Photographer Interview - John McManus From Pictureourland.com

Since this Blog is about photography as well as making money here is my second interview with a talented Northern Irish photographer ...

• What camera and other equipment do you use?

At present I use a Canon EOS 350d. The majority of my landscapes are taken using a wide angle lens (sigma 10-20mm) which allows for a greater area to be covered in the shot which is important when shooting landscapes. I also carry a 70-300 zoom lens as it comes in handy for shots in which I want to concentrate on a specific feature.

• Which software do you use for image processing?

I try to ensure that the shots are composed and exposed as best as I can ‘in camera’ so that only slight enhancements are required in post processing – this is as much a time saving exercise as an artistic decision as I would much rather spend my time outside taking pictures than staring at a computer screen for hours on end. I use Photoshop Elements for any enhancements – generally tweaking levels and boosting saturation where necessary.

• If you had to give just one tip for budding photographers, what would it be?

To enjoy taking pictures – if you don’t enjoy taking pictures it is virtually impossible to drag yourself out of bed at 5 in the morning to catch a sunrise or stand in the freezing cold on a winters night to get a sunset!

• When did you start taking photos?

I have always been interested in photography and taking pictures but it wasn’t until I took a course in 2005 that it began to really think about composition and applying techniques (long exposures, use of filters) to my pictures.

• Where is your favourite landscape?

Rossbeigh Beach in Co.Kerry - See Rossbeigh Beach Co.Kerry

• JPEG or RAW?

Both – I always shoot using JPEG and RAW – this takes up quite a lot of space on memory card but it is nice to know that, if necessary, you can work on an umcompressed file that contains all the data that your sensor has recorded. This gives you much more control over how the image will look and allows you to correct any sins you may have committed when taking the shot - such as exposure settings or white balance!

• What is the ratio of your time spend taking photos / post processing the images?

At the moment I probably spend 60% of time taking photos and 40% in post processing (amendments to shots and preparing for the web)

• What is your next camera?

A Canon EOS 5D.

• What equipment would you buy if money was no object?

A Canon EOS-1D Mark III and half a dozen L series lenses.

• How do you print your photos?

Photobox – they use top quality paper (FujiFilm Crystal Archive) and provide consistently high quality results and an efficient service.

• What price do you sell your prints for?

I have 3 purchase options for all the prints on my site and 3 size options

Prints – these sell for £15, £25 and £35

Mounted Prints – these sell for £30, £40 and £50

Framed prints – these sell for £60, £80 and £100

I also sell panoramic prints ranging in price from £50 - £150 depending on size and finish.

• Show me your 3 favourite photos?

This changes on a daily basis but at the moment it’s -

The Ha’penny Bridge Dublin

Fastnet Rock Lighthouse Co. Cork

Rossbeigh Beach Co.Kerry