By Adrian Klein
Starting this month when we send out an updated newsletter we will including a featured photographer. To keep the newsletter itself from becoming too long and large we will include the full interview on the blog and only the initial part in the newsletter.
This month we welcome Paul Marcellini. I got to know Paul and his work through NPN and we met briefly when he was in town a few years back. Like many of us I am interested in work that helps me experience new places. In this case it’s the swampy parts of Florida. I have respect for someone that can get within inches of strong jawed crocodiles and wade around in swamps. Somehow hiking and backpacking in bear country rarely concerns me yet the thought of crocodiles is not very inviting to me. One of these days I will make it down that way to experience it myself. Until then I will continue to enjoy Paul’s photos.
AK: You have some pretty amazing images of the Everglades area and associated wildlife. Have you always been interested in exploring the area or did it come after getting into photography?
PM: Actually photography came second. I love nature and photography is my current way of expressing it. Before photography, I painted. The Everglades is my backyard essentially, so it was my first base of exploration and is the “old familiar” but I seem to fall in love with most places I visit that offer a feeling of wilderness.
AK: What do you think is the biggest challenge to being a landscape/wildlife photographer today?
PM: Creating work that stands out and is new and original. I try to find unique scenes and luckily, Florida is not a state full of natural icons. The gear is better than ever so technically perfect wildlife photography is much easier, but getting an artistic image still is very much dependent on the photographer.
AK: I am sure it’s hard to pick one yet do you have a favorite location to photograph and if so why?
PM: Iceland comes to mind immediately. It is like another world over there, even with pretty bad weather, I had a blast. It is the current hotspot it seems, but there is a big reason for that.
AK: What are your top 3 personal favorite images and why?
PM: The three that make me the most money! It is hard to pick, but I would say Holy Sunstar!, Welcome to the Jungle and Wizard of the Hoh. All three depict a lot of mood and I think the compositions really worked. I personally like more complicated imagery, even though the simpler stuff is what usually sells.
AK: With nature photography weather and other elements can be unpredictable. How do you work through these challenges to create engaging photos?
PM: I really enjoy chasing the storms in the summer. These are definitely unpredictable, but knowing the terrain helps to get last minute compositions squared away. I usually don’t have set images in mind, I am very reactionary and I think it helps to keep a flexible mindset.
AK: What is the most important piece of photo or computer equipment that you simply cannot live without?
PM: A wide-angle…it is the basis of my photography. Many of my newer images are stitches of the Canon 17mm tilt shift for what I am guessing is about 10mm view on full frame.
AK: Any tips you are willing to share for photographers new to photography, especially in swampy places like the Everglades?
PM: Anything unknown is daunting but the Everglades is not as scary as everyone thinks. Get your feet wet and be cautious. Slow down and look around. I like the complicated nature of the swamp, digital speeds us up so much, that this forced slower pace is beneficial to my art.
To see more of Paul’s work check out his website – http://www.paulmarcellini.com
Location: Portland, OR
Website: www.adrianklein.com
Adrian Klein has a passion for the outdoors and landscape photography that is endless. He has traveled the parks, shorelines and wilderness capturing images that represent each area through his own artistic eye from the curbs to the far off trails.
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