly has helped me maintain that interest (passion? Obsession?)
over the years.• What is the best advice you have received so far regarding photography?
‘Use the camera you already have’. For many of us, and me included there is always an
urge to get that next camera, or lens or piece of kit. In reality, if we don’t understand the
basics and how to use what we already have it can be a waste of money.These days I have to have a solid purpose in mind for any new camera equipment I buy,
and that is helping me to rationalise (down-size) the gear I own.• How do you maintain inspiration?
I shoot with a few different groups and each outing will be a different location, or have a different focus to the last. I learn something from everyone that I can, and we have fun.
I also run workshops from time to time to introduce photographers of all abilities to my personal obsessions!
• What is your favourite subject to shoot & why?
Easy – waterdrops. I love the challenge of shooting clear water – the lighting is difficult, but it’s rewarding when you get it right.
I have been obsessed with water drops and splash photography ever since I saw a copy of ‘A study of Splashes’ by A.M. Worthington in 1981. I was amazed at the photo’s he achieved in the very early 1900’s and absolutely had to try them. In 1982 I built both a timber stand, and a photogate electrical circuit to do just that!
Basically a drop of milk was released and would pass through a photo sensor which would trigger a flash on a variable delay. Once setup all lights had to be out, the camera shutter opened on BULB mode, and a drop released. I would fine tune the delay between each drop hoping to catch something interesting like a Worthington jet or a crown. The next day the film would be dropped in to the lab to be processed and the waiting game began. Between three and five days later I would get to see what I had achieved – quite often there would be disappointment and nothing worth showing, but just occasionally there would be something magical there.
My first Worthington jet image (1982)
As for splash photography, that has been an obsession ever since I saw a copy of ‘A study of Splashes’ by A.M. Worthington in 1981. I was amazed at the photo’s he achieved in the very early 1900’s and absolutely had to try them. In 1982 I built both a timber stand, and a photogate electrical circuit to do just that!
Basically a drop of milk was released and would pass through a photo sensor which would trigger a flash on a variable delay. Once setup all lights had to be out, the camera shutter opened on BULB mode, and a drop released. I would fine tune the delay between each drop hoping to catch something interesting like a Worthington jet or a crown. The next day the file would be dropped in to the lab to be processed and the waiting game began. Between three and five days later I would get to see what I had achieved – quite often there would be disappointment and nothing worth showing, but just occasionally there would be something magical there.
Over the years I built a number of different rigs to try and improve my captures. Each had improvements over its predecessor. Some had auto focus circuits and camera triggers, but in every case they relied on a drop of liquid being manually released and passing through a photogate. It was still a very hit and miss affair, with no guarantee of getting usable images in any session.
In 2014 I acquired a commercial water drop kit, far more sophisticated than anything I had used before. This kit had a solenoid that allowed multiple drops to be co-ordinated such that collisions formed.
Over the years I built a number of different rigs to try and improve my captures. Each had improvements over its predecessor. Some had auto focus circuits and camera triggers, but in every case they relied on a drop of liquid being manually released and passing through a photogate. It was still a very hit and miss affair, with no guarantee of getting usable images in any session.
In 2014 I acquired a commercial water drop kit, far more sophisticated than anything I had used before. This kit had a solenoid that allowed multiple drops to be co-ordinated such that collisions formed.
• Do you have a favourite type of photography?
I dabble in all things photography, macro, landscapes, astro photography, HDR, weddings, studio and portraits, but my two passions are light painting, and water drop photography. That takes me from one extreme to the other – from long exposures of up to 8 minutes duration, to high-speed exposures that are anything from 1/19,000 to 1/32,000 second.
Since our Covid-19 forced lockdown last March I have really concentrated on macro, and now have one camera set up permanently for macro photography. It is amazing how many small and interesting creatures my garden has in it!
• How would you describe your photographic journey to date?
I am largely self-taught. Though I did do a few workshops and short courses on portraiture and studio lighting techniques. I read a lot and learn by trial and error.
• Are you currently involved with any photography projects? If so, what?
I have built a 6 valve drop controller, and am now building a stand that will let me have things like multi-coloured liquids for the drops, or a puff of air from the side to add a further dimension to my splash photography obsession.
• If you could only use one camera/lens combination for a year, which would you choose?
Easy! My macro setup – Olympus OM-D EM1ii with 60mm f2.8 macro lens, 10mm and 16mm macro extension tubes, Godox TT350o flash and Cygnustech v2 diffuser.
