Photography
Jerry Vandervalk
Intro
Cooper Brownlee
Interview by
Cooper brownlee
Adam Stone
How long have you been into shooting Jerry? It only seems a year or two ago you told me you got a camera and you seem to go pretty hard into it straight away getting new lenses and all that.
I got my camera in July 2011 so almost spot on 2 years!
What style of photos are your favourite to shoot?
I can’t really say I have a preferred style, everything I shoot is natural light though, shooting with flashes seems like it would take away the raw/candid appeal that I like about photography. That said, it would be good to be able to play with lighting to get things how you want them.
Have you tried shooting with film? Does that side of photography interest you at all?
I haven’t shot anything with film, but it does interest me. I thought about getting a film camera for shooting long exposures, i have done a few with digital and you can’t get rid of these little burnt pixels, with film you don’t get that! I’m sure it would become a new chapter.
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Have you found you shoot photos more then you ride a lot of the time?
No, I ride more than I shoot. but I usually have my camera with me so I can kill two birds with one stone.
What gear do you have?
I have a Canon 60d, Canon 70-200mm 2.8 is, a Tokina 10-17mm 3.5, 50mm 1.8 and a half decent tripod.
Any plans for new gear?
I was going to get a full frame camera, most likely a 5d, and possibly still getting a film body, other than that I try to just be happy with what I have.
Do you think photography would have been something you got into if it wasn’t for bmx?
I think so, maybe even a lot earlier, I got a camera because I got tired of seeing things around me that I couldn’t capture the way that I saw them. shooting BMX just works because I’m around it a lot.
Do you find your photography knowledge ever overlaps with your riding knowledge? For example, does your background in riding give you an idea of how you would want a trick to look?
Yeah no doubt! Angles seem to be second nature if you have been riding for a while, but I find sometimes I end up procrastinating because I see a shot looking good in my head long, but I know it could look just as good wide. Most of the time it works out! But i guess that’s all.
What’s lens are you into the most right now?
I’d have to say my 70-200 2.8 is. It’s a testament to the saying ‘you get what you pay for’ haha, Having the image stabilisation has been good in some situations. can’t really beat it! Though it’s only a mk1 so i guess there is room for improvement
As you’ve only been shooting for two years, I’m sure you’d have some pretty strong influences at this stage until you totally define your own style. Who do you admire in the photography world?
Well not really, I think I’ve just been developing my own style since I started, I’ve never really followed any photographers other than people I know, Pete Jaques, Nitai Whitehurst, Stephen Joseph etc.
Do your creative pursuits lie entirely in photography or are you interested in other artistic areas?
I’m interested in videography, and I did film a fair bit when I first got my camera, I like watching more than editing though. I appreciate anything unorthodox that someone has spent time creating.
One thing I find interesting about people who are starting off with digital photography is that they essentially only see their images on the screen as opposed to in the physical flesh. Do you get your stuff printed and do you see any difference between images as a finished product on the computer/ as a print?
Most of my photos go to my hard drive, so yeah they will only go as far as my screen. I have had a few things printed as posters and a few shots and ads in 2020, Its definitely more rewarding to see them that way.
One day when I have some empty walls I’ll get some of them printed!
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