Orms Photo Art: Featured Artist Phil Sturgess

Our Orms Photo Art featured artist this month is Phil Sturgess. Photo Art Consultant, Megan Sherratt caught up with him to find out what inspires him, how he got started in photography and the creative process behind his work. Let’s take a look…

When did you begin your venture in photography and what inspired you?

I purchased my first camera in 1979 in the UK. It was a Praktica. I was planning to spend two years in South Africa and needed a camera to record my adventures. This sparked a continuing love affair with photography. My motivation is largely selfish. I experience inner peace and joy when viewing the world through a lens. Photography really is my perfect addiction!

You have chosen to place a selection of your work on Photo Art website, what has your selection been based on?

My photographic pursuits and tastes are eclectic. But, I am passionate about the great outdoors and I’m an adventurer at heart so landscape photography is a primary focus. While I still enjoy capturing classic landscapes I am experimenting with a more impressionistic style. The end result is far less predictable and wonderfully surprising.

Your work is very original, can you tell us something about your creative process.

While digital imagery demands some level of post-production, the many years spent as a film photographer still drives me to ‘get it right in the camera’. Post production is done almost exclusively in Photoshop Lightroom.

Have you featured your photography on any other platforms?

I have a portfolio of images on 500px and Instagram will soon follow. My wife is also an avid photographer so our website/blog is next in-line. Some of my images have appeared in local magazines from Men’s Health to The Complete Fly Fisherman.

To develop your skills did you do formal training or are you self-taught?

Apart from some basic studio skills, I am self-taught. I was an active member of the PSSA and was president of the Johannesburg Photographic Society for many years. As a consequence, I was fortunate to interact and photograph with many excellent photographers. It was a great learning opportunity and I’m eternally grateful to them all.

Can you describe your work in our collection, in your own way?

It’s primarily a collection of classic and interpretive colour and monochrome landscapes. Pattern and texture feature strongly in my portfolio.

You have a flair for landscapes, can you tell us something about this?

Research, planning, hiking, and patience are critical aspects of good landscape photography. Being in the right place at the right time is probably more important than technical skills and photographic equipment but obviously, it helps when they all come to the party.

Where do you wish to see yourself and your work in 5 years’ time?

I’m committed to developing my style and skills further and together with my wife Carina, building DeSturgi as a well-recognised photographic brand. DeSturgi is a combination of our surnames and will hopefully grow into a unique expression of our art.

View his body of work on Orms Photo Art here.