Visual Designer and Photographer Dives into Landscape Photography
We use photos to capture the beauty that we see it the world. For some, this means taking photos with family and friends, while others take the idea behind a photo to an existential level. Robert Frank says it best, “there is one thing the photography must contain, the humanity of the moment. This kind of photography is realism. But realism is not enough – there has to be vision, and the two together can make a good photograph.” – Robert Frank
Owen Perry is a visual designer and photographer based out of British Colombia, Canada. His work has been featured both online and in print with a loyal group of Instagram followers. A very humble and well-respected man within the photography realm, Owen places most of his emphasis and focus on nature. We had the opportunity to speak with Owen on some of his experiences he has had along with how he is able to travel the globe and photograph his adventures.
Where is the best place you have been too?
Owen Perry: Not sure there’s any one place that I’d consider the best place I’ve traveled. It would be hard to decide even if we narrowed it down to the province of British Columbia. Maybe the best place
is where I am right now… Here. Earth. Alive.
Where is the next destination you hope to go?
O.P.: There’s no immediate destination, but I do have some long term travel goals: Newfoundland,
North and South Poles, Yukon and Alaska, Baffin Island, Greenland, and Patagonia. They’re all
on the dream list.
TR: What are some of the most unique experiences you have had while doing this?
O.P.: A recent shoot with Land Rover in the San Juan Islands was both fortunate and unique. We were covering the phenomenon of bioluminescence under the very dark conditions of a new moon, and I was trying to photograph from a kayak. Not easy. The challenge was one of the more fun and unique shoots I’ve ever been on.
In the Photo (left): The Sea-to-Sky corridor is the region of British Columbia that runs from the Pacific Ocean and Howe Sound up along the Coast Mountains to Whistler.
Photography … is what it is. Perfect in its imperfection.
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How are you able to do all this traveling?
O.P.: I’m an interactive designer by trade, but have increasingly been able to incorporate photography
into my livelihood. Both jobs are mobile and only really require an internet connection to upload
work. If you can take your work with you, traveling definitely becomes easier.
Do you feel this is the best way to express yourself and who you are?
O.P.: It’s hard to say. Photography and editing are an effective way to communicate both a meaning and
mood I’m after. It’s also a very immediate format, in that the viewer tends to either relate or not
relate with an image almost instantly. That said, photography might not be the best way to
communicate a philosophical concept or idea like the written word can. It is what it is. Perfect in
its imperfection.
In the Photo: Aurora Lights. Credit: Owen Perry
Is Instagram your most utilized social media platform? If not, what are the others?
O.P.: Yes, mainly due to numbers. Facebook and Twitter tend to be where I post inspiration and
comment on more personal things.
Do you have other hobbies in which you thoroughly enjoy?
O.P.: Surfing has been something I’ve picked up over the past few years. It’s probably the most
humbling sport I’ve tried. A long surf session leaves me simultaneously refreshed, exhausted
and hungry. Other than that, I’m a voracious reader and try to meditate at least 20 minutes per
day.
Do you have any advice for young photographers who are seeking to improve in
photography?
O.P.: I can’t speak to all types of photography, but slowing down and observing your surroundings is
tantamount to landscape photography. Today’s online world is all about immediate gratification
and that doesn’t translate well to capturing the natural environment. Landscape photography is
a play of patience where you learn to take it all in and apply yourself methodically. Nikon
released a set of commercials for their DF camera in 2013 that convey this
concept pretty well.
The gift or lesson of photography is that it teaches you to observe the world more closely.
In the Photo: El Tatio is a geyser field about 2 hours drive from San Pedro de Atacama located at 4,320 meters above sea level. Credit: Owen Perry
How do you think your work impacts our society, if not the world?
O.P.: This is a thought I contemplate often. I Suppose the hope is that it contributes to a wider
consciousness: that people are more aware and eager to protect the land, water and air we
need to live. This pale blue dot we live on is all we’ve got. Protecting it isn’t a matter of opinion,
it’s a matter of survival.
Having worked in photography for such a long time, what would you say is the single
most profound lesson that photography has taught you?
O.P.: The gift or lesson of photography is that it teaches you to observe the world more closely. The
way that light falls on a mountain. The deep purple and blue tones of the eastern horizon at
dusk. The interplay of fog and forest. These are things that arouse awe and wonder in me that
I’m not sure would have without photography in my life.
What’s next for you?
O.P.: I’m slowly working on a new portfolio, as well as a few small photography projects. Other than
that, you’ll need to follow along to see.
