Sean Pierce is a new user who has recently caught our eye at CoinaPhoto for his spectacular photographs. Sean has a flair for capturing the big and beautiful images of the world whilst his shooting at night time is to be applauded. Recently we caught up with Sean to discuss his passion for photography.

Hi Sean, your ‘Her majesty on the 4th of July’ photograph is particularly stunning – can you tell us more about it?

This shot was not an easy one, it was taken during the United States’ Independence Day Holiday, 4th of July.  Just getting through the crowds to get here was a task in itself, I walked about 2 miles to get to this location which is not accessible by the general public.

I’ve always been fascinated with this ship since I was a child, my father introduced me to her when I was about 4 years old when he worked there.

The history of this ship is amazing, here’s a little bit of info on her, The RMS Queen Mary sailed on her maiden voyage on 27 May 1936 and captured the Blue Riband in August of that year; she lost the title to SS Normandie in 1937 and recaptured it in 1938, holding it until 1952 when she was beaten by the new SS United States. With the outbreak of World War II, she was converted into a troopship and ferried Allied soldiers for the duration of the war. Following the war, Queen Mary was refitted for passenger service.

What techniques did you use to capture the photo?

This was shot with a Canon EOS 6D & Canon 17-40mm F/4 L

8 Second Exposure, @ 23mm, ISO 200, F/7

This was my first time ever photographing fireworks, it did take me a couple tries to get the proper exposure, It was quite difficult at first, the smoke from the fireworks would reflect light and overexpose the photo, I had to light paint the ship to bring out the shadows on her. Most people think that I took this shot from a boat but I’m balancing myself and the tripod on rocks that surround the ship.

How old were you when you took an interest in photography? Where did your inspiration come from?

I’ve always noticed photography and enjoyed taking photos but they never came out as I thought they would. I never really thought I had the artistic skills for photography until as of recent. I’ve been studying very hard and set many goals for myself to accomplish. Most of my inspiration came from my Mother, we would go on adventures and she would capture many moments with her old Pentax Film camera.

How would you describe your photographic vision? What kind of look do you try and create in your photos?

It’s really hard to describe my photographic vision. I try show the audience my passion for the adventure photography brings me, but also give the sense of a dream and try to add a touch of fantasy.

Who are your role models?

My mother would be my biggest role model, because of her strong drive and quest for adventure.

Is there anything in particular that you enjoy taking photos of?

I really enjoy waterscapes, I grew up on the ocean, surfing every chance I got when I was younger.  I have a huge passion for animals, especially Pit Bull Terriers. I do tend to photograph a lot of animals and would love to get better at photographing them.

Is there any advice you would offer to those looking to get into photography?

Once you master the 3 Pillars of photography (aperture, ISO, shutter speed), start working with the rule of thirds & depth of field - just learning how to use these will really enhance your photography. When I arrive to a location that’s been photographed many times I try to find a way to make the shot my own, maybe try a different angle, getting very low/high or try different exposures, if the location is outside try using the weather. You want your photo to stand out from the rest.

What’s your dream photography project? 

I would really enjoy photographing Iceland, the landscape & weather there is fascinating to me.  I will one day make that dream come true.

What do you hope to achieve with your photography? 

As of recent I just started teaching basic photography to beginners. Before I started I really didn’t know what would happen but it did feel great helping others achieve that amazing feeling of capturing the photograph they wanted.  I want to be able to inspire others to go out and photograph the beauty around our everyday lives.

What are you shooting now? Can we expect to see it on CoinaPhoto?

Right now I’m working on the Milky Way Galaxy, The season for photographing the Milky Way is coming to an end very soon and I have a few ideas for it.  One will be of a bristlecone pine tree which is one of oldest trees in the world with the Milky Way. If things work out I’ll be posting here soon!

How are you finding CoinaPhoto? What do you like most about it?

I’m fairly new to CoinaPhoto, about 3 weeks, still getting used to it, lots of kind members and would love to see this community grow, I’ve been telling my fellow photographers about this site as everyone else should too, spread the beauty that we all capture!

Some fantastic insight from Sean. His nature landscape photography must be mentioned also. Below we have a recent Photo of the Day from Sean depicting a beautiful sunset and water running between rocks. It’s a truly stunning image entitled ‘The ocean is alive’.

You can view more of Sean’s photographs here.

If you’d like to be part of our Behind the Lens series showcasing your photography make sure to keep uploading to the CoinaPhoto public gallery.