The precision with which Dave Burdick uses to approach his art displays the unique details of each of his subjects. The calm beach with gentle waves lapping the shore highlighted by a slim, shock of orange from the setting sun perfectly emphasizes the majestic Haystack at Pacific City, Oregon.
Viewers who haven’t had the meditative pleasure of experiencing the sunset behind the iconic landmark at the close of a perfect day on the beach are suddenly there – complete with its emotional satisfaction.
Welcome to the world of Dave Burdick.
Photographic Roadtrips
ArtisanHD’s latest Brand Ambassador is a Pacific Northwest native who was moved by his natural environment. Today, he captures the beauty of the world around him – the beach, mountains, and breath-taking valleys and low-lands in between.
“Seeing the work of landscape photographers, primarily Ansel Adams, really inspired me to start capturing images on my own,” Dave Burdick says. His primary motivation is to share the places he loves with others to inspire them to be more adventurous and see more of the world. And, on a personal level, he enjoys revisiting his favorite locations again and again.
Purchasing his first “point-and-shoot” camera ignited an unquenchable flame in Burdick – he couldn’t stop. He soon invested in better equipment and set out on the road to find more subjects for his transformative art.
Patience and Lighting
The two key elements that Dave Burdick embraces to create his landscape masterpieces are patience and lighting. Creating an unforgettable photograph isn’t necessarily obvious – it sometimes takes experimentation during different times of the day, different angles – even different subjects.
Waiting for the right moments
Although he’s a planner in his day-to-day life (he’s meticulously planning a month-long road trip for 2022 for he and his wife to explore Utah, Nevada, and California), he doesn’t plan all of his subjects. And he recommends that new artists experimenting with many photos.
“Get out and shoot. Shoot everything,” he says. “Even if you desire to shoot photographs in a specific genre, be open to shooting anything because as long as you have your camera, you are a photographer creating art.”
But, not every photograph he takes is artistic to Dave Burdick. “I definitely want to feel the scenery of my images. For me, I want to be able to sense being back in that location when I see my images.” He waits until he can capture that feeling…
“I got a whim to pack up my camera bag and camping gear, leave Portland on a Friday afternoon and spend the weekend exploring the Mt. Rainier area,” Dave Burdick explains. “…I stayed on the mountain to see what the stars would turn out like.
What I didn’t realize was that night the Milky Way was visible directly over the top of the jagged Tatoosh range, which resulted in an amazing image. I was very excited to see how the stars aligned that night.”
Lighting and masterpieces
“Landscape photography is all about light,” explains Burdick. “You can be standing in front of an amazing view, but in harsh light, a camera won’t capture the scene at its best.”
Capturing the exact lighting for the location and the photograph, takes time, energy, and experience – and lots of missed tries.
“I always attempt to capture a creative image in different types of light throughout the day to challenge myself,” he says. The transportive power of an image will tell Burdick whether his lighting is right, or now.
Quality Counts for Dave Burdick
The final piece of creating a natural photographic masterpiece is a commercial printer that has quality checkpoints during every step of the process. “As I scaled up my photography gear, I wanted to really see how far I could take my prints,” he said. “After testing several labs, I found Artisan HD provided the best quality print on the market. The colors and quality put into each print are truly amazing.”
The quality process begins when a client turns over a print to ArtisanHD and continues until the photograph is delivered to the client or artist.
“I print primarily on FujiFlex Crystal Archive paper mounted to acrylic,” explains Burdick. “The lab at Artisan HD does an amazing job of delivering a true, 3D-like depth to the images printed on this amazing paper.”
Congratulations to ArtisanHD’s latest Brand Ambassador!
Read on for the full interview of Dave Burdick:
QUESTIONS:
What inspired you to become an artist?
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I quickly grew to appreciate the landscapes that I was surrounded by. I spent a lot of time exploring the coast, the mountains, and the rivers and waterfalls in between. This lead to my interest in outdoor photography. Seeing the work of landscape photographers, primarily Ansel Adams, really inspired me to start capturing images of my own.
Did you choose photography as the way to express yourself, or did it choose you? Why?
I chose to pursue photography as a way to capture the beauty of nature. I was constantly out exploring new trails, and despite stopping to appreciate the landscapes around me, never had a camera with me. Once I bought my first camera, a cheap Canon point and shoot, I was hooked.
This quickly turned into investing in my first DSLR. As I matured with my photography, it inspired me to travel and become more adventurous. I wanted to capture images of places I’d never been to and to share those images with others, as a way to inspire people to travel and be more adventurous.
