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Lightstalking Introductions
This time around we learn a little about Chris Pook (aka Chris Pook 2 & Chris Pook 3…)
Tell us a little about yourself and your photography journey.I am from Leicester in the U.K. but we have lived in a small village in Cambridgeshire for 15 years. From there I have travelled to a few different places, which has been fun. I have 3 children, who are great, and who have all been born and grown up in the same village. I would love them to see more of the world, but there is time for that yet, and it is a wonderful and safe place for them to have grown up.
I have been taking photographs with varied levels of success for more than 30 years, and have been brand loyal to Canon since I my T70. I have enjoyed a couple of AE1s since then, and an EOS 5, both of which I still use. I still have the T70 but have not put any film through it in years. I must give it another go some time. I’m shooting with a Canon 5DII which I like, and am debating an upgrade… choices choices!
My dad was interested in photography. There are many photo boards at home, and he was never far from a camera – he used a Rollei 35S for years, has finally gone digital, but I think still misses dropping films off at the chemist. I think that is where my interest came from. He has encouraged me quietly, along the way.
Outside of photography and family, I’m a fan of travel, for work or travel for its own sake. I enjoy target and trap shooting but I’m not so interested these days in shooting anything other than paper or tin cans. Fast bikes – I have a couple in the shed, both 1100 superbikes, one from the 80’s and another from the 90’s. I tend to keep stuff. Bikes, cameras, wife. I love horses. I grew up with horses outside the house, and horses sometimes inside the house. It would be fair to say I had a wonderful childhood. Being anywhere near horses just makes me happy. They are good for the soul.
What is the best advice you received so far regarding photography?
Take a photograph of one thing. Go high or low – find a new angle. Get in close. Use a tripod where possible. If no tripod, take a firm grip, set shutter speed to 1 or 2 times focal length, and roll don’t press the shutter. Keep shooting. Don’t use a lense cap. Practice. Your subjects reflect your mood in portraits.
How do you maintain inspiration?
My kids… are just forever changing. And travel – I meet a lot of people and am lucky. Flickr is great for ideas, and light stalking. I enjoy the challenges, and get inspired from seeing what great results are posted on here.
What is your favourite subject to shoot and why?
People, generally. My children, especially. Horses. Anything with emotion or with meaning. If I have to say one thing, it would be trying to capture the connection between horses and owners. I have only managed this once or twice, and I love it when it happens. Mountains. I love the mountains. I live on rolling prairie land near the fens. I miss mountains. If I had no responsibilities I would head for the hills, and do when I can, but not often enough.
Do you have a favourite type of photography?
I would love to be good enough to produce fine art equine photography. I am not, yet. Travel and people I love. Colour or B&W, all have a place. I think what I like is reportage. What I would love to do is more travelling, to difficult places, to show how people must live.
We lead such busy lives. There is so much out there in the rest of the world, so many stories to be told, and I would love to be a part of telling that story. But I have bills to pay, and the work I do I love enough to stick with for now.
How would you describe your photographic journey to date?
I am self-taught, and have learned much from reading various websites, and have perhaps 3 or 4 books on photography at home. If I go and photograph an event I tend to just Google the event, and see what images others have captured and how. And then I try to emulate. It is working, slowly. I would get better quicker if I did some courses.
Are you currently involved with any photography projects? If so, what?
No projects at the moment. I have been without my camera for 2 months, as I have just started a new job, and thought I should commit some time at the start to understanding the role. I’m looking forward to getting home in a couple of weeks and picking up my camera again.
If you could only use one camera/lens combination for a year, which would you choose?
Canon 5DII and the 24-70 L series lens. Or the 70-200mm zoom. Two favourite lenses. Hmm, tough one. If I have to carry it for the year I’ll go mid tele. The 70-200 is a beast. Or maybe, just maybe, that AE1…
What is your favorite image right now?
My favourite photograph tend to be from the batch that I have taken most recently. Ones that I keep going back to, of mine, are the Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, and a photograph of a trader who used to visit us in our base in Kabul. He was just a great guy;
https://randomsnaps.smugmug.com/Travel/Afghanistan/i-PHjj5Tr/A
Is there a photographer that inspires you?
