In conversation with ............. Andrew 76

[Donald]

Name: Andrew Del Net
Location: South Western Ontario – Canada, West of Toronto

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

Thank you, Donald. I think it’s great that you take the time to do this so that we can start to know the other members a little better.


Please tell us something about your general back-ground. What about your work history? Where you grew up? Things you have done. Anything interesting.

Oh, where to begin!?!? Well, nothing too exciting actually. I’ve had several different jobs in the past, I just can’t seem to stick with the same, monotonous activity day after day. Currently I own my own small business. We teach SCUBA diving, and have a retail store where we sell and service equipment. I grew up in the same town I currently live in, and although I love to travel, I always like to return home.


And what about your family life?

I have been married to my wonderful wife for 13 years, and together we have 3 kiddies, many have made their appearance on CiC!


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?

That’s a tricky one, I’m pretty easy going when it comes to movies and books, although I do like a good thriller every now and then. And for dinner – anything curry! I absolutely love curry – again, I can eat just about anything, but curry will always be my favourite – the spicier, the better!


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

Well, as you can imagine, I do SCUBA dive. I do it less frequently now that I own the business than I did before, as it was just a hobby. So, that aside, I like long-distance sports. If I’m not working or spending time with the family, there’s a pretty good chance I’m running, or cycling. I’ve signed up for my first ever full distance marathon this year as well, with the hopes of qualifying for The Boston Marathon in the next couple of years.


EDITOR'S PICK #1

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

I have been taking pictures for about 2 years now, I just needed a hobby to distract me from day to day life. But I guess it has always been around me. My cousin is a pro photographer, and my dad shoots quite a bit himself – although he’s a Nikon guy, we won’t hold anything against him!


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

I really enjoy urban photography – seeing people in everyday life. That being said, I’m not very good at it – so I have to practice!! I do like edgy, almost surreal as well – really high contrast, low saturation images too.


Any particular photographic influences?

The only one who I really know much about is Jay Maisel. I know some don’t care for his personality, or approach to photography, but it’s not him as a person that I like so much, more his work. He has some stunning images.


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

Well, I’m pretty sure I haven’t achieved anything yet, so let’s stick with what I would like to achieve! I don’t want this to sound cliché, but I really would like to take photos that make people think, that tell a story, and that may have captured a significant moment in someone’s life, or maybe not so significant. I’m really not into taking photos of wildlife, or even nature shots for that matter. But landscapes, urban settings, and I’d really like to get better at portraiture so that I can make it edgy.


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

I am really enjoying my time here at CiC. I think you’re on the right track, and I don’t think it needs any advice on where to go from here. I also quite enjoy the articles, and spend a fair amount of time on that side of the site as well. If I were forced to make one observation, it would be that I don’t really care for the direction the mini comps have taken. There was a time when I used to enter quite a few, and vote on EVERY single one. Now I can’t keep up (and I’ve only been around since July!) – it seems every time I log in, I’ve missed something. But oh well, I suppose even that’s good in its own way.


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

I am actually a very light sleeper, so lots of things keep me up at night! Besides the 3 small kids who don’t always make it through the night sound asleep, I tend to worry about my business, wondering if photography may be a direction I take in the future, just the usual things I guess.


EDITOR'S PICK #2



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

I currently own a Canon 60D and a XSi (450D). I have a 70-200mm 4.0, a 100mm macro, a 50mm 1.4, and my Tokina 11-16mm. Along with 3 speedlites, and various other minor trinkets. I do have several stands and umbrellas for my lights, which don’t get as much use as I’d like! I do all of my processing in Light Room 4, and CS5.


It's difficult to be objective, but how would you rate your photographic skills and ability?

I’m quite self-critical, I think we need to be. I’d rather have a portfolio of only 5-6 photos if they are all 10/10’s than a crammed binder containing hundreds of snaps, of only average quality. This is the biggest reason I love CiC and all of its members – you are all great sounding boards! In fact, I’ve probably only printed about 5% of what I’ve shown on these forums, and I’m sure that what I’ve shown is only about 5% of what I’ve taken.


What will the digital camera be like in 2030? And will you still own one?

I really don’t see a ton of change in the camera. Mega Pixels will grow endlessly, ridiculously higher, speed will get faster, and faster, and I’m sure at some point (not too far away), some form of blue tooth will be included in the bodies so you can transfer direct to the computer, or even email to a printer etc. I hope I still own one then! I am really enjoying photography so far!


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

I don’t think right now. I offer some advice every once in a while, whether subjective or objective, but really all I’m doing is passing along info I’ve learned from some other source. I hope that someday I may have an image that inspires someone, and I always try to be realistically encouraging to everyone I meet.


You often see debates on the subject … but do you consider photography to be art?

