The images of award-winning photographer David Ball are among the most loved among Photocrowd experts and voters. We spoke to David to find out more about him and his photography.
How did you first get into photography?
My inspiration to become a photographer started at a young age when my Grandad would inspire me with his camera on holidays. Now, I'm a landscape photographer based in and around the UK. I finally found my passion for landscape work after doing various types of photography through my ten years of experience. Some of my landscape images have been published in leading magazines including Digital Camera Magazine. Recently, one of them was short-listed in the National Geographic Traveller photo competition 2015.
Some of the natural locations and seascapes in your photos are breathtaking. What are your favourite places to photograph?
As you know, I love my seascapes! and I use long exposure work with those as I have to be shooting some of the best beaches and coastal places for this.... which happen to be some of my favourite places anyway. My top three locations for seascape work have to be Northumberland, Cornwall and Dorset.
Many of your landscape photos have a dreamy, other-worldly quality. What techniques do you use to achieve this?
The dreamy effect comes from doing long exposure/slow shutter work... It's mainly down to me using ND filters such as the Lee 10 stop filter, or even the latest gadget on the market the 'Lee Super Stopper' which is 15 stops. Both tools allow me to create really long exposures whilst smoothing out the sky and water to give me the desired effect.
Is there part of your photo equipment that you consider essential?
My tripod! It's so important to me, mainly because of the long exposure work I do when I travel around the UK. I couldn't produce the work I do without it. I would also say my Lee filters are equally essential to me.
Are there any particular photographers or visual artists that you take inspiration from?
My inspiration has always been my Grandad, but in Photographer terms I would say I get/got inspiration for my long exposure work from a guy called Jeff Vyse; he inspired me to take my photography to whole new level. Seeing his work gave me a passion and drive to be as good as him, producing stunning work like his and getting that cool, dream-like effect that he always managed to get into his images, especially his long exposure monochrome work.
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