Interview with Australian Photographer Ben Fewtrell

This weeks' interview comes all the way from Australia! I first discovered Ben while going through tutorials and other photography videos on YouTube. I subscribed to his channel about two minutes into the first video I watched. I have watched, subscribed, and unsubscribed to quite a few different YouTube channels over the past several years and Ben's is one of only a handful that I watch each time a new video comes out. I like his style, both photography and video. He doesn't shoot the video and present it to you as though in a teacher/student relationship - he makes you feel as though you are out with a friend hoping to capture "the" image. You will often hear him say something about not getting an image on a particular trip but he always does. I've seen him shoot some spectacularly colorful sunrises and sunsets, while other times there is no color so he finds a composition that doesn't need it. His long exposures have inspired me to revisit that technique in my own work. If anyone tells you there is no need for filters in landscape photography, point him to Ben's channel. He makes great use of neutral density (ND) filters - both solid and graduated, including the "Big Stopper", the Lee 10-stop ND filter. If I'm not mistaken, he also uses the "Super Stopper", 15-stop, too. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a good ND filter set so I could get back into the game; I recently ordered a system; it should be delivered soon - stay tuned.

If you watch enough of his videos you will likely hear him refer to "The Boss". As any married man can tell you, The Boss is his lovely wife, Nichole. She will sometimes accompany Ben on his shoots, operating the video camera and, if you are lucky, turning the camera on herself to say "Hello!" I don't know how much he pays her but I think she needs a raise. 😂

I will leave you with these words before presenting the interview - Ben isn't "teaching" you how to be a photographer or give you tips on post-processing; he is showing you what he does, explaining it as he goes. His videos should serve as an inspiration and motivate you to get out and shoot. Good weather, bad weather, colorful or gray - the adventure and hunt for the image is what the game is all about. So now, without further ado I present to you Ben Fewtrell!

The Interview

Personal questions

What is your favorite childhood memory?

I have always been a fan of the outdoors, and as a child spent most of my time outside playing with friends. There was a group of us that would often meet in the street on our bikes or skateboards and then head of to explore the local area, or just hang out at the local park.

What are the five foods you can’t live without?

As you can see, I am a fan of food!

1. My number 1, would have to be steak. I love a good steak!
2. Chinese Food. Nothing better than a nice bit of boiled rice and Chinese (I like most dishes)
3. Sushi, I would have this 2 to 3 times a week for lunch!
4. Cashew Nuts – I really enjoy munching on these for a snack, or with a beer.
5. Bread. I was often referred to as ‘The Carbohydrate Kid’.

What’s the best advice anyone has given you and who gave it to you?

“Don’t poke the Bear” – not sure who gave this advice to me, but I have used it to navigate through life. I like to keep the peace and would rather not stir up any trouble, so I never ‘Poke the Bear’.
(Joe: excellent advice! I'm afraid I haven't quite learned that lesson well enough yet.)

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren't shooting?

One of my failings is the number of hobbies I have. My full-time gig is running my own business, and this can keep me busy and be taxing on the brain, so I find myself immersing into hobbies that allow me to relax and switch off. It doesn’t really matter which hobby, when I am not shooting you’ll find me flying my Beechcraft Bonanza airplane, Woodworking in my workshop, Scuba Diving in Fiji, Spending time with my wife (we love eating out), playing Guitar or out riding my Motorbike.
(Joe: it's amazing you have time to shoot!)

If you could spend an hour with any famous person, past or present, who would it be and why?

I would love to spend an hour with Jim Rohn, he unfortunately passed away in 2009, but has been an inspiration to me for many years, I am a student of Jim’s and have listened to countless hours of his talks and training, but never got to meet the great man, so an hour with him would be amazing! Here is my most favourite quote from Jim “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”
(Joe: what a terrific quote! I am going to hide that away with my quote collection.)

Professional questions

Why photography and why YouTube?

Simply, I love to create, and both these give me the ability to be creative. I have been into photography since I was young, whenever I could get my hands on a camera and take photos, I would.

YouTube is a great way to share with the world, it is so easy for people to consume the content (as opposed to reading a blog) and whilst there is a lot of content on YouTube, there wasn’t many Aussies with a photography Vlog, so I thought I would give it a go and see what happened… the rest is history! (I am surprised so many people want to watch my ramblings and amateur production!)

Can you explain your photography in 10 words or less?

An excuse to enjoy the outdoors!

What is your greatest achievement in photography?

My greatest achievement would be the number of photographers around the world I am helping. Through social media and the internet, I have been able to motivate, inspire, upskill and make friends with some amazing people, and I truly see this as my greatest achievement.
(Joe: this is one of the best answers to this question yet! I have always felt a responsibility to share my knowledge with others.)

If you could share a gallery show with anyone past or present, who would it be?

I am a big fan of Aussie Landscape Photographer Ken Duncan, he has some amazing work. I would be happy to share a cuppa with him! Let alone a gallery.

Where do you draw inspiration from when you shoot and what’s your favorite part about the process?

I am a lover of the outdoors, and it doesn’t take much to inspire me, I see photographs everywhere! My favourite part is the hunt, looking for a location can be time consuming, but I enjoy researching for locations. Sometimes I can spend hours on the internet and in the car looking for my locations.

What is your favorite location to shoot?

I love to shoot seascapes more than anything else. I think it’s my love of water. Capturing the movement of the ocean is exciting for me.

What is your favorite piece of equipment?

It would have to be my tripod. I went through so many cheaper tripods before I made the decision to invest in my Really Right Stuff Tripod. It cost a lot, but has never let me down.
(Joe: with an Instagram name like "On3Legs", I guess this shouldn't come as a surprise!)

How did you get your start and what advice would you give to someone looking for a career in photography or starting out on YouTube?

Photography is the largest hobby in the world, and making money from photography is getting more difficult. You need to find a niche and really get to know your audience well, to amazing work and continually train yourself to be better. As for starting on YouTube, I think it’s a great platform for keeping my own weekly diary, and giving other people a peek into my journey as it is mapped out.

I meet a lot of people have false expectations of what return they will get from a YouTube channel. If you’re just wanting to make money from YouTube I wouldn’t recommend it. If you’re wanting somewhere to have some fun, document your journey and share it with the world, YouTube is a great place for that.

Bonus question:

What are your Top 5 "Deserted Island" albums?

If I was on a deserted Island, I would rather take my guitar than 5 albums! But if you insist… I have a broad love of music and would need a Stevie Ray Vaughn album, a John Cougar album, something from Pink Floyd, some Tommy Emmanuel and a current greatest hits!

Links

Facebook - www.facebook.com/on3legs
YouTube - www.youtube.com/benfewtrell
Instagram - @on3legs
Website - www.on3legs.com
“10 tips to better photos” Free Ebook - http://onthreelegs.com/learn/free-ebooks/