What Role Does the Photographer Have in Society?
Just a few short days ago our eyes lit up with joy when we opened up Twitter. A member of the JPEGmini family shared with us that he saved 5.5TB so far using JPEGmini!
— Adam Butler (@80kms) August 1, 2016
While this is amazing, the tough part is getting to know who Adam Butler, of 80kms, is. As most of you know, Twitter only allows us to use 140 characters in each tweet. We went ‘old school’ and got in touch with Adam directly in order to get to know him a bit better. So without further ado, here’s Adam.
What’s your name and where are you from?
My name is Adam Butler and I live in Adelaide, South Australia.
What’s your background?
I am an insurance agent by day and a photographer on weekends and most nights.
When and how did you start shooting photos?
I have always loved to have a camera around and especially loved looking through the family albums and old photos. In 2003 I started more seriously with football (soccer) photography and have kept at it since.
What kind of photography do you most identify with?
Sports, particularly football. But my real passion would be street photography.
I also like isolation and remote areas and nature stuff, like birds in flight.
Explain your style in 100 words.
My style varies depending on what I am shooting. In sports, I guess a lot of what I take is editorial, but you are always hoping to have time to be creative and capture something from a different perspective. You are always looking to capture the emotion of the sport. You can miss a goal, but you cannot miss the celebration. With my street photography, I am probably more about color. I do love the odd black and white, but when you look at my photos as a collective you will see lots of color, sometimes over saturated and over vibrant.
How has your style changed over time?
I am self-taught, so I guess my style has changed as I have learned more about what the camera can do. I don’t really know what has changed. But I do look back at some photos and say to myself “what was I thinking!!!”.
What photograph left a lasting impression on you and why?
Any photo that captures a memory for the subject. Often it is a photo of a player, with a family member watching on in the background. Also, celebration photos.
Also love something different:
What jobs have you done other than being a photographer?
I am an insurance agent.
What is your dream project?
I really don’t have a dream photo project, as I love what I do and really enjoy taking photos at the grassroots of a sport.
Where do your influences come from as far as a creative vision go?
For sports, it would be Ryu Voelkel, Peter Miller, Patrick Eagar, Rob Foldy, and Scott Kelby to name a few. For street, it would be Valerie Jardin.
What would you do without photography?
I would have a life.
Is there one photograph of yours that you are very proud of?
There are many over the years, but just the last weekend, I was doing some junior football and was just about to move to another game when I noticed a young player who did not seem that interested in the game at the particular time and suddenly he decided to do a summersault.
I then focused on that player for the next few minutes and was able to capture some nice images that I think captured the spirit and emotion of the player.
It is moments like that, that make what I do worth the effort.
How did you start taking pictures?
I have always loved looking at family albums and old photos and seeing people react to the memories that are captured. I take photos to capture those memories.
What was your first camera?
I think I had Richo 35mm in the 1980s. I remember getting a Pentax SFXN 35mm in 1990.
What camera do you use now and why?
Canon 1DX, 5dmk3 and 1Dmk4
My first serious digital camera was a Canon 300D, so I have stayed loyal to the brand.
Can you describe your workflow after a shoot?
For sports photography, I use Photo Mechanic to star rate the photos and then into Lightroom for processing and exporting with JPEGMini doing its thing.
For street and other nonsport photos, it is pretty much the same but will also go to Photoshop for some fiddling around. I love plugins such as NIK, Topaz, Photomatix, Alien Skin, etc.
What role does the photographer have in society?
Documenting moments that become memories.
What’s the best piece of advice someone gave to you that helped you become a better photographer?
Get low or get high, don’t just stand there. It is not always possible and sometimes you do just have to stand there, but it is good advice to try and look at things from a different perspective.
For aspiring photographers, what recommendation would you give them?
Podcasts and YouTube are fantastic resources.