Member Monday Featuring Ken Maggi
Happy Monday everyone! Today we’re talking to Ohio based photographer and TEN-year KelbyOne member, Ken Maggi.
Drone photography is a special skill that not only requires laser-precise focus, but also an aptitude for flying high in the skies. This week’s featured photo gives us an aerial perspective on a common practice in corn farming.
Ken, take it away!
About the Photographer
- Hometown: New Knoxville, Ohio
- Years in Photography: 50+ years. Starting with a Kodak Brownie and then borrowing everyone’s SLR until I bought my first Canon in the 80s.
- Years as a KO Member: 10 years
About the Photo:
- Title: Harvest Time
- Location: New Knoxville, Ohio
- Any additional description of the photograph: I was out flying my drone and I saw the combine harvesting a field nearby. As I positioned the drone above the combine, I saw that the hopper was filled with corn and the farmer was finishing the last rows of the corn. To my eyes the composition was perfect. When I was doing post-production of the image in Lightroom, I thought I had accidentally oversaturated the corn. When I looked back at the unedited image, I saw that the abundance of corn was actually that bright. What a harvest and what an image!
- Gear/Software Used: DJI Mavic Pro 2, Lightroom, Photoshop
Describe your creative style in 3 words
Vision: always looking at what is around, there is much to see and capture.
Planning: putting in the time and preparation to get the most of a photoshoot.
Determination: not giving up and always expecting to learn and grow.
Tell us about a time you struggled or failed with your photography, and how you overcame it?
Back when my kids were young and funds were tight, there was not much money for film and developing and sometimes the exposed film canisters would sit in the refrigerator for weeks before I was able to develop them. However, I never stopped training my eye to see the compositions around me and when I got my first digital camera I went out and practiced, practiced, and practiced.
What sparked your love of photography?
My mother always had a camera with her and she loved taking pictures. When I was little, she would let me hold the camera and take my own pictures and since then I have never wanted to set the camera down and stop taking pictures.
What’s your favorite class on KelbyOne and why?
I really don’t have a favorite class. They are all great and I look forward to each week to see what the next new class will be.
Connect with Ken
You can connect with Ken via his website here!
Thanks to Ken for sharing his story with us, and giving us a behind-the-scenes look into this photograph.
Thank you for joining us for another Member Monday! If you haven’t yet, be sure to submit your photos for a chance to receive a Member Monday feature of your own.
