Interview with my Flickr friend Trey (Stuck in Customs)

To get started with answering your questions, my websites are www.stuckincustoms.com and www.treyratcliff.com

1. How did you first get interested in photography? And are you self taught?

I got serious only in the last two years. I am totally self-taught. I normally eschew lessons in almost everything, from sports to hobbies to cooking. Of course, I am not much of a cook.

2. Do you have a favourite walk around lens? If so, what is it?

It has to be my sigma 10-20mm. Valpopando recommended this lens to me and I thank him every day!

3. What equipment and software do you use?

I use a Nikon D2X. In terms of software, I put together a little tutorial at stuckincustoms.com/?p=548 that you might like to see.

4. Which one item of equipment is the most important for you?

My tripod. I carry it to keep steady and as weaponry, since I am often off by myself in third-world countries where things can get a little sketchy.

5. How do you decide on locations and subjects?

I travel primarily for my work, which is an online game company. When I get spare time at night or the weekends, I head off into the hinterlands for interesting sights!

6. What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

I like everything... My favorites are landscapes and architecture.

7. What continues to inspire you as a photographic artist?

I am mostly inspired by the classic impressionist painters from the Renaissance.

8. What is the one thing that you have not captured on camera you feel you need to express?

I think there are a million things that I would like to shoot... I am always frustrated when I see interesting things and I don't have my camera. There is no one particular thing I would like to shoot, although I definitely would like to visit some of the few unique places left in the world that are rarely visited by photographers.

9. What other artists have influenced your work?

I get influenced by many many many people on Flickr. I can't even begin to list them. Of my Flickr friends I've had a chance to go shoot with, I've had great times and learned a lot from Valpopando, Rebekka, and Asmundur - all great people.

10. What other talents do you possess besides photography? And is there another area of talent you would like to explore?

I don't know what my other talents are. I enjoy game design and visual design. If I could learn anything, I'd love to learn how to draw and paint. I think I could learn to do those things, as opposed to singing. I could never learn to sing. It's a lost cause there.

11. Have you met other flick rites in person, and how was the experience?

Yes - I've met quite a few. I am approached randomly in public quite a bit when I travel. These are always some of the nicest people in the world.

12. Any words of advice for those who would like to dig deeper into photography?

Experiment and don't be scared... Be like kids on a computer. Have no fear, make mistakes, and learn. Also, get an SLR instead of the little consumer cameras. It is an important step towards expanding the depth of potential talent.

13. Of all the photos you've taken, what is your favorite and why?

Picking a favorite is impossible. I spend so much time with my 10 or so favorites that I have lost all objectivity.

14. If you could change anything on flickr, what would it be?

I would like Flickr to do something special to recognize some of the best - some of the great photographers on there that fall between the cracks.

These are the photos that Trey want to show us:







Thanks to Trey for his kindness, for sharing his knowledge with us, HDR morons ;-) and for being a good and supportive Flickr member.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/

Angie_real aka Angela Lobefaro