Week 18 Winner
The winner of Week 18 of our #52weeksofnature photo contest is Jack Makin. Some photos are meticulously planned out and others are completely random happenings. According to Jack, while driving through the Glencoe Mountains in Scotland this stag appeared out of nowhere on the side of the road creating a perfect photographic moment. Jack has won a $100 gift code to hippytree.com and we are donating $100 to the Surfrider Foundation on his behalf. Learn more about Jack below.
Where was the image shot?
I captured this photo while I was on a road trip through Scotland with a buddy. It was taken in the mountains of Glencoe (where the recent James Bond movie was filmed).
What camera did you use and what were the settings?
Camera: Sony a6300
Lens: 30mm Prime
Aperture: f/1.4
Shutter Speed: 1/400
ISO: 100
Was there any special preparation required to capture the photo? Do you have any shooting rituals?
We were driving through the mountains filming some b-roll footage when we turned a corner and saw this stag grazing on the side of the road. We pulled over immediately and I carefully walked over to him, got as close as I felt was safe and managed to frame him in front of the mountains. Some of the best photos are happy accidents. But yes, I always clean my sensor before I go out on a photo mission.
How long have you been shooting?
I’ve always had a passion for photography but I used to only use my phone camera. I bought my first proper camera and started taking photography seriously about eight months ago and have never looked back!
What’s your favorite subject matter to shoot?
I’ve always been a fan of landscapes; putting people in the photos for scale is probably my favorite thing to do. Although if you check out my Instagram you’ll see that recently wildlife has been piquing my interest more and more.
Do you shoot with a crew or shoot solo?
I’m a people person so I love being out shooting with others and having people around to bounce ideas off of. Plus, I always need somebody to stand in precarious places for the shot (usually my wife)!
What excites you about photography?
I love the community I’m now a part of. If I see somebody else taking photos they never seem to mind me walking over and talking composition or other things like that with them. The main thing that excites me though is when people message me saying how my photography has inspired them to go and see these beautiful places we have in our backyard, which for me is what it’s all about!
