Meet Fabian Stamate, another talented artist in the KelbyOne community. Based out of Portugal, Fabian creates dramatic black and white images like the one you see above. Click here to view the full image.

1.) Can you tell us a little bit about your photo?

People have personalities and have specific moods: sometimes we are calm, sometimes we are angry, sometimes we look mysterious. And I think that nature and its landscapes also show a particular personality and mood. This photo is titled ‘Tempestuous Sea’ and shows the sometimes tempestuous character of the Atlantic Ocean. It was captured in Nazaré, in Portugal, where the world record biggest waves (80 feet!) were surfed. I captured it on a February morning in 2014, when I was going through a tempestuous phase in my own life. Walking by this seascape in the morning made me connect empathically to this powerful seascape. I guess that we all sometimes feel like that rock being hit by the powerful northern swell, trying to hold our ground.

2.) What gear/software did you use to create this image?

I captured this one with my first photography gear setup: a Canon 600D with a Canon 18-200mm lens (200mm, 1/250 sec at f/11). I use a tripod on 99% percent of my photos, but not on this one, since it was a more spontaneous photo. To process it, I used Lightroom, plus NIK Silver Efex. I feel that the black & white, and the extra grain that I added, give it a more timeless, moody feeling to this seascape. I cropped it like a pano because I felt that added a more storytelling feeling.

3.) What do you like to photograph?

I like to photograph nature, landscapes, and the outdoors in general. I work as a child psychologist, in my clinic, and daily connect with a lot of people and emotions. I love that, but sometimes I feel the need for space and silence, and that’s what I get out of nature and landscape photography. I try to understand what the personality or the mood of the landscape is transmitting and look for a way to put it in a photo.

4.) How long have you been a KelbyOne member and what made you decide to become a member?

I’m not sure how long I have been a KelbyOne member, but at least since 2016. Before that, I watched a lot of The Grid shows on Youtube. I think the first one I saw was with Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski and then started following all episodes. I immediately loved the practical, non-pretentious, direct approach and great courses KelbyOne offered.

To see more of of his work, go check out Fabian’s website and don’t forget to follow him on Instagram and Facebook.