After being absent for a week, Photog Friday is back. Craig Ferguson calls the island of Taiwan home. Travel, editorial and live music images from across Asia fill his portfolio. An accomplished strobist, Craig is currently offering his Light Your World off-camera lighting seminar. When did Craig start to shoot? What are this pro’s plans for future? What is his best shot? Read on…
Name: Craig Ferguson
Country of residence: Taiwan
Brief Bio: Australian professional photographer with over 10 years of Asian experience.
How did you first get interested in photography?
As a kid. Not too sure how I got into it, just know that it’s been with me all my life.
What do you like to shoot?
Culture, travel and music mostly, but I’ve been known to shoot anything and everything. Lately I seem to be doing a lot of family, baby, maternity type stuff. Makes for an interesting change of pace that I’m quite enjoying.
What’s your approach to photography, your philosophy? What do you look for? How do you set-up a shot?
Hmm, good question. I guess I’d have to say that I follow the motto “you miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take”. If a photographer is creatively engaged in taking photos, then there’s no such thing as a bad photo. Too many people however focus too much on gear, megapixels and so forth. As David du Chemin says “Gear is good. Vision is better”.
I couldn’t really say that I look for anything when engaged in photography. Rather, stuff just kinda finds me. Following on from that, I don’t have any set way of setting up a shot. I shoot with whatever the situation calls for and whatever is necessary to get my vision into the photo. Sometimes that means small apertures, long exposures and a tripod, other times it means 2 or 3 lights plus reflectors and so on.
What is the best photo you have taken? Why? Background and details, please…
I haven’t taken my best photo yet, and I probably never will. But I’ll keep trying.
What gear are you using? What else do you want to buy?
At the moment, I’m pretty much locked into the Canon EOS system. I have both full-frame and crop bodies, plus a range of lenses up to 200mm, and a handful of speedlights. I’m planning to move into more powerful lighting, studio strobes and the like in the near future (sponsorships/endorsement deals most welcome 🙂 )
Which area of photography would you like to explore further (macro, landscapes, portraits)
I’ve kind of tried them all already and will probably continue to shoot whatever I feel like on any given day – or whatever the client wants.
Where do you see your photography 5 years from now?
Hopefully I’ll have learned a few more things, and hopefully I’ll still be seeking the elusive “perfect” photo.
What the best advice you would give to fellow photographers?
Shoot what you love. Develop your own style.
Where can we find your images?
http://www.craigfergusonimages.com
http://www.facebook.com/craigfergusonimages
craig..is there anything that you don’t do well? you have a great eye for photography…you do really beautiful work!