• What is your favorite image right now?
o Yours?
A robber fly that stayed still long enough for me to get 4 images.
o Someone else’s?
• Is there a photographer that inspires you?
Corrie White – the queen of waterdrops
• What is your biggest challenge when it comes to photography?
Time! My job as an IT manager for a large rail freight organisation is quite demanding.
• Is there anything specific you intend to learn or improve in your photography?
I intend to work on improving my portraiture photography, and how to pose subjects.
• If people want to follow more of your work where should they go?
• Anything else you would like to add about yourself that we haven’t covered here?
Only that I have had the opportunity to meet up with a couple of the light stalking community – I would encourage others to create or make the opportunity to do the same. It is rewarding to meet those we interact with regularly online.
• Provide links to some of your favourite images that can be displayed with the interview
The Motorcycle: Design, Art, Desire
Oil in water with an air bubble injected between the oil and water layers.
Jumping Spiders – Opisthoncus nigrofemoratus
Jumping Spider – Cosmophasis micarioides – female
cc: @admin
Here is a list of our members who were featured in the past if you would love to read. I have attached a link to their profile and their interview.
Diane Wehr @albirder : Introducing Diane Wehr
Tobie @tobiepsg : Introducing Tobie
Rob Eyers @reyers : Introducing Rob Eyers
Duncan Stewart @falxy : Introducing the Falx
John Thompson @nikon-nut : Introducing Nikon nut
Valery @valeryp : Introducing Valery
Tom Dinning @tomdinning : Introducing Tom Dinning
Christina Brown @Chrissiebee : Introducing Chrissie Bee
Bobbie @bobbie : Introducing Bobbie
Gordon James @gordonjames : Introducing Gordon James
Chris Pook @chrispook : Have you met Chris Pook?
Erik Fransman @erik-fransman : Have you met Erik Fransman?
Gary Zerbst @garyzerbst : Have you met Gary Zerbst?
Allen Furst @3pco : Have you met Allen Furst?
Jim @Mistyisle : Have you met Jim?
Frogdaily @frogdaily : Have you met Frogdaily?
Robert Apple @robertapple : Have you met Robert Apple?
Steve Matten @stevematten : Have you met Steve Matten?
Cornelia Acorn @corneliaacorn : Have you met Cornelia Acorn?
Gray B @grayb : Have you met Gray B?
Dahlia Ambrose @dahliaambrose : Have you met Dahlia Ambrose?
Patrick @patrickw : Have you met Patrick?
Dave @pentaxfan : Have you met Dave?
Peter @peternowak : Have you met Peter?
Beaky @ozride : Have you met Beaky?
Graham Hart @diripics : Have you met Graham?
Daniel Krueger @drkrueger22: Have you met Daniel?
Jasenka @jasenkag : Have you met Jasenka?
Astaroth @astaroth : Have you met Astaroth?
Joanne Van Praag @vanpraag : Have you met Joanne?
Leanne Cleaveley @leannecleaveley : Have you met Leanne?
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- https://www.instagram.com/federico.alegria/
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@federicoalegria- Posts:2596
Allows Edits? YesOh my, this was a really interesting reading, thanks @dahliaambrose for another great interview; and David, I would love to see some of those snakes 🙂!
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Thanks so much @dahliaambrose and @federicoalegria.
I just realised i talk about my passion for light painting, and I didn’t include a single photo! So here’s a couple:
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- https://instagram.com/lightstalking
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightstalking
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@admin-2- Posts:14844
Allows Edits? YesAaesome!
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- https://www.instagram.com/patriciaj.garrett/
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@patography- Posts:5061
Allows Edits? Yes@dchester1001 This was so very interesting, Dahlia and David. I appreciate knowing about other’s interests and journeys. David, I wish I weren’t half a world away as I’d love to take one of your classes. Your attention to detail is impeccable – your light painting is what first captured my attention on LS. I’ve never known anyone who bred snakes…a most interesting hobby.
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Great interview Dahlia thank you so much 🙂
Lovely reading about your journey with photo making David , your photos are always very eye catching and technically superb , like Pat when i joined Ls i was blown away with your waterdrop collisions and still am and your macro photos just keep getting better and they were already seriously good.
Much appreciate you taking the time to let us all know a little more about you and your works mate cheers ..enjoyed the read very much 🙂
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You’re on a very interesting photography journey, David. I love your images, and your work with water drops is impressive. Being relatively new to LS, I hadn’t seen them before. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you @rgatscha. They are an obsession of mine… 🙂
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