As the official magazine of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography, top landscape & travel photographer, Peter Eastway brings us this excellent article in the AIPP Journal. Also, check out Peter’s other publication, “Better Photography.”
Excerpt From The Article
When you view the work of David Edmonson, a myriad of thoughts rush through your mind. Is it digital? Is it a composite? How are the expressions achieved? What does the photograph remind me of? How does he do it? All is revealed at The Nikon AIPP Event.
At the tender age of 64, David has no intention of retiring and is still winning major awards, both in the USA and Australia. You may recognise David as the AIPP’s International Photographer of the Year from 2015, and he is also visiting us later this year as one of the keynote speakers for our 2016 Nikon AIPP The Event.
“I was told that once you reached 55, no one would hire you as a photographer. Maybe that was right years ago, but everything has changed. Age might be a problem as a wedding photographer, but I’m still shooting lots of commercial work, everything from book covers, CD covers, annual reports and catalogues. Luke, my son, works with me on the commercial accounts and grows the studio’s wedding clients.”
Four or five years ago, David and Luke looked at their business and discussed spending the $20,000 a year typically allocated for wedding magazine advertising differently.
“Luke said why didn’t I take the money and do what I wanted to do as a gift to me. I had never studied the old masters, so I started using the funds to broaden my knowledge and to develop tributes to their work.”
And suddenly you realise why David’s photographs look so familiar: they are homages to famous painters such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Caravaggio.
David is well aware of the difference between copying and paying tribute. The paintings upon which he bases his studies are so well known, there is no chance of mistaking them and the effort he goes to recreate them photographically is a discipline all of its own.
THE LIVES OF THE MASTERS
“Many photographers I know who have grown as artists have also studied the masters. They would copy the work of the master and, in so doing, come to understand why each stroke is in its place. Copying work gives you a much greater depth of your understanding, and that’s why I started making my personal tributes.”
“Once you’ve achieved the ability to duplicate something, the next step is to create within its style. “
Continue reading the rest of the article on ISSUU.
About Peter Eastway & The AIPP Journal
Noted Australian professional photographer, Peter Eastway recently sat down with David during the Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) conference in Las Vegas. Peter is internationally recognized for his Landscape and Travel photography and holds the Grand Master accolade from the AIPP amongst many other incredible distinctions.
For over 30 years he’s been part of the photography publishing, admired for his Australia’s Better Photography magazine and his work with the AIPP Journal. Make sure you check out his regularly updated photography blog.
He has online photography training books and DVD’s available for those interested in improving their travel & landscape photography through BetterPhotography.com. There is an online learning class on running a photography business or sign up for the Better Photography digital edition as well as free content available.
Connect with Peter on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+ and 500px. Connect with Better Photography on Facebook.
The AIPP Journal is the official magazine of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography published 10 times a year. Read selected content regularly on their blog.
