Here’s a peek into the life of an aspiring pilot and talented photographer. Adam Tetzlaff is a Canadian who is currently studying to become a pilot. Learn about how he mixes his passion for aviation with photography in our interview:
What do you do outside photography – what is your career and what are your other interests?
As much as I love photography, my true passion is aviation. I am a full time student studying to be a pilot in university. My ultimate dream is to combine photography with my hopeful career in aviation and travel the world shooting some amazing sights and experiencing what planet Earth really has to offer.
How did you discover photography, and when did you know it’d be your hobby?
I kind of stumbled into photography. I had always loved taking snapshots on my point and shoot on family vacations. One year for my birthday, my parents gave me a DSLR camera, and I decided I wanted to head to the airport and photograph airplanes. I was hooked from there on in and have really learned a ton from it. Aviation photography is really technical, it has really been a segway for me to develop my skills and understanding of exposure which I like to play with in my night photography.
Where do you get ideas for your photography from?
I use two sources of inspiration for my personal photography. Interestingly, a friend of mine told me what one of them was. I was talking about photography with them and how I really didn’t know what kind of photographer I was. They told me that I took pictures of what I loved, and that really resonated with me. I also really look to change the game in terms of photography of popular subjects. I’m relatively new to photography, so it’s up to me to re-invent instead of just play along.
Which is your personal favorite picture, and what’s the story behind it?
My favourite photo I have ever taken actually isn’t a night photo, as much as I love the dark in my shots, one aviation photo I took in particular really speaks to me. Both pilots are sticking their hands out the windows, smiling and waving. It really affirms to me that I am on the right path, and the moment is just amazing. It was one of those shots that just captured what it really meant to love what you do, which is so important to me.
What is the most challenging thing about doing night photography on public city streets, and how did you overcome it?
For me, the most challenging aspect of shooting at night in public is getting the composition I want and being able to put my camera in a place where it won’t get shaken by someone walking by. It’s a challenge, but that’s the fun in it.
If you knew you wouldn’t fail at it, what direction would you take your night photography in next; what new thing would you try?
I love shooting night scenes with added elements, usually cars, but as of late, I’ve been looking into other possibilities. I would really love to bring night photography and aviation together more often, and add in people into my shots. I’ve got some big plans for growing night photography and expanding my vision as a photographer.
See more of Adam’s work here (opens in new tab).
