Name: Zsolt András Szabó

Place of birth: Nusfalau, Romania

Date of Birth: 1978

Genres: Landscape

Gears: Nikon D810, Nikon 16-35/4, Nikon 70-200/4

How did you get started as a photographer?

Slowly and gradually, around 2002-2003, in the beginning with film cameras and without much opportunities of help from the internet. My passion for mountains and adventures in nature came somewhat earlier, and in the end it guided me towards photography.

What is the first photo you have ever shot?

I can not remember it, but probably it was some memory snapshot with a fully automatic film camera I had in childhood.

What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?

Not much, I haven’t known anybody around me who shot landscapes, and it was the first years of internet became widespread and yet not much help there neither. I remember I was once shown a few of my printed photographs to an old photographer and, before he said anything on my photos he asked me: “why do you shot these, what do you want with them?”. Not much of a help in that moment, but later I realized it was the most important thing every photographer must face.

Why did you choose landscape photography in particular?

I started the whole photography thing to take pictures on my mountain trips in the first place. Through time no other genre succeeded to interest me.

What makes a good picture stand out from the average?

Imagination. The part that the author adds it from himself/herself, a personal touch, the artistic conception, or more exactly the spark of imagination which is visible in the final image.

Who are the photographers you are getting inspiration from and why?

Marc Adamus in the first place, because he have the most perfect compositions, locations and also that attitude of discovering new places in the wilderness, instead of taking photos from the side of the road along with 20 others. But there are many others who inspired me throughout the years: Ryan Dyar, Xavier Jamonet, Alexandre Deschaumes, Alex Noriega, Michael Shainblum etc.

Can you tell us about the most memorable photo you have ever shot and what made it so special?

It is called “Ice and fire” and it was shot in Retezat Mountains, Romania back in 2013. It is my favourite still because, besides the good location and composition it contains the most spectacular conditions I’ve ever witnessed: an explosive sunset, autumn-coloured peaks and an unbelievable hoarfrost in the foreground.

Zsolt Andras Szabo , "Ice and Fire"

What is the biggest challenge you have had to overcome and how did you do it?

With landscape photography the biggest challenge is always to be in the right place in the right time and with the right disposition. Translated into the practice this means that you have to spend as much time as possible in the right locations so that you can use to the full those very short moments of good light and conditions to shoot. The way how to do it is a very good planning and timing, plus sacrificing as much free time as possible.

What is your essential camera equipment ?

The sensor quality is the most essential but that I don’t mention because every actual camera model is capable of that, and also they are pretty much similar in quality. So the critical importance is the tripod and two zoom lenses, one ultrawide and one telezoom, to have all the flexibility with as few lens swappings as possible.

Why you’ve decided to join 100ASA?

I was honoured to be invited, and I am really glad that I joined. At first what I liked the most was that it was different from others, it tried to bring back that type of constructive criticism which was present back then in my beginner-enthousiast period and seemed to disappear lately.