In conversation with ........... Malcolm Schulstad (aka - 'goldcoastgolfer')

[Donald]

Name: Malcolm Schulstad
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Website: http://momentsfromalife.zenfolio.com/
or
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moment...40440369355139

CiC: Thanks for agreeing to take part in 'In conversation with ....' here on CiC.

It’s a pleasure stepping in until someone more interesting to interview comes along.


Perhaps we can start by you telling us something about your general back-ground. What about your work history – anything interesting?

Well, I’m a child of the 80s and was heavily influenced by Top Gun. I joined the Royal Australian Air Force with dreams of becoming a test pilot and accidentally got accepted. While I was there I decided to study aeronautical engineering, specialising in helicopter dynamics, unmanned aerial vehicles, rocket engine science and orbital mechanics.

By the time I got to pilot’s course I was well and truly sick of planes. When I almost accidentally ejected myself out of a plane while trying to get out of the cockpit due to lack of interest, I figured it was time for a career change.

The rest of my working life has been pretty much spent trying to figure out what I want do when I grow up. IT, project management, supply and logistics, and contractor management are the main things I’ve done. One day I’m sure I’ll actually do something interesting and meaningful with my working life.


And what about your family life?

Two boys and a girl with the ages of the kids all spaced out so that we’re going through teenage hell with at least one of them at any given point in time. And of course there’s also my beautiful wife whom most of you will have viewed on the forums in one way, shape or form! We’re all pretty close and spend a lot of time enjoying each other’s company.


If you were staying in tonight, what would you choose as one of your favourite books and/or films to keep you entertained, and what you be having as a favourite meal?

My favourite books would have to be an obscure series known as “The Word and the Void” by Terry Brooks, a fantasy series about a knight that dresses like a hobo and has a bad limp who has to face impossible odds.

Movies wise, I can’t believe I’m admitting to this but I’m afraid I’m a romantic. It’s a toss-up between “Jerry Maguire”, “Hitch”, and “The American President” – sad I know!

And of course, I’d be enjoying any of the above to my home made Filipino spring rolls, a secret recipe passed down from my grandmother, to my mother, and onto me. Unfortunately I think some of the recipe got lost as it got handed down because I just can’t seem to make them as tasty as my mother’s.

EDITOR'S PICK #1

OK, photography is a given, but what about other hobbies or personal interests?

A variety of sports – wave skiing (which is surfing while sitting down with a paddle), tennis, and I bet you would never have guessed it but golf as well. I’m pretty good at writing ten chapters of a book and then giving up too.


Let's get on to photography - how long have you been a photographer, and what got you interested in the first place?

Oh, well, technically I bought myself a little 35mm camera back in 1991, which got upgraded to a second hand Olympus SLR complete with mouldy lenses back in 1997 shortly after I met Kerry. Come to think of it, I think I bought the SLR to impress Kerry who was running around with a Canon AE-1 back then.

But in terms of when I actually became interested in photography, that was about four months ago. I was putting a nostalgia slide show for a birthday party and really enjoyed going through the photos. I decided on a whim to get myself a DSLR to see what I could do with a better camera. Besides, I always struggled grabbing one of the other four cameras in the house because they were always being used.


What type of photography are you interested in, and why?

People photography in the main. Not so much street photography but formal and candid portraits, and a bit of boudoir as well. I really enjoy trying to tell someone’s story through a photo and have managed to get lucky with some of shots to date. I’ve also been really unlucky with a lot of my photos too!


Any particular photographic influences?

I honestly don’t really have any. I think CiC is probably the closest thing to an influence that I have. I’ve see a lot of fantastic photos on here that have given me a few ideas on how to improve my own shots. Right now though, I think I’m at a stage of my photography where I’m trying to evolve my own style. For me that means that I’m just going with my (ever growing) gut to produce my own style of photography.


What do you hope to achieve through your photography - or what have you achieved already?

Fame, fortune, a retirement fund? In all seriousness, I’d like to be able to help people capture photos of those moments from their lives that they miss because they can pass by so quickly. If I can help people hold onto those sorts of memories, I’ll be satisfied. I’ve gotten lucky so far and managed to do it here and there, but I’d like to get a lot more consistent at it.

EDITOR'S PICK #2

What you think of CiC? Any way it could be improved? Where should it go from here, in your opinion?

I love it here, which is probably why it seems like I’m around 24x7. The community here is just fantastic and I’ve learnt from the website and everyone’s helpful commentary here. As someone who is still relatively new here, I don’t think I’m in a position to say where it should go. I have noticed though that it seems to be self-evolving anyway through the suggestions of the members and the dedication of the moderators.


Getting more personal if you don't mind...what keeps you awake at night, apart from Photoshop?

Well, it’s Lightroom actually. But aside from that, Kerry kicking me because I’m snoring perhaps? Other than that, not a whole lot. I’ve worried about a lot of unimportant things in my life and after a short stint in intensive care a few years ago, I realised that life’s just too short to be stressed. My family has a roof over them, food on the table, and a camera in hand (all of them!) so I’m happy and content.


I have to ask this…. What photographic gear do you own, and what software do you use for editing?

A Nikon D7000, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC OSM HSM Macro (I think I’ve got all the acronyms), Tokina 28-210mm f/3.5-5.6 (too old to have any acronyms), and a Nikon 50mm f/1.8. Along with that I have a Manfrotto tripod, a set of reflectors and diffusers, and a really, really long wish list. I also have access to Kerry’s Nikon 55-300mm kit lens when I need something with a bit more reach.

Software wise I’m a Lightroom fan. It’s something that I just find easy to use. I’ve also got Photoshop Elements but haven’t really played with that too much.