Is it important for you to take people on a journey through your photography?
I hope for people to be inspired by my photography. With an emphasis on nature and the outdoors, if my photography encourages people to become more active and adventurous, then I feel as though my photography has done its job.
I see people hanging my images in their homes as a way to appreciate the beauty of nature and to encourage them to explore the outdoors themselves.
When is your favorite time to shoot?
Landscape photography is all about light. You can be standing in front of an amazing view, but in harsh light, a camera won’t capture the scene at its best. Getting out to capture light before sunrise and directly after sunset is essential for getting the best image possible.
That being said, I do a lot of my location scouting during the day, so I always attempt to capture a creative image in different types of light throughout the day to challenge myself.
Do you have a favorite subject? Landscapes? Wildlife? People? Landmarks?
Landscapes, all the way. I’ve photographed weddings, family portraits, and professional headshots. While I enjoyed those genre’s of photography, I didn’t have the satisfaction I feel when standing in nature capturing a beautiful scenic landscape.
Besides photographing the mountains and beaches of the Pacific Northwest, I also have a great appreciation for the desert of the American Southwest. The beautiful colors and diverse landscapes make for breathtaking images.
Was there ever a time when you were surprised & excited by how a photo or project turned out? Describe it.
Landscape photography requires practicing a lot of patience. One specific image that I truly appreciate for the patience required to capture it was taken on a late summer night in Washington. I got a whim to pack up my camera bag and camping gear, leave Portland on a Friday afternoon, and spend the weekend exploring the Mt. Rainier area.
After arriving and capturing several images at sunset, I stayed on the mountain to see what the stars would turn out like. What I didn’t realize was that night the Milky Way was visible directly over the top of the jagged Tatoosh range, which resulted in an amazing image. I was very excited to see how the stars aligned that night! I do normally plan and visualize images I want to capture, but a lot of the time the best image captured is based on pure luck.
Do you think about what you want people to feel when they experience your work?
With my appreciation for nature and the outdoors, I definitely want to feel the scenery of my images. For me, I want to be able to sense being back in that location when I see my images.
I have quite a few printed and on display in my house for that reason. The reason I got into landscape photography to begin with was to capture the feel of being there, and I hope for others to have that same sensation when viewing my work.
What’s next for you?
I’m excited to travel freely again once the pandemic is over. In addition to several short-term travel plans throughout Oregon, I’m currently laying out an itinerary for a month-long road trip through Utah, Nevada, and California to destinations I have yet to visit. Seeing new places in person for the first time is truly amazing.
What advice would you give a photographer who is just starting out?
Get out and shoot. Shoot everything. Despite the fact that I primarily photograph landscapes these days, my background of photographing weddings and portraits gave me an appreciation for what I capture now, and also provided me with an additional understanding of different methods and techniques of photography. Even if you desire to shoot photographs in a specific genre, be open to shooting anything because as long as you have your camera, you are a photographer creating art.
What are the characteristics of a quality photographic print?
I want my prints to have the “whoa” effect. I want for someone to see my work, have them stop in their tracks, and say “whoa”. I strive to capture images that transport the person to the location and feel the emotion of standing in front of a beautiful scene. This requires precision with proper photo exposure, vivid colors, and sharpness.
What led you to Artisan HD?
At first, I printed all of my work on a home printer, which limited my ability to print large. As I scaled up my photography gear, I wanted to really see how far I could take my prints. After testing several labs, I found Artisan HD provided the best quality print on the market. The colors and quality put into each print are truly amazing.
Why do you continue to work with Artisan HD?
Artisan HD has proven time and time again that they provide the highest quality prints. I print primarily on FujiFlex Crystal Archive paper mounted to acrylic. The lab at Artisan HD does an amazing job of delivering a true, 3D-like depth to the images printed on this amazing paper.
What advice would you give to other artists who want to create and sell quality prints?
I’d say creating and selling quality prints has several elements. First off, capture photos that mean something to you. Yes, you’ll be selling prints to others, but photography should be the vision you are trying to capture. Secondly, network with local vendors to get your name out there. Look for opportunities to display your work. Lastly, know the technical ins and outs of creating the print. Fully understand color profiles and the proper editing techniques required to create the print, with confidence that the print will come out with the best quality.
Discover how ArtisanHD helps delivers that WOW factor!
Want to join this elite club? Ambassadors get perks! Are you a professional outdoor photographer or artist and interested in joining? Then please contact us at support@artisanhd.com to learn more about our incentives and partnership programs or call us at 1.877.948.0009
Check out more of Dave Burdick‘s work here.
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