Seattle-based Tim Urpman was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and he says there's no place he'd rather be than Washington State. From nature to street photography, Urpman says there's much to inspire him here. And while relatively new to the photography game, he is looking forward to seeing where his passion and inspiration take him next.
Cotton Carrier: How long have you taken photographs for unprofessionally and professionally?
Tim Urpman: I have been shooting for around 6 or 7 years now. I have just recently started making money off of photography. I always had the chance and offers to do paid gigs, but it wasn't until recently I really felt comfortable with my work on a level to receive money for it. It still isn't necessarily where I want it to be, but it is definitely at a point I can be proud of it.
CC: How would you define your style as a photographer?
TU: That is a tricky one. I am constantly changing and going through phases of what inspires me and what I enjoy shooting.
CC: Have you ever gone to photography school?
TU: I am self-taught. When I first started shooting there wasn't as much information as there is now on Youtube and Google so I would go to the local libraries and bookstores and spend hours reading everything I could about photography.
CC: Where is your favourite place or thing to shoot?
TU: I love to shoot out in the mountains and woods, but I also love walking around Downtown Seattle and shooting street photography.
CC: Where has photography taken you, and what has it made you experience?
TU: I've met a lot of cool people because of photography. I love it also because I am friends with a lot of my favourite photographers so every time I hang out with friends, I'm also hanging out with favourite artists.
I've also gone and viewed some of the most beautiful places Washington and surrounding states have to offer. It gives me a reason to wake up at 3 am and drive for 4 hours to hike in the freezing cold and rain. Without photography, I think I would go crazy, to be honest.
CC: How has photography shaped your day-to-day?
TU: I see things a lot differently now. When I look around and view things, I'm always trying to imagine how it would look as a photograph. It's24/7. I try and guess what settings I would use and how I would end up editing the shot. I'm not sure how I even think about anything else really!
CC: What Cameras or lenses do you use?
TU: I use a Nikon D800 with the 14-24 2.8, 24-70 2.8, Sigma ART 35 1.4 and Nikon 50 1.4 lenses. I also have a Hasselblad 500cm that I play around with on occasion and a Fuji X100T that I use when shooting people and for street photography.
CC: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to get “The Shot”?
TU: Trying to narrow it down to one... haha! It's hard to say, I shoot a lot of not necessarily legal locations when I go to the city. And when I shoot out in nature, I am always testing the limits, trying to get angles and shots that I haven't seen before.
CC: Who has inspired you as a photographer?
TU: All sorts of photographers really. A few of my favourites are Larry Clark, Ed Templeton, @Dipsauce, @Crippeakasizzler1, and Vivian Maier.
CC: What advice would you tell an aspiring photographer?
TU: Try and always have fun, that's what photography is all about!
