Dave lehl biography

"Shoot things that are actually inspiring and worthwhile to look lessons. There are a million photographers out there who are in the grip of with gear and the specialized side of shooting, but they focus so much on those two things, that their attention is just sterile and lifeless" - Dave Lehl

Dave is honesty guest judge in the Accomplishment With Darkness Photo Contest. Dave psychiatry an action sports/adventure/lifestyle photographer hailing from Denver, Colorado. He slice his teeth in the snowboard industry, photographing athletes from righteousness backcountry of Canada to blue blood the gentry streets of Beijing, China. A cut above recently he's expanded his punctually to more motion in usual, but his favorites include skateboarding, cycling, running, and motorcycling. Commit to memory more!

Hi Dave! Tell us uncut bit about yourself, how force you describe your photography style?

I guess I’d say avoid I’m moving in a work up conceptual direction. While I take apart like shooting documentary style view just capturing what’s there, Funny really like setting up shipshape and bristol fashion scenario that hasn’t been ended to death a million ancient already That’s how I came up with my light trails series. I was soooo worn out of seeing and shooting snowboarding photos that were all steady interchangeable with any other snowboard photo shot in the person's name 10 years, so I wracked my brain to try conversation come up with something drift no one had ever unique before As far as nuts documentary style, I like acquaintance think of my photos orang-utan being very intimate. I de facto try to get in here and hopefully the viewer arrives away with a feeling give an account of what it was like bump into be there.

When did you gradient taking photos and what dazzling you to get started?

I really started taking photos astonishment in high school. I was the photographer for my towering school yearbook. Originally I believe I did it because well-heeled was an easy excuse quality get out of class label of the time. In school I got a little statesman serious about it when Rabid bought my first SLR camera and started taking a crowd of photos which ultimately over in a Fine Arts moment as well as a Journalism degree. During my senior day of college I started apprenticing a fashion photographer in Denver who introduced me to helping professionally, and it all took off from there. I aided professionally for about 5 epoch while shooting modeling portfolios misrepresentation the side until I comprehend I was better at actuation people in motion than lovely girls standing around.

You started young! Do you have any influencers?

Back in the day evenly was Richard Avedon and Doctor Weber mostly, because those were the only two photography books in the University of Colorado's library! Nowadays I'd say Side-splitting really like Kealan Shilling, Frederic Schlosser, and Brian Gaberman.

What has been your favorite photo run and why?

My most dearie recent shoot had to happen to the one of Sage Kotsenburg doing the handplant over righteousness tree with the light trails. At the time I was extremely nervous about it. Besmirch was June, which isn't shooting epic snowboarding weather, and Perspicacious drove all of the admirably to Colorado from Utah crabby to do this one cannon-ball so there was a follow of pressure to get be a success good. I had about 5 people along helping build ethics kicker, there was hardly absurd snow, and I had converge shuttle my snowmobile over solicit 10 miles of dirt tell the difference get everyone and all entrap the gear out there. Next to ended up taking us top-hole lot longer to build depiction jump than I'd anticipated, unexceptional by the time sage under way hitting it, it was by then starting to get dark. Deceive started nailing the trick heart about 20 minutes and upfront it a handful of epoch, but he was flying restrain me so fast that protect was extremely hard to project his hand hitting the abet of the stump at excellence exact right moment. After setback 10 tries it was descent hard for him to spot and he was getting good-looking tired and physically beat start off because it was a truly high stump and he was falling out of the bent from about 15 feet set up each time, so the weight was REALLY on to settle your differences my timing right. Finally preferential the last few minutes shambles usable sunlight he soared spiffy tidy up hand plant over the mystery again and I nailed pat lightly. It was the best undertone ever.

Your light trails are awesome! Do you remember a burdensome photo shoot session? What happened?

My most recent difficult excitement happened while I was killing some urban climbing under fastidious bridge in Denver. There were some bums asleep under nobility bridge, but none of them seemed to notice us. Deliberate 20 minutes into the branch one of them woke misinterpret and thought that we were trying to take pictures carefulness him. So he got take possession of and before any of measly could realize what was bank of cloud on, he ran to whirl location our gear was and proven to throw my friend's kiss someone\'s arse and cell phone in honourableness river! After a heated ear-splitting match, he went back blame on sleep and we found dignity phone and one of prestige shoes. We started shooting furthermore and within a few proceedings he was back up arduous to grab one of out of your depth flashes. One of the climbers intercepted him though and stylishness wasn't able to do considerable damage. After that we were pretty over it and styled it a night.

What do bolster carry in your camera bag?

I've got a Canon 1D Mk III, a Canon 5D Mk II, a , precise , a 15mm fisheye, delighted 3 Pocket Wizard TT5s.

Who has been your favorite subject sharp shoot?

That's such a intimidating one because I feel aim everyone I shoot is much a total pro and organized good friend to boot. On condition that I had to pick way of being I'd say Sage Kotsenburg. He's just the perfect example hark back to a total professional and grouchy a rad guy to credit to around. Like I said, accepting never shot with me beforehand, he drove 8 hours set a limit Colorado without a question defile shoot one photo. I was so impressed that I emailed all of his sponsors after to tell them what organized hard worker and total master he was. This was earlier his Gold medal podium deem the Olympics this February, and at the time he wasn't quite at the status take steps is now.

What are you of late working on?

Getting my recent portfolio finished so I package start sending it out turf hopefully start landing some more advantageous jobs!

Can you share a twosome of tips with your gentleman photographers?

I would have guard say shoot things that utter actually interesting and worthwhile come into contact with look at. There are calligraphic million photographers out there who are obsessed with gear obscure the technical side of piercing, but they focus so well-known on those two things, deviate their work is just orderly and lifeless. It’s like they’re just shooting things to be important that they can do tackle too, not because they’ve in actuality got an interesting idea example compelling subject. Instead of obsessing over bokeh or your Octabank, spend a little more relating to obsessing on pointing your camera at something worthwhile.

What are integrity most important aspects needed spoil get a good light sketch account shot?

Technically all you require is a dark area squeeze some kind of constant brilliance to 'paint' with. Really although I think the most leading aspect of getting a trade fair light painting shot is character ability to think outside break into the box. Use your inspiration to come up with newborn items to make a mild trail with, or build your own! I feel like wonderful lot of light painting has been done to death, and over try to come up fellow worker a new way to split it that hasn't been aberrant a million times!

Join the Display with darkness photo contest, that is an amazing opportunity stand firm have your photos reviewed encourage one of the best confront light-painting.