Sebastian has been pushing for the Sydney Portraiture photography community hardcore over the last year. He will be co-hosting SYD PORTS MEET 2 an upcoming portrait meet in Sydney (registration below). We decided to take 5 with him and see what makes him tick.
Gear List
My main go-to camera is my 5d Mk IV along with a variety of lenses, such as:
Portraits:
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
Landscapes:
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
I also use the Sony A6300 Mirrorless Camera for a portable point and shoot body; with the addition of the Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS Lens.
What Type Of Photography Are You Into?
Portrait and landscape photography are the two categories of photography that I am most interested in.
With Portrait Photography, often people would think its easy – just snapping a shot of a model in front of the camera. But personally, I believe that there is a deeper meaning to it.
For me, it’s more about portraying my own feelings/emotions at the current time, through the model in front of me. This is all dependent on the framing of the model, their expressions, their pose, the styling of the model and of the shoot, the props used during the shoot, the environment, and the overall mood and vibe of the final shot (pre and post editing/ retouching). All these different processes and factors act as a bridge, to communicate my message to the people looking at the final result.
Landscape photography, however, is slightly different.
“I don’t want to lie in bed, and regret all the days I’ve missed“.
This quote is embedded into my mind, as over the past year (due to my own personal and family health issues) it has made me realise how short your life really is.
By going on a lot of road trips and traveling, it really makes you realise how important your time is.
For me especially – my all-time favourite landscape photos are ones of the milky way (astrophotography). I just love how relaxing it is to be in the dark, staring at billions of stars in the sky and watching shooting stars passing by. It just makes you realise how small you are in this universe; and how small and meaningless your issues are.
I guess what I’m trying to say is… live your life and leave a positive trail. Don’t regret not seeing the world and experiencing what the world has to offer, as the greatest pleasures in life are all about timing.
How did you start shooting? What inspires you?
I started shooting because of my mother, back in 2011/2012.
We’d often go on mini trips and outings, yet we were never able to fully remember what happened during those trips as there weren’t many photographs to refresh our memories.
I guess it was her way of not wanting us to regret losing the most cherished memories – as cheesy as it sounds. This is because photography is not just about remembering the moment, but also the experiences you had gone through on the day (prior to/ or from taking the shot).
What inspires me to do photography is not so much from seeing other amazing photographs taken by other photographers. it’s about the experiences and the people that I meet through those experiences.
Everyone has a story to tell. So why not share it, and create new ones together?
What Is Syd Ports Meet?
“SYD PORTS MEET” is pretty much an instameet that is held by local Sydney portrait photographers.
I have put together a wonderful team and have started a collective (still in the works) with the intentions to bring other creatives together and to create.
The idea came to me as I noticed that many photography groups in Sydney that host instameets – all end up turning into portrait meets.
I understand that “photography” is a loose term, as it may reflect on different categories of photography. But seeing as though many groups in Sydney lose their focus from their photography niche (landscape, urban architecture, etc…) and turn into portrait meets – I saw the chance to create a collective to focus specifically on ‘portraits’.
What’s Going To Be Happening At The Meet?
There really isn’t a set itinerary that people must follow. We will provide a general idea of what will be going on during the day.
However, on the day of the meet, we will introduce the hosts and the sponsors to all who are attending.
From there, you are free to roam around the park and shoot with the models that the hosts have invited.
Finally, at a certain time… The hosts will call everyone over, to make some final announcements and wrap things up!
Any Tips For The Attendees?
Don’t be afraid to come up to people and meet new faces!
Also, relating to that – Don’t be afraid to ask for help! There is no right way of doing photography, but it won’t hurt to learn new skills on the way
Shoot with what you’ve got! (“The best camera, is the one that’s with you” ~ Chase Jarvis).
I’ve gotten a few messages from people asking whether they are still able to attend if they don’t have a proper camera. The answer is YES.
Come for a hang, or for the bants!
