Member Monday Featuring Wayne Gillespie

We sat down with Wayne Gillespie to get the behind the scenes scoop on this photo he created using the techniques he gained from an editing session with Jackie Kramer, and his inspirations for pursuing photography!

Continue reading to learn more about this Denver photographer on the rise in the KO community!

About the Photographer

  • Hometown: I am Wayne Gillespie.  I live in Denver, CO.
  • Years in Photography: I have been interested in photography since my roommate in college introduced it to me.  He was quite accomplished at the time.  I have always had a camera since then.  When I retired in 2013, I decided to figure out if I could make a gallery-quality image.  And my serious adventure in photography began in 2014.
  • Years as a KO Member: I found KelbyOne in 2016, and really wish I had found it much earlier. It is just a wonderful community to learn from.  I really feel like I accomplished this goal two and a half years ago, but there is so much more to learn!

About the Photo:

Photo by: Wayne Gillespie
  • Title: Anticipating Spring
  • Any additional description of the photograph: I was stuck indoors back in January and bought this ranunculus from a local florist.  My goal this winter was to improve my photoshop skills.  So, after I found a pleasing image of the flower I began working on the background.  I was able to combine two images of peonies that I had shot in Scotland last summer and blur them etc. in Photoshop to create this final image.
  • Gear/Software Used: I used Photoshop, Lightroom, Viveza 2, and some Color Efex Pro.

Describe your creative style in 3 words.

For the last two years, I have been in a “Flower Event Horizon”.  No matter what my initial intention was in capturing an image, if I see a flower I get sucked right in and just have to shoot it from all angles and lighting.  

Tell us about a time you struggled or failed with your photography, and how you overcame it?

Struggles and failure seem to go right together with photography.  We get very few winners, but when you get one, it is just so rewarding.  The challenge in creating pleasing images, either flower or landscapes is really what makes me love this so much.  KelbyOne has been such a great help in conquering so many of the struggles that arise.

What’s your favorite class on KelbyOne and why? 

Melanie Kern-Favilla’s course on Creating Breathtaking Floral images is still my favorite, but Jackie Kramer’s class, Artistic Macro Photography, is a close second. And this winter I have spent a lot of time with Dave Cross’s courses on PS.

Connect with Wayne

My website is www.waynegillespie.smugmug.com.  If you look at it you will see that the Flora images are my current love.

Thank you Wayne for sharing! If you haven’t yet, be sure to submit your photos for a chance to receive a Member Monday featured post of your own.