Collaboration with Rick Berk - Fine Art Photographer
When one of my favorite local Landscape Photographers contacted me to see if I was interested in helping him get some updated Professional Portraits in exchange for a few professional headshots of my own, I had to pinch myself for a second. I had no idea that I had actually made it onto the radar of such a well-established photographer! Flattery aside - this guy is the real deal.
Rick has been in the Photography game since 1995 and it's obvious he knows exactly what he's doing! Berk's impressive list of photography experience includes work with major league sports like the NHL, NFL, and MLB. He spent many years as a trainer for Canon and a Technical Specialist to train sales reps about new technology and products. After that he juggled a few other positions, all-the-while pursuing landscapes and teaching workshops.
Social media is what lead me to discovering Rick's work and I've been following his accounts for quite a while. As most of us are aware, knowing how to work your camera is just the tip of the photography iceberg - but this guy is a real guru. His landscape photography is a prime example of a photographer with the perfect balance of technique and vision. Rick's photos are high quality, professional gold; while maintaining a unique perspective and compelling compositions. Personally, I tend to get bored when I sense too much control in an image, but Rick has a way of giving you that WOW factor with style and technique.
Ultimately we spent the day climbing the rocky shores of Two Lights State park, talking about filters, techniques, and work experience. The weather was a little less than ideal, foggy weather may be my niche - nature's light diffuser! - but not all photographers feel the same. Looking back I'm glad we weren't faced with glaring mid-day sun, or the hoards of tourists that come with it. The park remained fairly empty the entire day making it even easier for us to snap some undisturbed panoramic compositions.
I had never been to Two Lights State Park before and I was very impressed with the park itself. It's well laid out, lots of trails, amenities, and gorgeous rocky shores lining the ocean. Rocky beaches always seem more dramatic and complex to me so I was absolutely in my element. For a half-second I felt like I was back in Iceland again. It's such a peaceful spot and less crowded than most other parks in the greater Portland area.
We photographed each other well into the evening before Rick had to head out. I lingered for another 2 hours or so trying to snag a few more shots before I lost the light entirely. Even though I had a blast with Rick, nothing beats the peace I felt being alone with nothing but my camera, the waves, and my thoughts. I hope you enjoy the end result of our collab! Check out the rest of the pictures below.
Comments