#NorthernBeaches in Sydney, Australia
Ever wonder what living the dream is really like? Yeah, us too. So we asked Mark Clinton because his life seems like the ultimate dream. The full-time lifestyle and wedding photographer spends his days documenting the scene on the relaxed shores of Sydney, Australia. When not working, you can find him swimming, surfing, or just chilling out on the sand. Sounds pretty good, right? Live the dream vicariously by following Mark’s beautiful Instagram feed here: @markclinton
Place you live: Northern Beaches, Sydney, Australia
Place your Instagrams were taken: These were taken at Freshwater, Curl Curl, Narrabeen and Palm Beach.
Can you sum up Northern Beaches? The Northern Beaches is just a 30-minute drive north of Sydney. It’s known for its relaxed, surfer populated beaches and the chilled out local nightlife in Manly.
What is a perfect day in your spot? Anything involving the ocean! Whether it’s going for a surf or just a casual swim after work – nothing comes close.
If your city was a person or character who would it be and why? One of the many professional surfers who have a love for the ocean, music and beers.
How long have you been using Instagram? Roughly three years, but only consistently for the past two.
Do you shoot with your phone or other cameras or both? I used to shoot only with an iPhone until it became quite restricting when trying to shoot in the ocean. For the most part I use my Canon 5DIII.
What is your editing process? Import and export out of Lightroom 5.
Do you create images outside of Instagram? Yes 🙂 I’m a full-time lifestyle/ wedding photographer so there are thousands of images that never get shared. I tend to keep Instagram for the majority of my personal work.
Has Instagram/phoneography affected how you shoot? Of course! It’s definitely shaped the way I shoot, especially trying to fit all the elements of one 3:2 photo into a 1:1 box. I try to keep everything quite minimal and stick to a few different colours to lure the viewer in.
Can you give a couple of tips to aspiring Instagram photographers? Spend you time developing your own style, make new friends and don’t take it all too seriously.
Who are your three favorite Instagrammers? @chrisburkard, @langly and @ryanpernofski.
Name:Mark Clinton
City:Sydney
Best place to eat:
Cooh Cafe in North Curl Curl
Best place to drink:
Insitu, Manly
Best outdoor activity:
Enjoying our beaches!
Must do:
Drive to both North and West Head and walk to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse in Palm Beach at sunset.
Local tip:
Go to Freshwater Beach in the summer. It’s protected from the seasonal nor’easterly wind that ruins most of the other beaches for swimming. And nothing beats a Sunday session at the Wharf Bar!