Featured Macro Photographer – Kristel Schneider

This is something new that I am presenting here at my macro blog.  I will be featuring some of the macro photographers that I have gotten to know and become friends with over the years, and wanted to share their talents with the people that visit my blog.

 There are so many good macro shooters and I see them all the time at my Macro Nature Forum and on many of the online nature forums throughout the web.

I’m honored to present this macro photographer,  her images and information.

Kristel Schneider

#1 How many years have you been shooting.

First I started photography with my analogue Minolta camera, I was not shooting  macro though, mainly landscapes and portraits. Since about 5 years ago I started shooting digital. The first camera I bought was a Canon 20D with my first macro lens – a 60mm macro.  And for  3 years I can say I have followed  my passion and shot a lot more macro and close-up photography.

#2 What camera, lenses, tripod make do you use.

After my 20D I bought a Canon 40D that I still use and since last year I have also used a Canon 5Dmark II. I have a whole range of lenses but to focus on macro and close-up photography I mainly use a Sigma 150 macro lens and a Canon 300mm L4 together with my Extension Tubes.  I have two tripods,  A Manfrotto 055MF3 Magfiber and a Feisol CT3371 Carbon Fiber, which I use the most. Next to this I find it great to walk with my one leg Manfrotto 680B as it is very flexible and provides enough support for a fast close-up shot. When I have to lie on the ground I have my beanbag.

A flashlight is something I rarely use, I like to work with reflectors or diffusers instead.

#3 What are your favorite subjects to shoot.

Last autumn I discovered the beauty of mushrooms and fungi. I spend days walking in the woods. Get up very early in the morning to be there before the mushroom pickers emptied the whole wood. But for me the non- eatable ones are just fine too. And now, during springtime I just love the colors of all the flowers, the Meadows full and their color contrast. However my third favorite subject is butterflies and moths.

#4 Do you shoot a certain style of macro

Difficult to say. When I first started with this subject I tried to capture the subject as realistically as possible. Over the years I have been looking at more abstract subjects and now I focus more on light and contrast. It has to have something extra, not just mere registration of  nature.

#5 Are you self-taught.

Yes and no. I followed courses at the Amsterdam Photo academy for  basic technical theory and over the years I have attended some photography workshops on different subjects.  But I can say that my main knowledge has improved through learning by doing. Next to this I like to read photography books and look at image examples from the real ‘PRO’s’.

For two years I have organized my own photography workshops and I have been a moderator on two nature -photography forums. (www.nature-inspirations.com and www.wildpixels.nl ). The questions you get during the workshops and the feedbacks you have to provide on the forums help me look at images differently. It also helps me look  at my own images more critically.  More images end-up in the washed basked and that is ok. Different opinions are good for your own learning process.

#6 have you won any awards, been published, or any other successes.

This has maybe something to do with being too critical at myself, but I haven’t joined in many photo contests.  I have sent two images to the Wild of Wonders Europe contest and one came out highly recommended. On forums a couple of images where selected as image of the week or image of the month. Besides this my macro|close-up work is still a bit unknown.

#7 What program(s) do you use to process images.

My main program is Photoshop CS5 together with some plug ins from NIK software.

#8 Where are you from.

I was born in the Netherlands and moved to France in 2007 to focus more on my photography.  The region where I live is a real paradise for nature lovers. So I invite everybody to come over (to Europe) and explore the real beauty of the Auvergne region which is located in the centre of France.

#9 Your website, or Blog address.

my website: Kristel Schneider Photography (http://www.kristelschneiderphotography.com)

my Blog: Visions and Nature
(http://visionsandnature.com)