Josiah Stanfield is a guy who I can relate to. We share a love of Christian Fletcher and a passion for South Australian landscapes among other things. Importantly, he wants to impart that passion onto others.
He has an unshakeable enthusiasm for the craft of photography and shoots with the big picture in mind (pun intended). I think this (very) young man is going places and I look forward to watching his work evolve.
Please support him and his work via Instagram at @aperture11_photography or at https://aperture11photography.com/.
1) Describe your style, are you inspired by any type of photography or specific photographers?
I would describe my style as moody. I really love taking long exposure photos and making them really dramatic. I love the simplicity yet complication of taking a long exposure. Even if I don’t take a long exposure I like to add drama to the shot.
When I first started photography, Dylan Fox was the one who got my passion going and who I was inspired by and still am to this day. I read one of his articles in Australian Photography magazine and it just blew my mind how good his photos were.
Then as I got a bit more interested in photography I was inspired by Christian Fletcher and Benjamin Goode. I would say they’re my main inspirations with photography. I really wanted to blend aspects of their styles into one and that would be my style, and I think I’m finally starting to pull it off.
2) What message do you want people to come away with when they look at your images?
I really want people to be inspired like I was with Dylan Fox’s shots when they see my work. I want them to go “Wow, that was in South Australia? I never knew South Aussie was so good!”
I want people to stop and just go, wow, that’s a breathtaking shot… I want to take photos just like that. That would just be an awesome feeling to have inspired someone that much with just one shot.
3) What motivates you to continue taking photographs, even when you’re unmotivated?
What motivates me is South Australia. I don’t see many people saying damn I want to go to South Australia, it’s on my bucket list! SA is an absolute gem to photograph, but no one really knows about it. If you go onto Instagram the first post you see will be of the Sydney opera house, or somewhere in Iceland.
I want people to know that there’s more in this world than Sydney and Iceland! I also find I get motivated when people genuinely take interest in my work. Not just a ‘nice photo dude’ comment on a post of mine, but genuine comments really motivate me.
I also find motivation when I see a post from someone on Instagram and I really like the shot – I try and visualise that similar shot but somewhere in South Australia.
4) What is your favourite location/image and why?
My favourite location, that’s a tough one! I have quite a few favourite spots to shoot but if I had to pick one it would be Rapid Bay. There are so many spots to shoot there, it’s ridiculous. Jetties, hills, beaches, abandoned mines, caves, ruins. What more could you want?! Ok, maybe a waterfall or two but it’s pretty close, haha!
My favourite image would be ‘Ignition’ (above) from Rapid Bay. It was an absolutely amazing experience behind that shot. I had my friends alongside me, as well as half the entire Rapid Bay campground at it’s busiest period, shooting this absolutely amazing sunset with a lightning storm at the end of the jetty.
It was a good night for sure.
5) What is one piece of your kit that you couldn’t do without?
My trusty 16-35mm lens. It is so versatile and is the perfect focal length for landscapes. I would like to upgrade mine to the f2.8 one day, but for a $3000 price tag I’ll need to wait a bit I think. Haha!
6) What is the worst thing about photography?
The worst thing about photography… is there anything bad? Nah I would say getting up early or staying up late in hope of a decent sunset or light or aurora (not that I’ve photographed the aurora yet) only for it to be a total fizzer.
It is really deflating, but still good to be out shooting and you could still come away with an absolute banger of a shot. Like my shot ‘Wild’ which is posted below. I was hoping for that sunset to go off as it was my last day in WA, and I had no decent sunset at all when I was there.
Unfortunately, it didn’t go off but I still got a really good image at blue hour that happens to now be one of my best shots.
Persistence is key I guess?
7) What advice do you have for fellow aspiring photographers?
My advice for a beginner would be to get as much information about photography as you can. Read books and magazines, Google it, ask professional photographers or any photographer for that matter.
Then after you have learned something get out and practice it, and practice it and practice it until you perfect it (or at least know it inside and out).
Also, don’t get knocked down when you don’t achieve your goal, that goal could be right there at the next shoot you do. You never know if you don’t get out and try. The best way to learn is to attempt the thing you’re trying to do.
