Over the years, I’ve gotten to know some very talented artists on social media. I greatly admire their work and they seem like marvelous people even though I’ve never met them in person! They’ve been so supportive of my work, and I thought it would be nice to shine a spotlight on them on my blog and social media.
The first artist I will focus on is Martin Tran of Martin Tran Photography. I’m sure you’ll find his photographs as beautiful as I do. His nature photography is absolutely stunning. He’s able to capture places I’ve been before and make me see them with new eyes. In addition to being a wonderful photographer, he’s also very generous with his support of other artists.
I was able to ask Martin some questions about his work, his process and how he balances his personal and artistic lives. I hope you enjoy learning about him as much as I have!
Leisa: What is your favorite time of day to photograph?
Martin: My favorite time of day to photograph is sunset, sunrise, and night time
Leisa: Which artists have influenced your work?
Martin: Sometimes I like to look at the work of Ansel Adams to to see how he captured scenery. Oftentimes, I look at other artists from the internet to see what they captured and try to figure out if there is any other way / position I can improve it.
Leisa: How have your artistic techniques evolved over time?
Martin: Over time, I learned how to improve my composition and techniques to edit my photos to be more appealing.
Leisa: What led you to pursue a career in art?
Martin: A while back, I was with a friend on a hunting trip in Eastern Oregon. We were hiking when suddenly, I saw a couple of mountain goats and elks running at the other end of the hill so beautifully with an amazing view behind from where I was hiding. It was so beautiful that a thought occurred to me, instead of hunting for these animals for sport, I could hunt them with my camera for others to see and share the beauty of nature with others, because not everyone gets the chance to see it. From then on, I had the idea in my mind that I would go hunt and capture those delightful moments in nature to share with others.
Leisa: What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a professional artist?
Martin: I think for any kind of career, you would need to practice, be able to commit to what you do, and have a real passion for it. The main keys for me to be able to improve my skill are commitment and consistency. When I was just beginning landscaping photography, I committed myself to learn as much as I could (YouTube, Google). Also, practicing waking up at 1am in the morning to hike and wait for the right hour to capture the right lighting, no matter if it’s 0-20 degrees outside. You just have to commit yourself and get out there and do it, and you have to consistently doing what you commit to, then you will get better and be more creative. The stars, the moon, the sun won’t wait for us, so we have to go and wait for them so you can get the lighting, the composition at the right time.
Leisa: Do you remember the first piece you ever sold?
Martin: The first piece I ever sold was when I first published my website and told my friend about it, he immediately ordered 2 pictures from me, The Embrace and Reaching for the Sky from my website
Leisa: How do you balance your artistic practice with other aspects of your life?
Martin: I have a full time job in IT and family, but I still try to make time to get out to nature where I can to hike and hunt for those beauties when time permits. And sometime on the weekends, I do wedding/corporate event photography. I also do family/senior portraits as a side job. I feel like you will be happy when you can do something that you are passionate about, and then you will bring happiness to your family as well. That helps to balance out other aspects of life
Leisa: What has been your favorite place to photograph?
Martin: There are many places I love to photograph, but my favorite place would be the Southwest and also the Rockies in Canada
Leisa: Is there anything else you’d like to share about your work? Do you have any upcoming shows or events you’d like to share?
Martin: My work was built from the commitment and consistent. When I commit to something, I will follow through and make sure things are done right. But I am also proud of my skill to make the best out of any situation, no matter how bad it is. I always try to make the best out of the situation for myself or for my clients.
You can see more of Martin’s work here on his website: https://www.martintranphotography.com/
Click on a thumbnail below to see Martin’s work and his happy clients!
