Heading to the tropics this week with Andrew Watson Photography who’s based in Cairns, Far North QLD.
Having grown up in the region, Andrew has a passion for showcasing its natural beauty - from its palm fringed beaches, to its World Heritage rainforest, and the Great Barrier Reef beyond. His imagery is a colourful, diverse mix of landscapes, underwater scenes, native wildlife and aerial perspectives.
Q1. How did you start out as a photographer?
A. I started out in photography with an interest in travel, not long out of Uni. I backpacked around Asia with a hundred rolls of film and I was hooked.
Q2. What is your favourite subject to photograph & why?
A. My favourite subject to photograph is definitely landscapes and underwater nature… I love being in the outdoors and try to capture the beauty of a location in the best light.
Q3. What is your biggest challenge as a photographer?
A. These days my biggest challenge as a photographer is about balancing doing new shoots, editing pics and marketing myself and my work.
Q4. What’s your next or dream destination to photograph?
A My interest in photography both above and below the water means I’ve always got loads of new destinations I’d like to visit. For my underwater work, the Maldives is high on the list while the landscapes of Iceland are also a big draw.
Q5. Social media - love it or hate it? What platforms do you use?
A. I have bit of a love-hate relationship with social media. I love how it can reach new audiences so readily, but hate how it can take up so much time. My preferred platforms are Instagram and Facebook to a lesser extent.
Q6. What equipment do you use, favourite lens?
A. I generally use Canon cameras and lenses. Underwater I use this Canon gear in Aquatica underwater housings. For aerial work I use a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone. My favourite lens is normally my 16-35mm f4 wide angle zoom, but I also love using architectural lenses such as Canon’s 24mm and 45mm tilt and shift.
Q7. How do you know when your photo editing is finished?
A. I don’t like to do a lot of editing with my images. Most of the work is done in camera, with minimal post-production just to optimise the colour and mood.
A8. What’s the most difficult/challenging place you’ve photographed?
A. Underwater is probably the most challenging place I shoot. Throw in the usual difficulties of managing light and settings with underwater buoyancy, currents, short dive times and skittish wildlife.
Q9. What is one question you’d like to be asked and have never been?
A. I guess one question I’d like to be asked and have never been is what attracts me to a certain scene when shooting and the thought process that goes into shooting it.
10. What do you think about having jigsaws made from your images?
A. Like any photographer/artist, I love seeing my images in print... so to have other people enjoying my pics as a jigsaw and really studying the detail in a scene, that’s pretty cool.