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Ken Bennison – Interview With The Photographer
When did you first become interested in art, in general?
I purchased my first 35 mm camera in the mid sixies, an Ashi Pentex Spotmatic II. Being an avid outdoorsman I spent most of my time with friends fishing in the many rivers and lakes in my area. The camera was handy for photographing the trips.
In the mid seventies I took up bird photography using blinds , tripods and a flash. At that time it was all slide film, ASA 64. I would set my blind up at a nest I had found and shot the various species of birds. I used various techniqes like floating in a rubber raft with a piece of burlap covering me and handholding a 400 mm lense photographing Red Neck Grebes on a nest.
Johns Creek Waterfalls ©Ken Bennison
With a young family to raise photographing went by the wayside until my wife Maureen and I got into raising and breeding Miniature Horses. By this time I had a Nikon F80 camera.
When I retired 2 years ago I brought my first digital camera. I now had control from start to finish.
On which style of photography do you specialize?
I mostly do Landscape, Nature Photography. I like to refer my work as Photo Art for the most part. My other favourite is photographing my Miniature foals in action.
Has your style changed from when you first began?
Dramatically. I am a student of Light and Shadow. I photograph most at dawn and evening, the so called golden hours. It is a very magical time.
Magical Place ©Ken Bennison
What kind of equipment do you use
I keep my eqipment sparse. I have a Canon Tsi equipped with a 28-135 zoom lense. A Slik Pro 700DX tripod with a ball head. A polarizing filter is a must. I carry this equipment in a LowePro backpack as I am walking in fairly rugged country. My PC is an Acer 4000 + desktop and I use Photoshop CS4 extensively.
I have an Acer netpad equipped with a GPS to find places to explore for photographing.
What made you choose that equipment?
The camera was what I could afford. The zoom lense I need so that I could compose my shots. I do no cropping in Photoshop, so with this zoom I am able to compose my shots the way I like.
How do you choose what you’re going to photograph?
I like to find the small things in Nature. You will find a lot of my work is very tightly composed. I take the big scene and look inside it for many compositions. For example instead of photographing the big falls I look for little creeks running off to the side or maybe a small falls. I watch how the light falls very closely. You must have a good eye.
What kind of editing do you perform on your photographs, if any?
I shoot all my photos in camera raw then process in Adobe Photoshop. I will also photograph the same scene at different exposures.
Vermillion Reflection ©Ken Bennison
How much time (on average) does it take to complete a work?
In Photoshop it takes me 10 to 15 minutes to do a photo.
How do you know when a piece is finished? Is it easy to walk away?
My workflow is such that I get what I want most of the time. When I am finished I will call my wife for her opinion. I can walk away very easily. Also I will go back many times to the same locales as things can change dramatically.
What do you do to overcome a ‘block’?
I have never had a block.
How well do you take criticism and how do you make use of it?
I love criticism. If my wife doesn’t like that particular photo then I trash it as she represents the general public. Being a member of N.A.P.P .I put up photos there and people comment so I get a good idea there on the photo. But I have to like that photo also.
Who is your favourite photographer?
No one in particular. I have developed my own style that I am happy with.
ManitouMorning ©Ken Bennison
Which one of your photographs is your favourite?
I would have to say Manitoumorning
Have you exhibited any of your work in galleries?
No I have not exhibited any of my work in galleries as I concentrated on building up a portfollio this year. What you see at Fine Art America is all from this year.
Johns Creek 69 ©Ken Bennison
Keep exploring more areas to photograph and reproducing that special moment in Nature that I see.
What advice do you have for budding photographers?
Its all in the eye. You can have all the expensive camera equipment in the world, but if you want to go to the next level develop your eye.
Have you done any courses to help you?
No, I am self taught. I learned Adobe Photoshop by purchasing books by Scott Kelby and becoming a member of N.A.P.P..
What do you do to market your work?
So far Fine Art America and I just set up a Blog.
Do you use social networking in your day to day life?
I have created a Blog where by I discuss the creating of individual photos in the field.
Are you available for work (commissions)?
Not really, I like my freedom .
Have you got hobbies?
My wife Maureen and I have been breeding Miniature Horses for 18 years. We specialize in Birthday parties with our little horses. We bring a Mare and Foal with us to the peoples homes and my wife gives the kids rides in a cart up and down the street.
Where are you based?
I live in Worthington, Ontario Canada. I am in the Sudbury District, Northern Ontario.
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