Meet the Flickrs - Meet Aknacer

Hallo Zusammen!

Heute gibt es nach langer Zeit endlich mal wieder ein Meet the Flickrs Interview! Und über dieses Interview freue ich mich besonders. Er ist einer der Kontakte der ersten Stunde bei Flickr - und immer ein Quell an Inspration gewesen...und er ist es immer noch :) Aaron Nace besticht durch seine surrealistischen Composings und atemberaubende Ideen. Er formt aus Bildern wirklich seine ganz eigne, faszinierende Welt. Ein paar Auszüge gibt es heute hier im Blog und natürlich das Interview gleich mit dazu - viel Spaß!

Give us a Quick description of yourself and where you come from and what you do outside the flickr life?

Aaron: Hi! My name is Aaron Nace and I’m a photographer and digital artist.  I was born in Kauai, Hawaii and moved to North Carolina when I was a teenager.  Other than posting my images on Flickr, I teach an online Photoshop class which allows anyone in the world to learn how to create images like mine.  When Avery (my amazing girlfriend!) and I aren’t conducting photo shoots, we like to cook, travel, read, and just be together.

How did you meet Flickr the first time?

Aaron: I used Flickr for the first time to post images of mine when I was traveling in South America.  It was a way to share photos of what I was doing with my family and friends.

How do you got into photography?

Aaron: I’ve always been interested in making images.  I went to school for design where I realized I wasn’t the best at drawing.  I needed another medium.  When I graduated, I had a good friend who was a photographer, and he made me realize that I could make my own art using a camera.  After attending university, I attended dental school and was working on my 365 project.  I was more interested in my photography project than dental school.  I realized I could make a greater impact on the world through photography.

What do you like Most on photography/what inspires you most? And where do you get your inspiration from?

Aaron: What I love most about photography is that it allows you to create whatever your mind can imagine.  My girlfriend, Avery Carlton has helped me realize who I want to be.  She inspires me to be a better person and photographer. Our relationship has made me want to expand into new territories and complete the impossible.  She pushes me to be better and has led me out of a stagnant series.  We have made plans to live this life together and we are constantly working to become better.  We work as a team.  She supports me, and I support her.  There is no “I” in “A Team”.  For our images, we get inspiration from anywhere…we can just look at something and our minds start to wander from there!

Did Flickr help you to get you where you are right now? (i mean doing Photoshop Teaching on the web and doing professional Photoshoots)

Aaron: Flickr definitely had its role in my success.  I cannot thank my fans enough for supporting from the beginning until now.  Their support and comments are what kept me going.

Unfortunately, Flickr does not allow me to post links to my class website…so getting the word out about my class on Flickr has been somewhat of a struggle.  Regardless, the class is still a success.  I would love to advertise on Flickr because those are the people I want to teach the most.  It would make me feel like I could give something back to them.

You're creating really impressive and sometimes sureal shots and artworks. Have you got a vision of the final Version already in your mind before shooting or does the final version gets to your mind while postprocessing?

Aaron: Avery and I generate a concept and then sketch it out.  We have a clear vision of what the image will look like from our sketch.  We figure out camera angle, posing for models, and even the light setup.  Sometimes we even do a mock shoot using Avery as the model just to be sure our image will be a success.  We have all of this figured out before anyone shows up for the shoot.

What Equipment you are using?

Aaron: Here is short list of necessary equipment:

• Cannon 5D MII
• Lenses:
• 50mm - 1.4
• 70-200mm - 2.8 IS
• 16-35mm – 2.8 USM2
• Battery Grip
• Pocket Wizards
• Light Stands – Avenger
• White Lightings X800
• Soft Boxes
• Beauty Dish
• Shoot Through White Umbrella
• Silver Umbrella
• Light Meter
• Battery Packs – Vagabond (for location shooting)
• Tripod

Did you learn all about retouching by yourself?

Aaron: I started using PS at 15 years old using other peoples images to create my own art... During design school, I used PS for designing products and whatnot.  I became more familiar with the program.  I am self-taught.  I have always tried to make the impossible happen through this program.

Do you shoot JPG or Raw? And why?

Aaron: I ALWAYS shoot raw because it maintains more information about the image such as color and light information.

Do you use other Plattforms to publish Photos?

Aaron: We use our blog and Facebook to promote our photos as well.  These social medias are great because they allow us to interact with other photographers, and also answer any questions.  We post our latest work with behind the scenes photos and video.  We are constantly posting updates on everything we do through these medias. Here are the links:

• A Team Facebook Page: KLICK
• Aaron & Avery Blog: http://www.aaronandavery.com

Is there anything you like to announce here in Germany - maybe do some advertising for your Photoshop Classes? :)

Aaron: I teach a live Photoshop class online in which we edit images that I have in my portfolio.  Students can see my screen and hear my voice.  They are able to ask questions and receive an answer instantly.  There is a beginner and advanced class so we cover simple and complex techniques.  I teach a beginner and advanced class every other month and anyone can join.  I post review videos after each class in case someone cannot make it to class.  You can find more information at www.learnphotoshoplive.com.

Also, Avery and I are conducting photography with Photoshop seminars! The seminar would be at least 3 days long and we would cover everything from concept planning, conducting a real photo shoot, and then post processing in Photoshop.  We would LOVE to visit Germany again if there is an interest.  We want to keep the class size around 15-20 people.  Please contact us if this is of interest to you!

Thanks a lot for the great Interview Aaron and keep up with that great work!!! :) Marc