Luke Stackpoole

LUKE STACKPOOLE - Mt Taranaki, New Zealand.

How did you actually get into photography?

I actually bought my first camera in Black Friday sale of 2016 – this was prompted mostly by inspiration from social media. There was a particular gentleman named Mikko Lagerstedt on Instagram, and he had some really stunning starscapes. I just really wanted to create artwork like him when I grew up — it hasn't quite turned out that way, now that I'm focused on landscapes, nature, and wildlife, but I still try to do starscapes occasionally.

How do you get inspired to develop your image ideas?

I get really inspired by my fellow creatives and artists via social media and other online platforms. The ability to see other peoples works online every day pushes me to be a better creative myself and combining ideas from here and my own thoughts can allow me to keep bringing something original to my work. I also just let the locations I visit inspire me – the natural beauty in nature and the peacefulness inspires me to capture the moment on my camera and showcase this beauty to my audience around the world.

LUKE STACKPOOLE - Landmmanalaugar, Iceland.

What’s your favorite location to shoot?

Probably the Icelandic Highlands. It’s only accessible in summer, because in the winter the snow is so deep you can't cross the roads. They're all closed. It’s quite a remote location, and that just helps to add to the experience. And the scale there is crazy. You've got volcanic peaks and huge black sand deserts — it's just an alien-like landscape I haven't really seen anywhere else on Earth.

LUKE STACKPOOLE - Eystrahorn, Iceland.

How would you describe your style?

It's quite niche, and it doesn't appeal to everyone, but the mood I try to create tells the way I was feeling when I took the image. It's typically very dramatic scenery — peaks and mountains and really dark skies or really foggy, moody scenes. I try to avoid bright, vibrant colors and happy images, as it just doesn't fit my style.

LUKE STACKPOOLE - Lofoten, Norway.

Which equipment do you use?

This is the gear I use on a day to day basis: Sony A7RIV, Tamron 24 /2.8, Tamron 17-28 /2.8, Tamron 28-75 /2.8, Tamron 70-180 2.8, Sigma 35 /1.4 ART, Sony 100-400 GM, DJI Mavic 2 Pro. My favourite lens is 28-75 as it’s so light and sharp – followed by my drone – nothing beats an aerial perspective!

You have a lot of followers on your Instagram channel @withluke. How does this platform help you with your business and what would you recommend to professionals who want to start working with Instagram?

Don’t focus too much on gear at first. Everyone seems to be obsessed with what’s the best camera or the best lens, but you can create really dramatic and imposing images with a basic camera these days. Hone your craft with editing tools such as Lightroom, work on your compositions, and learn how lighting affects your images. Another tip is to keep learning. You’re not going to be perfect on day one. It takes time like any other skill to perfect. So just keep at it and make sure you're enjoying it while you're doing it. And to then grow on social media, I would focus on building up a community, engaging with your audience, posting original content (daily!) as well as taking inspiration from others on the platform to keep honing your craft. Reply to messages, comments, reach out to bigger accounts with support – it all helps!

LUKE STACKPOOLE - Fossa, Faroe Islands.

Where can you be found when you are not standing behind the camera?

When not behind a camera you’ll find me in Lightroom trying to perfect my post processing on my images haha! I also love to cook, it’s either Japanese or Italian food for me – trying to replicate Japanese Ramen at home is tricky! Failing that, I’ll be making my way through my overflowing library of unread kindle books! I’ve also watched far too much Netflix during lockdown so now I’m itching to get travelling again and explore some new places around the globe.

LUKE STACKPOOLE - Faroe Islands.

LUKE STACKPOOLE - Fuji, Japan.

The way people view my images and the quality they perceive is incredibly important to me as an artist and photographer. I place my trust in WhiteWall as my print supplier as WhiteWall has many years of expertise in the industry and has established itself as the world's leading photo lab in the photo finishing market. With a team of experts and high quality materials and finishes, I’m confident that each print delivered will be of the highest quality on the market. Through it’s global reach to over 50 countries I put my trust in WhiteWall to deliver to my global audience in a timely and precise manner upholding it’s quality and attention to detail every time.

Product Recommendation: Framed Photo Prints and Giclée Prints

I prefer the photo prints with frame and the giclée Prints.