The Fresh Shoots Autumn season competition is now open - Submit your photos from Wellington
Botanical Gardens and it could be your photo featured here in a future issue!INTERVIEW WITH VANDY POLLARD
HI VANDY, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF...
I live in Wellington on the South Coast, Lyall Bay and
have always been a keen amateur photographer.
I completed a Bachelor of fine arts (BFA) and majored in
Graphic Design/Photography back in 1985 at Canterbury
University Art School where I was using an Olympus OM2n
which was a single lens reflex film system camera.
I have become more serious about my photography
in the last couple of years since purchasing my first
DSLR, a 80D Canon.
I have a post-graduate diploma in Secondary
teaching but work as a regional manager covering
Central North Island for the National Advocacy Trust/
Health and Disability Consumer Advocacy Service
which is a service provided under the Health and
Disability Commissioner Act 1994.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A
PHOTOGRAPHER?
I consider myself a serious amateur photographer and
in my spare time photograph most days.
I’m a keen gardener but despite my winning shot for
the people’s choice awards, flowers/plants are not my
usual subject matter.
My main inspiration comes from nature as I live on the
South Coast of Wellington, love walking and enjoy
varied landscape and birdlife on the coast. I also
frequently visit Zealandia Ecosanctuary in Wellington
to photograph the wildlife/birds.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR POPPIES SHOT...
I had purchased an EF 70-200mm f 2.8L IS II lens and
was keen to try it out with my 80D.
I entered this particular photograph of the last of the
poppies with just a few petals precariously hanging onto a
hint of summer colour as the change of seasons intrigued
me. I found such beauty in the spent blooms in sharp
contrast to the richness of the trees in the background.
I chose to use a shallow depth of field to focus on the
poppies in the foreground and to achieve a soft focus
for the background trees. My composition is almost as
shot in camera with only minor cropping/editing.
HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FOUND OUT
YOU HAD WON THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE?
I was incredibly excited as I haven’t entered many
competitions before and I had actually forgotten I
had entered this photograph! Winning the people’s
choice was special as people liked the photo I had
entered.HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THE
COMPETITION AND WHAT MOTIVATED YOU
TO ENTER?
I attended a Wellington Photography meet up
group hosted by yourselves at the Wellington
Botanic Gardens in October last year as I
wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone of
photographing wildlife and landscape, but had
also learned of the Fresh Shoots photography
competition through the Wellington Photographic
Society. I entered a few photographs from this
meetup walk and another workshop run by the
Wellington Photographic Society at the Botanic
Gardens that month.HAS WINNING THE PEOPLES CHOICE
INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE YOUR
PHOTOGRAPHY FURTHER?
Winning has definitely inspired me to take a few
more risks with my photography, to not become
complacent with my usual subject matter, and to
explore other places with my camera.
Since submitting my photo to the competition I
have completed a few workshops. One with wildlife
photographer Chris Helliwell on a trip to Zealandia
and most recently a one day long exposure
workshop hosted by Richard Young.
Learning new techniques and photographing/
learning from others has helped me grow as a
photographer and I am keen to find an opportunity
to enter more competitions and share my
photographs.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER
PHOTOGRAPHERS?
Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone.
Find other people who also enjoy photography and
who share your passion - join a local photography
group or society, find local meetups, don’t be
afraid to ask for help, exchange ideas, share your
photos, explore, and experiment. Be brave, push
your own boundaries, and continue to challenge
yourself and grow.http://www.instagram.com/coastal_wanderer_nz