Place you live: Ulladulla, NSW, Australia

Place your Instagrams were taken? Ulladulla’s beaches.

Can you sum up Ulladulla? It is a small coastal town with amazing people and amazing beaches. It easily triples in population over the summer holiday period (Christmas to New Year’s).

What is a perfect day in Ulladulla? My favorite days are in autumn when the water is warm and we get really clean, solid swells. Mornings are clear and crisp, and there are light offshore winds.

If Ulladulla was a person or character who would it be and why? Let’s just say Fred Flinstone because he is a hard worker and doesn’t wear shoes (it’s a good show too!).

How long have you been using Instagram? I’ve been on Instagram since the end of 2010, I think about three months after it came out.

Do you shoot with your phone or other cameras or both? Up until about a week and a half ago all my photos were taken with an iPhone. I recently got to use a Canon 6D  and have had a blast with it.

What is your editing process? VSCO app and VSCO Lightroom!

Do you create images outside of Instagram? I have a graphic design business so outside of Instagram I create images that are more abstract. They are edited, colored and layered.

Has Instagram/phoneography affected how you shoot? Definitely and dramatically. To me, Instagram is like when you know you have guests coming over and you realize how messy your house is. You do what you can to tidy the place up before they get there. Similarly when you aren’t showing anyone your images you don’t notice if they are a little messy. But when you start sharing your images with others on something as public as Instagram it makes you more aware of your photos and what you could do to clean them up a little.

Also I think the constraints and limits of iPhoneography have really helped me learn how to take photos without getting lost in a sea of settings. I learned the real basics that are often overlooked or forgotten by someone with expensive equipment: light, focus and framing. But in saying that, I think the iPhone’s greatest advantage is its accessibility and portability. It’s always with you so you can always take photos – and practice makes pretty good!

Can you give a couple tips to aspiring Instagram photographers? Don’t try to get popular – just try to get good. Just try to take and share the best images possible! I think photography (like any form of artistry) is for sharing. Focus on pushing the limits creatively and doing your very best. I never meant to get into water photography. I just wanted to get the most beautiful images possible of where I live. We don’t have any snow-capped mountains surrounded by crystal lakes here, but we do have amazing waves. I found a way to get my phone in the water and I am stoked I did! (use the code ‘ryanp’ on optrix.com for a great housing). So I guess the last tip is: do the best you can with what you already have, don’t wait until you have the best gear.

Who are your three favorite Instagrammers? I’ve got at least 300 favorites! And everyone I follow inspires me in some way. But I would have to say @markclinton, @ravivora and @chrisburkard are very inspiring!!

www.ryanpernofski.com

www.instagram.com/ryanpernofski

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