Artists of Landscape Photography: @unkopierbar

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Hello and welcome to our continuing interview series that will introduce the artists of our monthly themed categories here at AnimalsPlantsNature group! May's Featured Category will take us into the world of Landscape Photography and so we're excited to be bringing you an interview with the talented Unkopierbar!


Exile. by Unkopierbar
This was my favorite shot as I looked through Unkopierbar's  gallery, preparing for this article.

The way he captured the sun as it was peeking through the clouds, its sparce rays illuminating the ground below, was magnificent. I also love the editing process that he used on it, it gives it a dreamlike appearance, a dream I would like to explore more. -Amarantheans


Introducing Unkopierbar!


Please, tell us a bit about yourself!

:iconunkopierbar:
Hi, everybody! I'm Julian, 25 years old, and I live in Germany.                                                                                             

My life is a waterfall. I often find myself surprised what it has to offer and I love to see, learn and do a lot of things. I worked in a kindergarten with disabled kids, studied Geography and Media at university, and I created art and videos for events, music, and websites. Recently, I came back from a wonderful adventure in Asia.

My goal is to give myself challenges to master. Landscape photography is just a part of the plan. I should mention right away that I cannot really consider myself a pure landscape photographer even though I love spending my time in nature. With this being said, I can claim a lot of things now without having to look like an expert ... 
:D (Big Grin)


How did you get started in landscape photography?

:iconunkopierbar:
Landscapes are probably the most popular subjects for people who have just gotten into photography. The fever infected me when I was just ten years old and my grandfather allowed me to use his SLR. 

What kept me capturing landscapes is the challenge to make a difference between how other people normally see their environment and what I see. My photos don’t have to look realistic; I want them to convey a certain mood, an atmosphere to you. I love to look for the beauty and uniqueness in everyday things.


What photography equipment do you use for your photos?

:iconunkopierbar:
My loyal companions are the Canon EOS 5D Mk III and all kinds of different Canon lenses between 16 and 300 mm. While magazines for photo junkies usually recommend wide angle lenses for landscape photos - learning by doing and trial and error are the best ways of improving, by the way - I often use longer focal lengths in order to focus on a certain structure and to avoid empty space. Another integral part of my workflow is Camera Raw/Photoshop. 

I have to admit that the only thing that I am truly excellent at is destroying tripods … :D (Big Grin) So, I always have to become creative when it comes to long exposures for instance.



What inspires you to go out into the world to capture such lovely scenes?

:iconunkopierbar:
I have to distinguish between going out and the act of creating the final picture. The reasons for going out are curiosity, the need to discover, and being alone and free in nature.

However, art begins in your head and it ends in other people's heads. If you feel like this, too, it might not sound that awkward anymore when I tell you that my inspiration for art derives from the dreams I've had. A couple of weeks ago, I took a photo on a tropical island. When I looked at the photo on my computer later, I realized that I had dreamed of such scenery with unnaturally vibrant, but strangely soothing colors – it's something I couldn’t have experienced in reality. So, I gave the photo exactly this look and the shot turned into something special for me.



Could you please share your own personal favorite landscape photograph among your own works, and tell us a little bit about the process that went into creating such a piece?

:iconunkopierbar:
Well, "What is your favorite piece of art?" is surely a killer question for artists! Instead of trying to find out (and state something I might regret later :D (Big Grin)), I want to show you a somewhat weird landscape shot. It's a good example of my way of handling landscape photography:
Across The Desert by Unkopierbar
The photo consists of a car, a harvested field, and some birds; nothing more than everyday elements. What I saw, however, was a desert, people in a jeep who try to escape, but they find themselves drawing circles while vultures gather to watch out for carrion. 

After I spotted the scene from a hill, I waited for a second until all desired elements came together, hit the shutter, tilted the photo in post (something people normally hate in a landscape shot) to increase the dynamic and abstract feeling, and I increased the contrast between the shadows and the highlights. That's pretty much it!


What is the most challenging part of landscape photography for you?


:iconunkopierbar:
Landscape photography requires a lot of commitment and flexibility, because I depend on the conditions outside. 

Last year, I was shooting at the sea at dusk. I climbed on some rocks, only water around me. I was so focused on taking photos that I didn’t realize that the water level was raising, which almost got me trapped in the sea! To save myself (and my camera), I had to climb across the edge of the cliffs through the darkness. Stepped into a lot of things which made my feet bleed and slipped a couple of times, but I managed to save the camera.
 
By the way, the photos turned out to be boring. Not complaining though, I was in an adventure mood and got what I wanted! :D (Big Grin)


Do you have any advice for new or experienced nature photographers?


:iconunkopierbar:
Dry deserts, powerful geysers, and of course the intriguing aurora – these wonders of Mother Nature have fascinated me ever since. And of course, all of them cannot be found where I live. :D

So, when I first made contact with landscape photographs from all over the world, I was always wishing that I would live close to such exciting places. Then, however, I started to take a closer look at my area, and I was surprised to discover so many eye-pleasing natural treasures. Although I love to travel, most of the photos in my gallery were still taken just around my home. 

My advice for people who have just discovered landscape photography would be: Do not become disappointed when you see magnificent landscapes in other people's photos. Instead, make use of the uniqueness of your place – there is always something interesting to find. Look out for structures that stand out and contrast with their surroundings: Lonely trees, paths, and huts are classics here. Once you start to look for this kind of elements, your eyes will be trained to find the odd, weird and interesting things.



Now a feature of some of his wonderful landscapes!


Good Morning, Vietnam! by Unkopierbar

The Shire by Unkopierbar       The Everlasting King by Unkopierbar



Until Kingdom Come by Unkopierbar

Thanks so much for taking a moment to contemplate your work, and allowing us this time with you. Unkopierbar :heart:






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serel's avatar
I finally found the muse to read this without ruffle or excitement and I'm glad I didn't skip it. While I already know Unkopierbar and his works it was interesting to read a bit more about him and his workflow.