Center Stage~Bazcelt

[karenc]

BAZCELT

Sunset reflections on Forster lake. NSW.
This is one to show not only the scene, but the wide angle approach to photography

Preferences

• What camera gear do you currently use, and what will be your next piece of camera kit?

• Nikon D40X, Nikon D300, Olympus 795, Canon Video, Nikkor 16-50, Nikkor 50-200, Nikko 70-300, Sigma 10-20, SB600 Flash, and various filters.  Considering Cokin filter kit, and a ND400 filter.

• Are you considered an expert at any aspect of photography?

• No, definitely amateur and learner.

• Are you considered the 'go to' person for family shots and friendly portraits?

• Yes.

• What is your "Ultimate tip" for beginners?

• Experiment and learn, never give up trying.
  

• What would be your dream location, if you had the choice?

• Wildlife safari with Cheetahs.

• If you had the opportunity to travel back in time what person or event would you like to photograph

• Nelson Mandela on release from prison.

Picasso Trigger Fish
Taken in the Cook Islands, a snorkelling paradise. This is just off the beach.

Performance & Plans

• When & how did you get interested in photography?

• As a teenager, father was a keen photographer, mainly of photomicrography and insects and rock pool life.

• If you had unlimited resources, what aspect of photography would you have a go at?

• Wildlife around the world - land and marine.

• What are your photographic goals?

• To keep learning and developing skills.

• Have you won any awards for your photography?

• POTD on this site, but o\ther than this have not entered into competitions.

• Does your lifestyle influence your photography?

• Yes, have to work, but also travel is often done with photography as one of the intentions, such as marine shoots in the Pacific Islands, and Great Barrier Reef.

• Are you aiming for a particular achievement right now?

• Surviving work, getting better at photography, and bringing up a 1 year old boy, is more than enough.

• Have your photographs ever been published?

• Many years ago, one - a photomicrograhic image of sugar crystals, was published in a magazine, unfortunately the magazine didn’t last long, and the photo has long since disappeared into the ‘files’.

My POTD on Cafe!
Sunset at Mallabula, a lake area just north of Newcastle

Passion

• About what aspect of photography do you feel most passionate?

• Not one in particular, just trying out different techniques, different approaches, learning and experimenting.

• Do you have any famous photographer that you get inspiration from?  If not, where do you look for inspiration?

• None in particular, although I do like looking at what others have done and are doing, such as galleries, and online sites, and these often provide inspiration.  A few others from an Australian web site (POTD) have provided a lot of help and inspiration as well as some on the Café here.  So, it’s more a look around and look for inspiration, which I also get when just going out with the camera and looking.

• Do you get inspiration from the pictures in the Gallery?

• Yes, definitely.

• Which Cafe members inspire your photography and why?

• Those who are doing work which reflects my interests - such as landscape, abstracts, aircraft, nature.

• What is the most interesting thing you've ever shot? The most boring?

• Interesting - marine life in the Cook Islands and Great Barrier Reef.  Most boring - well, that I leave up to others to decide!  Perhaps doing the ‘family birthday’ shots at times get a little mundane.

• As a digital photographer, would you ever go back to film and if not, why not?

• No, partly the cost - it’s easier to run off a raft of digital shots in the hope some turn out than it is with film, but second I feel with the computer assistance it is now easier to take a more creative approach with digital.

• Have you ever been so frustrated with the hobby that you wanted to quit?

• Definitely frustrated, but not to quit.

Temora
Aviation Museum
Wide angle, but also some 'tinkering' with Topaz Adjust to highlight the sky. Temora
Aviation Museum has fly days every couple of months, with a range of aircraft from WW2 to present day.

Practices

• Have you ever taken any classes in Photography

• No, and at times it shows!

• Do you shoot in Manual mode?

• Yes, but not exclusively - I prefer to use the full range of the camera options as at times they are quicker and just as effective as Manual.

• What's your viewpoint on photo editing?

• It’s fun, it provides a further avenue to explore a photograph, and provides a range of images and effects.

• In a normal session, how many photos do you take and how many would you expect to keep?

• This so much depends on the nature of the shoot.  For instance, at a recent air show of vintage aircraft I filled two 4gb cards with ease, of which probably 50% of the images were kept.  Other times, I will take just as many as needed, or as possible in the situation.

• Do you cancel outside shoots on overcast days, or go and shoot the misery instead?

• Continue and try and make something of it - no such thing as a ‘bad day’ for photography!

• If you could only shoot one style of photography, what would it be and what would be your second choice?

• Marine life first, wildlife second.

• Why do you concentrate on your favorite subject matter eg birds landscapes etc

• While I have a lot of sunset and landscape photographs, I don’t actually feel as though I do concentrate - I prefer to have a go at a broad range of options, to try out different things rather than a particular genre and focus.

• What are your favourite photos on the Cafe and why?

• Again, ones which particularly interest me - in terms of subject, technique, experimental, this may include a range from landscape, to portrait, to abstract - but I don’t particularly like those which are of no personal interest, yet recognise that they are to others.

Flight.
One of the first effective bird shots I did, a beginning process of trying these out. When only had the D40X camera, and was just starting in the digital area.