ABSOLUTELY! I don’t even understand why there’s any debate. We are all just using cameras as tools to describe the things that actually exist, how we see them in our minds. I’m all for editing too. Just because a tree has brown bark and green leaves to some people, doesn’t mean that’s how I would like to see them – we should learn to be more imaginative.


How do you feel about having your own shot taken?

Neither here nor there. I really don’t mind, but when people are around with cameras and gear, I’d rather be over on that side talking to them, and seeing what they’re using and how they’re using it, than just standing idly by! I’m kind of a gear-head I guess.


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

Get out and shoot. No amount of reading, watching videos, studying or thinking about photography can teach you as much as getting out there and actually doing it. And, diversify. Different medium react differently to being photographed. So, there’s always a learning curve, if you try something new. With practice, that curve becomes easy to overcome.


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

This one of the bicycle was never very special to me, but my wife loves it, and so I entered it into a mini comp quite a while back, and came in 2nd. Still, I wasn't overly thrilled, but I actually received a few PM's about that picture after the competition was over, and began to realize that maybe there was something to it.

This one of the pathway through the trees was one of my first attempts at a B+W conversion, and I don't know what it is about that image, I just like it! I was walking through the woods that day with my children, and shot that one. It was also one of the first images of mine that I printed - just really like it, and can't explain why!

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

Hmmm, well, I have dived the shipwreck of the Andrea Doria – the luxurious Italian Ocean Liner of the 1950’s, off the coast of Nantucket. This dive is considered to be the “Mount Everest of Shipwreck Diving”, lying in over 240’ of shark infested sea water – 180km away from any sign of land. What makes it even more interesting is that when my family emigrated from Italy to Canada, via the US, they came over aboard the Andrea Doria. Which makes me the first person in history to have ever dived that wreck, who also had a relative aboard it while it was still sailing. Even more interesting is that my Dad came on the trip too (although he is not a diver, he is a photographer), and so he has revisited the site of its sinking as well. The local papers and magazines made a big hoorah over it, so I guess that’s kind of interesting and weird about me!


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

It was my pleasure. I enjoy reading these articles, and so figured it was my turn to share. Thanks again Donald for your efforts in putting this together.

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

[FrankMi]

Neat background and interests, Andrew. Nice to get to know you better!

I can remember watching the Andrea Doria go down on B&W TV in 1956 and learning that during the collision, a 14 year old girl from the Andria Doria was plucked from her cabin and later found in the rubble of the Stockholm's crushed bow. Miraculously, she survived her injuries.

[Colin Southern]

Great to learn a little about you! (from PADI Master SCUBA Diver Trainer #751478!)

[Andrew76]

Thanks Frank, and Colin! Frank, I've heard that story myself quite a few times from some survivors I've got to know over the last few years. If I'm not mistaken, that young girl was actually the daughter of a famous reporter of the time. Although the name is not coming to me right now.

Colin that's great! I had no idea! You never talk about it - PADI has an odd way of numbering their pros - I'm 210342, and I'm sure I didn't get it more than 500,000 members before you! Thanks for reading!

[FrankMi]

I've heard that story myself quite a few times from some survivors I've got to know over the last few years. If I'm not mistaken, that young girl was actually the daughter of a famous reporter of the time.

I believe you are correct. From what I found in Wikipedia, it was Linda Morgan, the daughter of Edward P. Morgan, an ABC News reporter in New York at that time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Andrea_Doria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Morgan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_P._Morgan

[Colin Southern]

Colin that's great! I had no idea! You never talk about it - PADI has an odd way of numbering their pros - I'm 210342, and I'm sure I didn't get it more than 500,000 members before you! Thanks for reading!

It used to be just 1478 - then 751478 ... so I think the first 2 letters are a country prefix?

It's been a long time since I've been diving ... still have fond memories of PADI though (Put Another Dollar In if I recall correctly!).

What are they using for tables these days -- in "my era" they transitioned from the PADI Dive Tables to "The Wheel".

[Wendy Stanford]

Thanks Andrew, great interview, it is nice to know a little more about other CIC members

[Andrew76]

@Frank - that's the one! Pretty good memory for an old guy, huh!?!?!?

@Colin - Been a while??? You live in New Zealand! Shouldn't you be diving everyday???? They still use the tables, about 2 years ago they finally came to their senses and concluded the 'Wheel' was a dull instrument, as the rest of us knew as soon as it came out. They went to an electronic calculator for a while, which is still available, but most of us still teach the tables, and explain to customers the value of having a computer as well.

@Wendy - Thanks! I think it's great that Donald does these interviews too, with time being at such a premium these days, he should be commended (or paid!!!) for his efforts!

[jeeperman]

Interesting interview Andrew. Always like reading and learning what makes the one behind the work...tick.

[Andrew76]

Thanks Paul! I'm the same way - I love reading these.

[jjbacoomba]

Great interview. Always a plus when there is a historic element included.