Colleen Jackson
Name: Colleen Jackson
Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II and R6 Mark II
Favourite type of photography: Wildlife, landscape, portrait, architecture, macro, abstract, and street
Location: Manchester, UK
Website: colleenjackson.co.uk
How did you get into photography?
A benevolent uncle ignited this lifelong passion in photography. He loaned me his film SLR camera. Back then I was just in my pre-teens. He wanted to share his love of photography with me and was interested in what I see through the lens. This interest went into hibernation for many decades until 2000s. I read loads of magazines such as Amateur Photographer and Digital Camera to understand exposure, apertures, shutter priority, etc. For years I have had Olympus, Nikon and Canon compact cameras. My first proper DSLR camera was the Canon EOS 7D Mark II with a kit lens. My wildlife photography started when I signed up for a Sue Flood photography day at Chester Zoo. At that time I was also a zoo volunteer and I thought it would be nice to be able to get closer to the wildlife species in the zoo. I learned a lot that day. I wanted to learn more. It was my significant other who’d suggested I sign up for a proper course in photography.
Do you have any photographic qualifications or accolades?
I hold a diploma in photography conferred by the Institute of Photography, UK.
What's the first photograph you remember seeing or shooting?
The first photographs I saw were those presented in the National Geographic magazines. The wildlife captures just kept me fascinated for years. They still do. My first well-photographed shot was a lilac-breasted roller I shot in the walk-in aviary during Sue Flood’s talk.
What do you love about photography?
It is the visual storytelling in any genre. Every photo tells a story, be it an impromptu one or a composition. Photography has been a very personal journey. I remain fascinated with what I see through the lens.These days I use photography as a reason to find time for myself. It is what gets me up and out and about. I love manipulating my camera, using its features to produce a semblance of those photos seen in magazines.
Read about Creative Photography, What it is and How to Get Started
What do you wish you'd learned about photography earlier?
I wished I had completed a degree course in photography especially working with film and learning about dark room techniques.
Where is your favourite place for photography?
Coastal places are my all-time favourite. I have shot from the sea looking towards land, and from the land looking out at sea.
Do you have a favourite photographic technique?
ICM (intentional camera movement), long and multiple exposures.
Can you briefly outline your approach to image processing?
I learned post-processing from an advanced course run by Sue Flood and her colleagues. Over time I’d evolved my own. I download photos via a card reader to the hard drive in my PC. These remain my master files. I upload a set into Lightroom. On first scan of my shots, I highlight those I don’t want to work with. These are removed and I look at each image again. Those I like, I work with histograms and the decide what kind of look will be right for the shot. Any further adjustments are then saved in Photoshop which is when I start to add layers, remove distractions, etc. Then I save two copies, one in an ‘edited’ folder and the other usually with a watermark is kept on my iPhone.
What's your favourite lens?
The f/2.8 trinity zoom lenses: 15-35mm, 24-70mm and 70mm-200mm.
Read the SheClicks Guide to Lensbaby Lenses
Do you have a favourite accessory?
My filters and tripod, they go hand-in-hand
Have you found the perfect camera bag yet?
No. I use a different bag for different kit set-ups.
Which photographers have influenced or inspired you, and how or why?
Paul Nicklen for his work as a photographer, nature conservationist, and marine biologist. Ansel Adams for his work as a photographer in black and white landscapes.
Please recommend 2 or 3 female photographers to follow on Instagram.
Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier @mitty and Rachael Talibart @rachaeltalibart
Is there a camera, lens or accessory that you don't have yet but you'd like to buy at some point?
A Hasselblad 907X 100C digital medium format camera.
Is there a genre of photography that you love but that you haven't tried yet?
Street photography.
What's your proudest photographic moment?
When my camera club celebrated its 75th anniversary, one of my photos was selected and published in Amateur Phtographer magazine.
If you could have one superpower that could help you with photography, what would it be?
The ability to know when is a great day for shooting.
Your favourite baked goods are?
Cornbread, Sourdough bread, flatbread, doughnuts, pies
Tell us a little about yourself.
Having spent a lifetime balancing work and quality of life, I am slowly easing into retirement. I have travelled to a few places in my career, with hardly any time to do much on a personal level. I enjoy a good laugh with family and close friends. Like good vintage wine, I age well with time.
