Interview with Landscape Photographer Chip Phillips

It is pretty impossible not to fall in love with these landscapes. Valleys of dream and scapes of paradise, and it does takes ample time to believe the beauty of earth through these brilliant landscapes. Chip Phillips tell us he lives in a photographers paradise, hailing from Pacific Northwest he does explore a lot in this region to capture the unseen beauty of it. Pictures which are unlike others, surreal and unimaginative. Chip believes that talent can get a person quite far, with the right factors of passion and dedication. Curiously asked about his inspiration, humbly he tells us its the natural beauty of this world.

Read more here and see the pictures for yourself to believe.

What Interested you to become a Landscape Photographer?

I’ve been a lover of the outdoors my whole life. I grew up hiking, backpacking, boating, and fishing. When my dad gave me his old film SLR in 2005, I was immediately hooked. It seemed like a perfect fit.

How good are the landscapes in pacific northwest, you seem to enjoy every bit of it?

The Pacific Northwest has everything! The ocean, the mountains, the lakes, the Palouse region—it’s really a photographer’s paradise.

How often do you travel to capture these soulful and fantastic pictures?

I travel as often as I can! During the best times of the year, I’m out probably more than half of the time. Less in the winter—that’s when I tend to do more local photography.

How do you plan your shoot, what kind of homework is necessary in knowing the place better?

I familiarize myself with other photographers’ images of the area. I look at Google Earth and I get to know the weather in the area. I research how to get places. I buy books by local authors, not necessarily photographers, to get an idea of areas that may have potential, but are lesser known.

What is your Inspiration and constant driving force behind Chip for his success as a Landscape Photographer?

I am so fortunate to be making a living doing what I love. I’ve always been a very curious person and I love pushing myself and learning new things. I believe that talent can get a person quite far, but the most important quality is hard work and dedication. And I’m just so inspired by the natural beauty in our world.

For You, what does it take to make a beautiful picture and what time is apt for a perfect landscape?

Well, of course conditions need to be right. I do most of my shooting at sunrise and sunset, when the light is most beautiful. Clouds usually make for more dramatic pictures, but it is possible to make a good image with clear skies. Basically, it’s all about quality of light, interesting subject matter, engaging composition, and skillful editing. An element of personal style is important too—something to make it unique and stand out from the rest.

Your favorite country to photograph in the list to do’s and why?

My favorite photographic locations are the Palouse region of Washington State, the coasts of Washington and Oregon, and the Cascade and Rocky Mountain ranges. In addition to being dramatically beautiful, these areas have been dear to me for my entire life, and I have a strong personal connection to them.

How important is light and weather elements to capture a landscape photograph?

It’s essential. My advice is to learn a bit about meteorology and how it affects photo conditions.

How do you plan your travel about being to a particular place at the right time?

Well, I do a lot of research about conditions at different times of the year—such as when the wildflowers tend to bloom in a particular area—but ultimately, Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate, and there’s a lot of guesswork involved. I try to be flexible with my plans based on the current conditions.

Few words about your workshops and stuff?

I recently released my first set of image editing videos. These can be found here:

• Watch Video
• Information about Workshops

Your Awards and Achievements you would like to share with us?

My photos have been published in various magazines, including Digital Camera, Digital Photo, Popular Photography, and Photo Plus. In 2009 I was honored to win both First and Second Place in the Landscapes category of Digital Camera Magazine’s Photographer of the Year awards.

Your gear to produce these masterpieces?

I use a Canon 5D Mark III. Currently I use the following Canon L-Series lenses: 16-35mm f2.8 II, 24-105mm f4 IS, 70-200mm f4 IS, and 400mm f5.6. I use Gitzo tripods and Markins ball heads, and B+W filters.

Your future goals and ambitions?

I just want to keep improving and learning. I want to always be able to have fun taking pictures, never lose my excitement and passion. I feel so fortunate to be doing what I’m doing.

Quick Questions

• What is your idea of happiness?
  Beauty, love, family.
• What is your greatest fear?
  Boredom, complacency, lack of inspiration.
• What do you consider your greatest achievement?
  My marriage, and making a career out of art.
• Where would you like to live?
  By the ocean or in the mountains.
• What is your most marked characteristic?
  My drive, curiosity, love of learning.
• What do you most appreciate in your friends?
  Kindness and honesty.
• Who are your heroes in real life?
  Galen Rowell, my family.
• What is Love?
  Honesty, laughter, trust.
• Who are your favorite authors?
  Jon Krakauer, Henry David Thoreau
• What is your favorite motto?
  “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” – Henry David Thoreau

You can find Chip Phillips on the Web :

• Website
• Editing Videos
• Facebook
• 500px
• Flickr
• Google+

Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted to Chip Phillips. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.