Chris Ryan: Şöyle söyleyebilirim, eğer seviyorsanız bunu yapın. Nasıl başarılı olunacağı çok büyük bir sır değil, sadece temel. Yaptığınız işle ilgili tutkulu olun. Daima anı ya da bir çekimi maksimumda yapmak için elinizden geldiği kadar çabalayın. Konunuz ve birlikte çalıştığınız insanlarla dürüst ve açık olun. Kendi stilinizi yaratırken bir fotoğrafçı olarak düşünceli ve yaratıcı olun. Ve işler zorlaştığında asla vazgeçmeyin, profesyonel fotoğrafçılıkta inişler ve çıkışlar vardır, bu zorluklara uyum sağlamak başarının anahtarının bir parçasıdır.  
 
 

Hülya Yeltepe: What did you study at the university?

Chris Ryan: Television and Film Production. As well as Psychology, Anthropology, and Botany. Which I believe all helped me to become a well-rounded, people-friendly photographer.

Hülya Yeltepe: Is photography your real profession? If not, did you have any education about photography?

Chris Ryan: I've been a full-time professional photographer for over 7 years, and have owned and managed my own studio for 6 years. Part-time professional for many years before that.

Hülya Yeltepe: When and why did you decide to be a photographer?
 

Chris Ryan: At about age 13 I first developed an interest in photography. There has always been something very attractive to me about the blend of art and technology that photography offers. Complex technical parameters that define how the camera reacts and functions, mated with the limitless ability to be creative and artistic.

Hülya Yeltepe: As far as I can see in your blog and web site you seem to like to take “food”, “music” and “sports" photographs. Is there any reason for that or it’s just your own choice? 

Chris Ryan: Food, Music, and Sports are all areas of photography that I've chosen to specialize in. I grew up in a bit of a restaurant family, so food in a commercial sense has always been familiar to me. Large-venue concerts by popular musicians is a favorite because of both the high energy environment, as well as the opportunity to make dynamic photos of high-profile artists. Big sports events holds a similar attraction for me. The nothing like the nearly electric energy felt inside an arena during an NBA Playoff game. And, again, professional sports offer great opportunities to make gripping, emotion based, action photos that really wow the viewer.

Hülya Yeltepe: In your web site you say that you bring passion and exciment to every project you take on. Can you please tell us about these projects?

Chris Ryan: I get excited about every project I take on. My work is just plain fun most of the time. From working with a fitness model on location to covering a sporting event to doing a restaurant shoot, I'm always excited about what I'm doing, and it shows. My subjects (unless it's food), and the people I'm working with generally pick up on that and the excitement spreads, feeding everyone's creativity. And if a photographer isn't positive, motivated, and visibly enthused about a project I think it can have a negative effect on the people involved, and thus the outcome of the shoot.

Hülya Yeltepe: You also say that you work well under pressure. What is your secret? Can you share your secret with us?

Chris Ryan: No secret really. Just relax, focus, stay positive, be confident, and get the job done. If your truly confident in your abilities and seek out jobs within your skill set you should be able to handle any pressures or challenges that present themselves during the course of a shoot.

Hülya Yeltepe: What kind of equipment do you use while shooting sports images? Do you have any particular equipment for sports shooting other then your regular equipment?

Chris Ryan: I shoot sports with a Canon 1D Mark II, most events I have two bodies with me. I use a variety of lenses depending on how close I am to my subjects. A 16-35mm or 24-70 for bench and locker room shots, a 70-200mm for mid-range shots, and occasionally a 300mm, 400mm, or 600mm, for long down-field shots. Also I might use a 200mm f1.8, or an 85 f1.2 if low light is an issue, or if I need a higher shutter speed.

Hülya Yeltepe: Is there any special sport or sport organization you want to shoot images?

Chris Ryan: Most sports photographers have a short list of "dream jobs". High on that list for me is a staff position at a prestigious sports magazine such as Sports Illustrated. Serving as Team Photographer for a professional level sports team is always a goal as well. In 2007 I had the good fortune of being Team Photographer for the Portland Lumberjax pro indoor Lacrosse team. Lots of hard work, but thrilling as well.

Hülya Yeltepe: Did you do any sport yourself?

Chris Ryan: Growing up I played Football, Tennis, and Golf. The sports I participate in now are mostly individual action-sports, such as Mountain Biking, Snowboarding, Kayaking, and Hiking. I'm starting to dabble a bit in Rock Climbing and would love to try Kite Boarding and Para Gliding.

Hülya Yeltepe: You have well known clients like Nike, Reebok and Summit Entertainmet. Is it difficult work with them? What can you tell us about that?

Chris Ryan: Absolutely not. In fact, larger companies such as those are typically much easier to work with than a smaller company. Companies like Nike know exactly what they're looking for and are very clear about communicating their concepts and desired results long before the day of the shoot, so everyone involved knows what to expect. Often times a smaller company will rely on the photographer's expertise to fill in any creative gaps in the concept. Which can be a lot of fun as well.

Hülya Yeltepe: Is there any new sports project?

Chris Ryan: There's always something new on the horizon. I'm very interested in the Fluid Movement sport of Parkour. It offers many opportunities to create dynamic photography, and it's still so new on the commercial level that it has many unique application possibilities. Also, I was approached recently by a company that provides all-inclusive action-sport adventures. I'm excited about where that might lead.

Hülya Yeltepe: Is there anything you want to say to the new photographers who wants to work on sports photography?

Chris Ryan: I would say that if you love it, go for it. No big secret on how to be successful, just the basics. Be driven and passionate about the work your producing. Always work as hard as you can to maximize a moment or shoot. Be honest and fair with your subjects and those your working with. Be thoughtful and creative about developing your style and who you are as a photographer. And don't give up when things get tough, professional photography has it's ups and downs, adapting to those challenges is part of the key to success. 

 
Röportaj ve Çeviri (interview and traslation by) : Hülya YELTEPE 

 

Kısaca söylemek gerekirse Chris Ryan bir fotoğrafçıdır ve yaptığı işi seviyor. Yerel bir dergi için çektiği portre çalışmasından daha kompleks ve girift ticari çekimlere kadar aldığı her projeye tutku ve heyecan katar. Chris baskı altında çok iyi çalışabilir ve cana yakın insan canlısı birisidir, müşterileriyle kısa sürede ahenkli bir ilişki kurar. Uzun yıllara dayanan tecrübesi, bütçeye ve sınırlı bir süreye dayalı işlerde güvenle başarılı fotoğraflar üretmesini sağlayan bir beceri geliştirmiştir. Chris’in ticari müşterileri arasında Nike, Reebok ve Summit Entertainment firmalar vardır ve çeşitli çalışmaları da French Rolling Stone, Maxim, Men’s Fitness, Bon Appetit, Playboy ve ESPN Magazine gibi dergilerde yayınlanmıştır.

About Chris RYAN

Simply put, Chris  is a photographer, and he loves he does. He brings passion and excitement to every project he takes on, from the quick editorial portrait for a local magazine, to the often complex and intricate logistics of a commercial shoot. Chris works well under pressure and is very much a people person, quickly establishing an easy rapport with his clients. His many years experience have built a broad-based skill set that allows Chris to confidently produce winning images on deadline, and on budgets. Chris2 commercial clients include Nike, Reebok and Summit Entertainment, and his editorial work has been featured in French Rolling Stone, Maxim, Men’s Fitness, Bon Appetit, Playboy and ESPN Magazine. 

Chris Ryan Photography