"Tamron Recipes" with Ian Plant

by Skip Cohen

Ian Plant is in the Tamron Kitchen this month. He's an incredibly talented chef with expertise in multiple cuisines, especially landscape and wildlife. Just like fine chefs who have favorite dishes they like to cook, Ian's recipes are in various specialties. I wanted to feature two of his landscape images for this month's Tamron Recipes. Shot with the same lens, the two images have a completely different feel.

But Ian, like a fine chef, is also sharing his love for mixing up the seasonings - in this case, composition and exposure. I saw the top photograph first and loved it. Then, scrolling through his images, the one below appeared. I can picture either printed as large as a wall could handle in a home or office. 

The only thing more impressive than Ian's images is his love for the craft. He's a photographer, artist, writer, podcaster,  and educator. ​
 
From his About page: Known for his inspiring images and single-minded dedication to creating the perfect photo, Ian has reached hundreds of thousands of people around the world in his mission to inspire and educate others in the art of photography. Ian is a frequent contributor to many leading photo magazines, the author of numerous books and instructional videos, founder of Photo Masters, and co-founder of Photo Wonders.

But what I love the most was his Artist's Statement that followed: I can't draw, paint, or carry a tune, but I can press a button with my finger. Of course, if you want to make inspiring photographs, there's a lot that needs to happen before that button is pressed. These days, too many photographers rely on the crutch of digital manipulation to bring magic to their images. Personally, I'm more interested in capturing the true magic of the moment, not concocting it on the computer. For me, photography is as much about the experience as it is about the final product.  

INGREDIENTS

​First Image
Camera: Sony a7R4
​Lens:  150-500mm F/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD
Focal Length: 171 mm
Exposure: 0.5 sec @ f1.4, ISO 400 
Tripod: Fotopro T-Roc MAX
Location:  Big Cypress Bayou, Texas
 
​Second Image (same lens) 
​Focal Length: 189 mm
Exposure: 1/250 sec @ f5.6 ISO 500
Hand held

Ian needs to be on your radar and you'll find him in a few different places. First, check out his website with a click on either images in today's post. Then, if you're looking to raise the bar on the quality of your images check out his live workshops. And online, you'll find terrific articles and ideas at his Photo Masters website.

Tamron manufactures some of the finest optics in imaging, and they never slow down. Visit your Tamron dealer and take advantage of some great offers going on right now with their Winter Savings program. Just click on the banner below for more information.