Happy Father’s Day! To celebrate, we’re shining a spotlight on photographer, digital artist and master photo manipulator Adrian Sommeling. His high-concept approach to storytelling is captured vividly in all of his playful images.
And who should take the starring role in most of them? His son! We chatted with Adrian for a quick Q&A to talk about his craft, his son, and his Father’s Day plans!
Scroll down for an exclusive 500px interview with Adrian, plus a step-by-step video of one of his works.
Hi Adrian! How did you discover photography?
ADRIAN SOMMELING: I did some analog photography in high school, but I rediscovered it in 2011. And with the possibilities of Photoshop, I now draw with photos.
Were you graphic designer before you came to photography? How long have you been creating your art?
ADRIAN: I was indeed a graphic designer first. I had a graphic design/advertising agency for almost 20 years. I’ve been painting and drawing since I was four years old. I liked to draw realistic. While other children my age back then drew Donald Duck, I tried to draw the comics of Don Lawrence.
Your son is the star of most of your images, and we think it’s cool how you portray him in many different roles. Tell us more about him, and what he thinks about what you do.
ADRIAN: The reason why I put my son on so many of my photos is because he is just always there. I am lucky that he can do different expressions with his face. He understands how I want him to look, how to pose. In the beginning, he really liked being in my photographs. Now he still enjoys it, but like most of the children of his age, he sometimes isn’t into it anymore. It depends on if he is tired or not. Sometimes, I ask him if I should go and search for another model, another subject, and he’ll tell me that doesn’t want me to do that. Then all of a sudden, he’s up for posing in my photos again.
How long does it take for you to create your images, from planning the shot to the time you spend shooting to post-processing?
ADRIAN: It depends. I spend most of the time looking for a background that fits the idea that I have in mind. That can take days, even weeks. Once I find one, the whole process from shooting the photos to the post-processing can be done in one day. Like I said, it depends. My last photo — the one with the bike in flames — took two evenings for post-processing.
Today is Father’s Day — happy Father’s day to you! Got any plans for celebrating your day?
ADRIAN: Depending on the weather, I’ll probably go with my family to the zoo or the beach. And you know, I’ll be taking my camera with me, because you never know!
Watch the video to see how Adrian created one of his popular photos, “Wind”, step by step.
Follow Adrian Sommeling on 500px to see more of his magical images.
You can also like his Facebook Page or visit his website.
Got any questions for Adrian? Comment away!
