Welcome to another installment in our series of interviews with Flickr photographers. Ryan Hutchins, RyanHC on Flickr, caught my eye during a recent search for images of Aspen, Colorado. He has a fun style, capturing great portraits and action shots, as well as beautiful landscapes. He was nice enough to answer a few questions about his photography for us, and give some advice for aspiring photographers.
TravelMuse: What got you interested in photography and why do you continue to enjoy it?
Ryan Hutchins-Cabibi: I have been interested in photography for quite a while. My Dad was an avid amateur photographer, and I caught the bug as a youngster. My first camera was a 35mm fixed lens, viewfinder yashica that I still own. In high school I devoted most of my studies to photography and soon after high school opened my own freelance photography company, Epic Images. I worked with two other photographers shooting mostly Fine Art and action photography with a little photojournalism to try and pay the bills. I worked at camera stores to make ends meet and generally had a great time as a "starving artist". I found a great artistic community and volunteered for a community art gallery for a few years. When I finally went to college, I worked at the yearbook as a photo editor to get access to a darkroom. After graduating, I moved away from photography as the medium changed to more digital and I followed other passions. I finally began shooting again with a small digital point and shoot and when my wife said she would like a DSLR for her birthday one year, the candle was relit. Since then I have been shooting on and off with a variety of subjects, basically whatever I see around me when I have a camera.
TM: How long have you been using Flickr, and what do you like about it?
RHC: I've only been on Flickr for a few years. I love seeing what others are shooting, and being inspired by what they post. I like feedback about my images, the opportunities to network and share those images. Flickr helps me to pick my best images, or at least try to whittle it down to the best of a series.
TM: What kind of equipment and software do you use?
RHC: My equipment is pretty basic. I shoot with a Nikon D80 with Tamron lenses, a few manual focus nikkors that I had on my old N90. I have a handful of cameras, the old yashica, a N8008, N90, a 4x5 field camera that I would love to get back into, or find a digital back for (for cheap if such a thing exists!) an older HP 3.2mp point and shoot, and now the N90. I do basic editing in iphoto. I've looked at other software, and I'll go more advanced eventually. I find that coming from a film background, I am resistant to digital editing. I'm sure that will change once I realize what is possible.
TM: What is your favorite subject to photograph? What inspires you?
RHC: Things that inspire me are people interacting with nature, nature’s natural beauty. The places I go and the things I do there. I seldom go out with the intent of capturing anything specific. I've been thinking lately of giving myself some "photo assignments" but mostly I just look around and see what inspires me in the moment.
TM: What is your favorite photograph that you've taken and why?
RHC: My favorite shot is a picture of my wife in our kitchen lit by the setting sun. Beautiful women, incredible light and strong contrast, what more could you ask for?
Of course I'm biased. I also really like the shot of an off road truck that flipped over and has the crowd looking at it. It is unexpected and shows a dynamic event in a static moment, which i think is neat.
TM: What advice do you have for aspiring photographers?
RHC: I would tell aspiring photographers the same age old advice I got, shoot a lot, you'll get something eventually. I think this is a lot easier with digital, though it may be harder to see what is actually "good". Also, I think it is important to shoot what you are interested in. You will have a better sense of the subject, and shooting will be more fun.
