La Loupe LECH ZÜRS NO. 8 - Summer Edition

“Sometimes those

“Sometimes those chance shots are the best.” “Photography is a question of lighting. The light decides whether a photograph will come out good or bad.” “I try to reproduce the atmosphere and my own feeling of awe and put it on paper so that others may enjoy it.” “Today there are many artists who use photography to express their ideas. That does not make them good photographers though.” “Art photography has a very wide spectrum of effects. Part of it is decorative, another part has a deeper meaning.” 42 spoke about magical moments, necessary skills and photography as a means of artistic expression. L.L. ⁄ Landscape photography is all about being in the right place at the right time. What role do pure chance or the perfect preparation for the shooting play? T.H. ⁄ It always a combination of the two - the more you get to know a place the better it is for planning to be in the right location when the weather is right. However if you happen to be in a place when the light is perfect and everything comes together the results can be great too. Sometimes the “chance shots can be the best. L.L. ⁄ Photography is sometimes called light painting. Would you consider yourself a light painter? And if so, what kind of light do you need for your work? T.H. ⁄ Photography is defined by light - its absolutely key in making or breaking a picture. You can stand looking at a scene that completely changes as the light repaints the land, especially in the mountains. L.L. ⁄ Your photography is sometimes compared to painting. Do you also draw certain parallels there? T.H. ⁄ I am definitely influenced by painters – the more romantic ones like Turner and abstract like Rothko – Do you compose your photograph like a painter would his painting? I think photographers do think like painters in terms of composing pictures especially when it comes to landscapes – the main difference being that we cant move things around to make the picture better we have to move ourselves! ( unless photoshop is the preferred tool). L.L. ⁄ Would you say you are an artisan or an artist? T.H. ⁄ I am a photographer who is sensitive to the world around him. I have a very good eye for light, colour , scle and composition and I try to translate the atmosphere and my own sense of awe onto a piece of paper for people to enjoy - Im not sure what that makes me ?! L.L. ⁄ Is it possible to pick up or learn a certain photographic perspective or is that more of a gift? T.H. ⁄ As above - I have an in built sense of what makes a good

composition and I have a natural instinct about when to take a picture ( that pleases me ) - you can learn the mechanics of photography and then you can impose your own ideas into your pictures for sure – nowadays there are lots of aritsts who use photography to express an idea but they may not be great photographers. L.L. ⁄ Is there such a thing as a perfect photograph for you and if so – what criteria do you use to evaluate it? T.H. ⁄ Perfect photograph – not sure – in the eye of the beholder I think – also it changes with time - for me the best pictures are the ones you still enjoy looking at many years after they were shot. L.L. ⁄ Is it possible for artistic photography to change the world or the perspective of the world? Your own or the observer’s perspective? T.H. ⁄ I think landscape photography can influence people to look more at nature and perhaps to respect it and want to experience it. I like to make pictures that have a kind of meditative quality – as a kind of escape from a busy head - this is how I feel when I stand on top of a mountain – so it would be nice to share that Fine art photography is so broad – some of it is decorative and some of it has a stronger message. L.L. ⁄ Do you have a certain lifestyle that is also expressed in your photographs. Or, let’s put it the other way around: Does your work (think: travelling, nature, meeting people all over the world) influence your lifestyle? T.H. ⁄ My work is intrinsically linked with my love of travel and being outdoors so yes I push certain projects forward that suit my interests in this direction. I often choose places to go on holiday with my family so I can get some interesting pictures at the same time! Last year we went to Guilin and I got some fantastic mountain pictures. L.L. ⁄ What is it that makes the landscape around Lech so attractive for you? T.H. ⁄ It has a unique perspective from so many points of looking down endless valleys – I love that sense of being in the middle of endless valleys punctuated by really interesting rock formations – the → “I think landscape photography can have the effect of letting people perceive nature more consciously and to make them respect it and want to experience it more.” “I love the feeling of being in the middle of an endless valley which is accented by interesting rock formations.” “The Arlberg is both dramatic and smooth at the same time. It has a bit of everything.” 43