It’s a tough one to answer, but how would you rate your photographic skills and ability?

Ah, four months into taking photography seriously pretty much pegs me well and truly in the beginner class! Let’s just say I know enough to be dangerous.


What will the digital camera be like in 2020? And will you still own one?

I suspect the point and shoot cameras will get smaller and smaller, but the SLRs will be similar to what they are now until someone figures out how to change the laws of physics. And by 2020, I’m hoping to own more than just one!


Are you in a position to help or encourage others in their photography?

I understand enough about the technicalities of photography to be able to offer commentary that might help people I think. I’m certainly happy enough to give my opinion to someone if they ask. Whether they want it or not is a whole other story.


Another tough one for you…do you consider photography to be art?

Absolutely, says the engineer. But it’s art with a whole lot of science rolled in which I think is one of the reasons that it appeals to me so much.


How do you feel about having your own shot taken?

I personally don’t mind. But if the photographer’s camera lens breaks from taking my photo, I claim no responsibility.


What single piece of advice do you think is most useful to someone starting out with photography?

Photography is less about subjects and more about light. The sooner someone starting out understands that, the sooner their photography will improve.


Can we see two of your shots that mean something special to you, and could you explain why.

Can I be greedy and do 3?

(Ed - Okay. But don't tell anyone else!!)

This first one for me represents the first time I saw and deliberately captured a photo with interesting light. I think it was this photo that really got me thinking about what I could do with photography.

This next one was a semi-staged photo shoot to capture Jasmine and Alex, my two younger ones together. It was a situation where I needed to have this shoot done quickly when it started raining. I was forced to think creatively to come up with this particular composition. In the end, I was ecstatic about what was captured – a bond between brother and sister that is so easy to miss in day-to-day life.

The last one for me, along with the rest in this series were a set that helped to show my wife just how beautiful she actually is. It also seemed to inspire some of the members in CiC about a style of photography that can often be mistaken for taboo when in fact it can actually help someone see themselves in a completely different light.

Finally, can you give us one interesting/weird/silly thing about you that we probably don’t know?

Would you believe that I once thought of my daughter as a demon child sent from hell to torment my life?


Thank you, again, for taking part in 'In conversation with .......'

Oh… you’re still awake!


Read all the other interviews in the series by going to this link

[jupiterlush]

Thank you Malcolm aka goldcoastgolfer(tonguetwister) for sharing some interesting part of your thoughts and life. You snore?

[FrankMi]

Thanks for sharing malcolm! I love to hear about people that are finding ways to enjoy life to the fullest!

[jjbacoomba]

Thanks for sharing Malcom. I really enjoyed learning about you as well as your work.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Thank you Malcolm aka goldcoastgolfer(tonguetwister) for sharing some interesting part of your thoughts and life. You snore?

Well, I've never heard myself snore but Kerry assures me that I do on occasion

[kezmal]

Yes, he snores! Not all the time, thankfully

[Wendy Stanford]

Thanks for sharing Malcom, that was great

[FrankMi]

Yes, he snores! Not all the time, thankfully

My wife thinks that I snore on occasion as well. Not sure where she gets that silly notion but if it should ever occur, it's a sure sign that we're alive and well and you don't even need to wake us up to check!

[Donald]

Yes, he snores!

How cruel. All he's doing is breathing deeply. Don't worry, Mal - I won't tell anyone, said the sleep apnoea sufferer (but on CPAP treatment for the last ? years).

ps - I think the interview reads wonderfully.

[kdoc856]

Malcom,

Loved your pilot training story. Reminds me of a physician friend whose education was paid for by the Air Force, and was utterly appalled when he found out the being a flight surgeon actually required him to fly an F-16, and his subsequent description of himself as the world's worst-ever F-16 pilot. It's good to know you a bit. I admire your photography.

Kevin

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Thanks for the kind comments everyone. I did my best to make my rather ordinary life a bit more interesting to read

As for snoring, it really only happens when I'm really tired because I've been working so hard to support my lovely family and beautiful wife

Malcom,

Loved your pilot training story. Reminds me of a physician friend whose education was paid for by the Air Force, and was utterly appalled when he found out the being a flight surgeon actually required him to fly an F-16, and his subsequent description of himself as the world's worst-ever F-16 pilot. It's good to know you a bit. I admire your photography.

Kevin

That was the short version I have a couple of funny stories from those days.... chasing cows at 30 feet (amazing how fast they run!), watching a friend of mine clean out the cockpit of his trainer after he threw up while in the middle of a loop, the Singapore trainee that managed to put his wheels up.... while on the ground

At the end of it all though, I kinda lost interest in the whole flying thing. I enjoyed it most when I was doing something crazy or dangerous - which usually meant breaking some rules, so it might be a good thing that I gave it away.

[Dave Humphries]

Another interesting read in the series, thanks Malcolm.

I'm always impressed by your people shots, you have a real knack of capturing the moment.

All the best,

[Markvetnz]

Nice one. It is perfectly normal to think of one's children this way -- occasionally.

[Rob Douglas]

Nice to get to know you a little more in depth Malcolm. This site has an air of friendship & comradery to it that I love. So doing an interview like this helps up get a feel for your personality and makes your future post feel that much more personal.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

I'm always impressed by your people shots, you have a real knack of capturing the moment.

Otherwise known as luck

Nice to get to know you a little more in depth Malcolm. This site has an air of friendship & comradery to it that I love. So doing an interview like this helps up get a feel for your personality and makes your future post feel that much more personal.

CiC does most definitely have everything you've said. Everyone here is great and the mods and admins do a phenomenal job making everyone feel welcome. I'm glad I could contribute a little.