Focus Magazine interview Part 1
Fortunately, I was approached by the local magazine FOCUS in Port Macquarie to answer a few questions about my photography, which I had been posting on Instagram of the local area. This gave me a great opportunity to share with everyone what I have been up to with creating Dolphin & Dog, and where I see it going. Please enjoy
Hi Scott. Thanks so much for speaking with FOCUS. Tell us a little about yourself.
Hey, thanks for the great opportunity to talk to you and display my work to your readers. Hi, I'm Scott Green. I'm originally from Kent in the UK. I came to Australia on my own about 7 years ago, back to the backpacker mecca of Manly to relive those carefree times I had experienced 6 years prior. It soon became apparent to me that I wanted to call Australia home and set out on a path to make that happen. So, I ended up studying business in Sydney full-time at the age of 32 for the next 4 years. After the studies had finished, an opportunity came up for me and my partner (Elle) to move to the beautiful Port Macquarie in order to pursue what had now become both of our dreams... to be true blue Aussies.
When did you first develop a love of the art form of photography?
I discovered my love for photography while traveling through Australia and Asia at the age of 25. I returned home with about 30,000 photos on a hard drive, but quickly discovered that quality is more important than quantity. I soon joined a local photography club and completed a year-long online course on photography, which gave me a good foundation to work from. I then did a lot of studio work for various companies, including product shoots, fashion, and even fetish photography, but don’t tell anyone. However, my real passion has always been for natural light and its environment. It wasn't long before I left the studio and all of its equipment behind and adopted an "all of the idea and none of the gear" approach to my work.
Who or what inspires you creatively?
Inspiration for me comes in many forms, depending on the medium. When it comes to photography, I am drawn to light and how it interacts with the world around us, Port Macquarie is a great place to observe this. You can either manipulate light to achieve your desired image or wait for it to provide the perfect moment of inspiration. I love discovering those moments when I'm out walking and observing its interactions with the world - be it with man-made structures, nature, people, or even a simple log in the sand. There are moments to be found everywhere.
As for painting, I find inspiration in the methods used by Max Ernst and Jackson Pollock. I use a form of automatic art, which involves painting without conscious thought, bypassing the conscious mind and allowing the hand to paint on more of a subconscious level . It’s a bit like when you’ve been driving your car and you cant quite remember the last 5 minutes of your journey However, Its not easy, thoughts do inevitably creep in and play a part in the final piece.
My latest creative outlet is illustration and product design. Port Macquarie and her beautiful beaches have been my inspiration for my illustrations and product range that I will soon be launching. I have been wanting to inject my ideas into products for a long time, creating great stuff for people to enjoy - something that makes them smile, feel great, and want to talk about with friends and family. I'm excited to have the opportunity to create creatively inspired products, rather than just off-the-shelf everyday options. The day is fast approaching when I get to show off to the local community what I have been up to.
Your photography style appears effortless; capturing the natural in every image with a propensity for natural landscapes and wildlife. Tell us a little about how you approach your subject matter.
Sure, before even picking up the camera, I visualize the picture that I want to take and frame it in my mind. Composition is vital. A simple trick is to follow the old master painters and divide the scene into thirds. Observe the foreground and background, find the lines, and decide where you want your focus to be. Pay attention to how the light interacts with the scene; it's everything, and that is 90% of the work done before even picking up a camera. The last 10% is checking the exposure and pressing the button at the right time. Simple, right? With enough practice, you'll be able to do all this in under five seconds without too much thought. These pictures were taken with a three-year-old phone. In other words, get the fundamentals down, train your eye, and it won't matter how much your gear costs; you'll be able to capture great pictures.
Please see part 2 for the rest of the interview here - coming soon
Focus Magazine interview Part 2
