Rising stars 2018
Outdoor enthusiast Josef swept the board in the youth category of this year’s Landscape Photographer of the Year. AP finds out what motivates him
We talk to six talented photographers about their work and motivation
When did you start taking pictures and why?
I was home-schooled and spent a lot of my spare time outdoors. I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up in rural Cornwall and so developed a keen interest in nature. Five years ago, at 13 years old, I received my first DSLR and two books by Ross Hoddinott. These inspired me to start shooting both the landscape and wildlife, teaching me so much of what I know today. I was hooked.
What is it about the landscape that inspires you?
I’ve always been a keen cyclist, and my bike has been my vehicle for exploring the landscape and finding new locations. The coastline is visually stunning and always changing, with no two days the same, and England’s South West Peninsula is full of hidden opportunities: capture these during the golden hour and the result can be stunning.
Have you entered LPOTY before? How did you go about choosing your images this year?
I entered the competition two years ago and at the time was disappointed not to have had a result, but when I look back, I don’t find it surprising. This year, with an image limit of 25, selecting my entries wasn’t too difficult. I had high hopes for the shot of Russ in the Living the View category, but never would have thought I’d take the overall win. The Milky Way over Porthgwarra Cove was a favourite of my friend and photographer Peter Edwards. I have dedicated it to him, so to see it win the Your View category was amazing.
When Charlie Waite called with the news, it was hard to take in the scale of my win. The interest it has generated has been amazing. I’ve worked with the BBC and Sky News, receiving so many encouraging comments on social media. It’s incredible to see how many people have been inspired and moved by my images.
What are the biggest challenges you have had to overcome in pursuit of your photography?
Being able to afford professional-level equipment as a young person isn’t easy. I relied on learning my own techniques to compensate for only having entry-level kit. All my competition entries and winning images were shot on my first DSLR, the Nikon D3300, paired with the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 II lens. I love shooting wide, and the fast aperture is fantastic for my astrophotography work. A few months ago, I upgraded to the Nikon D500, which is already hugely improving my work.
What are your hopes for the future?
To be able to turn this passion into a career is my dream. I’d love to cover international sporting events. The success of my mountain bike photography has encouraged me to set up a second strand of work, building an audience under the name of CornwallSportsPhotography. Last year, I began running astrophotography workshops as I really enjoy teaching others. With this award, I plan to start running landscape workshops while expanding on the rest of my business, which is JFPimages.