I love the stuff that is going up on here on the Mobile Monday threads, and the Weekend Challenges. There are so many talented people on here, it is a real inspiration. I like Simons stuff, and watching his journey with his children and their photography. Rob Eyers Landscapes. Elin L Landscapes. They are really inspiring. When I see their photographs I just want to go to the mountains.
If I had to pick one alive it would be Don McCullin. He is a living legend of a war photographer, from London’s East end in the 1950’s, through Vietnam, the Cypriot civil war, African bush wars, Beirut, all the way up to Iraq. He is 80, still going strong. He was in Kurdistan last November, photographing the war against Islamic State. And we are friends on Face Book. You just have to love Social Media.
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialDonMcCullin/?fref=ts
One passed on would be Catherine Leroy, and her work with Tony Clifton in the book God Cried.
These are the people I admire, for bearing witness.What is your biggest challenge when it comes to photography?
Making sure that the items I order on Amazon arrive while my wife is at work.
Is there anything specific you intend to learn or improve in your photography?
I have the equipment for macro photography but have not yet produced anything I am happy with. That needs more work. I enjoy landscape photography but am not very good at it. I would love to get better at landscapes. And I would like to do more reportage work, preferably on a paid basis, but there are a lot of people at it. My next big challenge is covering a friend’s wedding. I am really looking forward to that, although admit to being a little nervous. But not as much as she is.
If people want to follow more of your work where should they go?
There are two places online, but I am erratic in updating….
Website: http://randomsnaps.smugmug.com/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pookies_pics/
Provide links to 3 or 4 of your favourite images that can be displayed with the interview
https://randomsnaps.smugmug.com/Coverpage/i-QxLWkJG/A
https://randomsnaps.smugmug.com/Coverpage/i-FpssXvS/A
https://randomsnaps.smugmug.com/Coverpage/i-RfmvbZh/A
https://randomsnaps.smugmug.com/Coverpage/i-MtZ4RHF/A
CC: @chrispook3
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Chris, love it:
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to photography?
Making sure that the items I order on Amazon arrive while my wife is at work.
Great to hear a little bit more about you, if I am ever your way, I would definitely like to buy you a pint!
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Hi Chris,
I like your story and I like your pictures even better.
I checked out you Smugmug. You have some really strong shots there and a great variety of subjects.
You do not need new toys. Your pictures prove that. However I have the feeling that new toys do inspire you so go buy new equipment and shoot. Show us more. Good work.People go check out Chris’s randomsnaps at Smugmug.
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- elinlaxdal1
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/40843248@N07/
- Allows Edits: Yes
@elax- Posts:4773
Allows Edits? YesFine interview Chris – second Erik’s view about your images on Smugmug. Suggest that you try to infect your wife (and perhaps the rest of your lovely family) with the photobug – and bring her/them to shoot some stunning landscapes :).
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- https://instagram.com/lightstalking
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightstalking
- Allows Edits: Yes
@admin-2- Posts:14360
Allows Edits? YesGood to know more about you, @chrispook
Hopefully I haven’t totally broken your account settings! 😉
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- https://www.instagram.com/christopher.pook/
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/pookies_pics/
- Allows Edits: Yes
@chrispook- Posts:3263
Allows Edits? YesHey, Hi everyone! Thank you for the kinds words. Admin, it’s working hurray! I’ve been traveling the last few days, just got home to the UK yesterday morning, re-united with wife, children, dogs, Canon collection etc! Just opened presents, and looking forward to Christmas lunch. Better late than never… Thank you again!
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Interesting story Chris! I know that challenge of hiding new stuff – at least for a couple of weeks. Then when I use it and the wife asks ‘Where does this come from?’, you can honostly answer ‘Oh this? I’ve had it for a while already’! 😉
Keep’em photo’s coming!
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- https://www.instagram.com/christopher.pook/
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/pookies_pics/
- Allows Edits: Yes
@chrispook- Posts:3263
Allows Edits? YesI bought a new rifle a few years ago. Sako TRG 22. Great rifle. I was caught in the act of getting it into the gun cabinet… “I don’t even want to know how much that was”. Then, 5 minutes later “How much was that??”. Seriously, you do not want to know!
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