Jeff Arris In Focus

A popular contributor to SoGlos.com’s photo galleries from the very start, Gloucester-based Jeff Arris – also known as kennysarmy – is nothing short of a spectacular photographer, who shares his top ten favourites with budding snappers across the county.

Tell us more about yourself
My name is Jeff Arris and I’m a 39-year-old network manager working at a secondary school in Cheltenham. I was born in Berwick-upon-Tweed and moved from the North East to study civil engineering in Liverpool, before moving to Gloucestershire almost 20 years ago – where I continue to live in Gloucester.

How did your love of photography begin?
I’ve always had a camera, even as a young boy using very basic film cameras. I inherited my first SLR when I was about 14 (a Praktika) after the death of my granddad, and had great fun taking shots in the Northumberland countryside.

What camera and equipment do you use today?
I have a Canon 400d SLR and a Canon S3 ‘bridge’ camera, though I use the SLR 99 per cent of the time. I use the following lenses: Canon 70-200mm F4 L, Canon 50mm F1.4 and the Tamron 17-50mm F2.8, while other indispensable items are my tripod, remote shutter release and polarising filters.

Gallery of pictures by Jeff Arris

Out of the 10 photos you picked for the gallery, which is your favourite and why?
I’d have to say the spider’s web. I went on a night time walk around Gloucester, hoping to get some car light trail shots, but came across the spider’s web on a footbridge. It was a foggy evening and the light glistening on the web from a nearby street lamp made it a great photo opportunity.

Do you use any image editing software?
I shoot 100 per cent in RAW which means that every image has to be processed. I convert to JPEGs using the free Canon software DPP and then make any final tweaks in Photoshop CS3.

Are you a film or digital advocate?
All digital.

Do you have any formal training? How did you develop your skills?
No formal training, just lots of practice, reading books, online articles and forums, and viewing lots of images on sites such as Flickr.

If you could photograph anyone who would it be?
An Englishman sinking the winning putt on the 18th green at St. Andrews in The Open…

What’s your favourite Gloucestershire location?
I would have to say Gloucester Docks. In fact I was down there on Saturday evening taking some night shots of The Wheel.

Do you have any tips for budding snappers?
Know your camera inside out and understand the exposure triangle fully.

You can see more of Jeff Arris’s photos on his Flickr profile, flickr.com/photos/kennysarmy.

SoGlos.com
7 July 2009