Welcome to another interview at johnmakphotography.com. I always admire photographers like Corey because their work is really inspiring.
Instagram is a place where you can find great photographers and I am very happy to present to you Corey’s work. You can follow him on Instagram or visit his gallery here.
Favorite quote
“You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” That applies to everything in life, and it definitely works for our photography discussion!
Who you are / where do you live?
My name is Corey Ford, and I live in the state of New Jersey in the United States.
What is your main camera?
My main camera is the Canon EOS R5. I also have the Canon 6D Mark II as a second camera.
Top lenses you use?
My favorite lenses are:
- Canon EF 24-105 f4
- Tamron 70-200 f2.8
A favorite and essential accessory?
I love Peak Design Capture Camera Clip System. It’s a very secure camera strap!
Another essential accessory though would be my tripod. I own the Sirui Carbon Fiber travel Tripod T-1204Sk.
What do you mainly shoot?
I’d classify as a Hobbyist.
What was your first camera?
My first camera was an impulse purchase. I went into Walmart to buy a phone charger and walked out with a Canon T5 rebel. I’ve always wanted to buy an SLR but I guess I procrastinated.
After buying it took another year to start to really learn how to use it. I’d only shot on auto mode during the first year. And I’ve been in debt with this photography passion ever since lol.
First/worst funny moment as a beginner photographer?
You don’t have enough time for that lol. But there were plenty of unfocused scenes. Plenty of shoots where I inadvertently disabled RAW and only shot jpeg. And there was the time I inadvertently formatted my card with pics on it. Dammit…now I’m depressed. Thanks for nothing John ?
Share the toughest situation you’ve been in!
First Helicopter shoot. There was a lot of stuff happening very fast! It was was only 15 minutes, but it felt like 4 minutes.
Tools you use to promote your business?
Instagram is the main area I get to promote my work. You can find me here @flightlevelfoto.
My gallery with photos available for purchase is available via SmugMug: https://core4d.smugmug.com
How do you run your business post-covid19?
Motivation during Covid was pretty easy. Being outside for recreation was essential for me and I’m happy I was able to do so. And the lack of crowds made it even better. So as long as they allowed for recreation, I Was ok. It was a good excuse to turn off the tv which was constantly telling us how bad things were.
What inspires you to go out and take photos?
The inspiration is to see the world. The photography follows from that sole inspiration.
Favorite place/destination to photograph anywhere on earth and why?
Probably Yosemite National Park, but the Colorado Plateau area including southern Utah is a close second.
Yosemite is just full of different scenes and moods. Back to back days rarely look alike. And with the Plateau, I just love all the rock formations!
Top photographers, you admire/follow?
Tough question. I’ll just go with a few off the head. @anthonyduffphotography shoots Landscape photography down under. @itsme_mik3l is an urban cityscape photographer in Los Angeles. @ninawolfe is a cityscape photographer in NYC.
Probably not who anyone most would think. One of these photographers is famous. There are so many strong photographers out there who don’t have mega followings or huge audiences.
I’m leaving quite a few out, but those are closest to my head, probably because they just dropped another awesome photo recently and they’re at the forefront.
Best advice for beginner photographers?
Learn how to use your equipment. In other words, read the manual that explains how to use your tool, and keep shooting. Get out there. Make mistakes. Learn from them…but keep shooting.
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If you are interested in Corey’s work, click here to see more.