Wirraway. Temora Aviation Museum.
The first shoot of aircraft with the then new D300 and the 70-300 lens. Again, a learning experience.

Bazcelt's Gallery

Many thanks to Bazcelt for giving us some insights into his photographic life.  We would appreciate seeing any other questions you would like to ask him Please post them here and Bazcelt will do his best to give an answer.  When you have done that why not head over to Bazcelt Gallery and see the rest of his wonderful work.




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[karenc]

Welcome to Centre Stage Barry, hope you enjoy your time in the spotlight.   

[Jenny]

Congratulations on getting Centre Stage!

Had the plane just taken off in the Wirraway. Temora Aviation Museum picture?
looks like you got wings otherwise


I really like this image in your Album too, do you prefer to take pictures of nature/animals or flying machines?




Great Centre Stage well done Barry

 

[windsurf]

Barry

Where would you like to go to have your Safari with the Cheetahs?

Well done on a great Centre Stage

[BigAl]

Great write-up Barry. I like people with your enthusiasm and attitude.

My question to you - which do you value the most between a POTD award and a constructive criticism that improves your overall skill.

[Bazcelt]

Great write-up Barry. I like people with your enthusiasm and attitude.

My question to you - which do you value the most between a POTD award and a constructive criticism that improves your overall skill.

While the POTD gives some good vibes and is a very positive outcome, the feedback option is more of a longer term result as it leads to development of skills, so it would be more towards the latter that I'd give weight to.

[Bazcelt]

Congratulations on getting Centre Stage!

Had the plane just taken off in the Wirraway. Temora Aviation Museum picture?
looks like you got wings otherwise


I really like this image in your Album too, do you prefer to take pictures of nature/animals or flying machines?




Great Centre Stage well done Barry

 

Thanks for the queries and comments.  First, at Temora as you are very close to the action, and it's very easy to get good views, this was just a low level pass, and with the telephoto gives the impression of being 'above' or at least level.  So, it's a fabulous place for these results.

I don't prefer one over the other - while many like to focus on one or a few areas, I'm still learning so will have a go at anything I can.  I think doing so develops skills all round, which then lend themselves in whatever may become a ore dominant focus area.

[Bazcelt]

As Namibia has some of the best locations for Cheetahs I guess there would be an initial preference, but as long as I could get the chance t spend tme with them in their natural environment I'd take it.

[RockArea]

Hi Barry!

I've not been to Oz and I'm wondering how the local environment has influenced your photography?

David

[Bazcelt]

Hi Barry!

I've not been to Oz and I'm wondering how the local environment has influenced your photography?

David

A lot is the short answer David.  With such a variety of locations, yes big distances to get to some of them, this I feel has encouraged me to try a variety of photographic options rather than focus on the few.  By that, I mean, there is fantastic coastal options, sunsets, rocks, waves, etc, then mountains (well, as an ex-Kiwi, what the Aussies call 'mountains, Kiwis term them 'foothills'), inland, wildlife etc.  This I feel gives a huge variety of different genres.  We're also very lucky here in my area to have Temora Aviation Museum so we also get regular opportunities to get aircraft shots.

[windsurf]

As Namibia has some of the best locations for Cheetahs I guess there would be an initial preference, but as long as I could get the chance t spend tme with them in their natural environment I'd take it.

There is a Cheetah preserve just outside Pretoria in South Africa where they are in their natural habitat and there are some tame ones that you can "pet" like a house cat. If you are ever there look into it

[Bazcelt]

As Namibia has some of the best locations for Cheetahs I guess there would be an initial preference, but as long as I could get the chance t spend tme with them in their natural environment I'd take it.

There is a Cheetah preserve just outside Pretoria in South Africa where they are in their natural habitat and there are some tame ones that you can "pet" like a house cat. If you are ever there look into it

Yes, if I got the chance to go, I'd look in to all the options.  The ones at Canberra Zoo provide the chance to get to be with them and touch as well, so it's more seeing them in their natural environment I'd really like.

[chippy]

Hi Bazcelt, I like your crisp answers to our questions   I live quite near one of the great aircraft museums at the famous airfield of Duxford in Cambridgeshire.  What sort of aircraft do you have at Temora? Any favourites? 

[Bazcelt]

Hi Bazcelt, I like your crisp answers to our questions   I live quite near one of the great aircraft museums at the famous airfield of Duxford in Cambridgeshire.  What sort of aircraft do you have at Temora? Any favourites? 

Hi Chippy, It's only a small set up, actually owned by one of the very richest business families in Australia, and a collection being slowly built up.  They have two Spits, a Meteor, Vampire, Hudson, Boomerang, Canberra, Wirraway, Cessna Birdog and Dragonfly, Tiger Moth, Ryan, Sabre, as their main collection, all of which have been restored there.  They also have regular fly ins with visiting aircraft from across Australia.  For instance, the first flight of the Sabre they had Mustang, Kittyhawk, and Hornet also visiting.  Favourite would have to be the Spit, but a close second would be the Vampire as it's one I've flown in as a kid.  Here's the link to the museum
http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/aircraft/
Which I hope works.