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Photo manipulation tips from Marc Schäfer (IG @ marcschaefer)

We recently had an opportunity to speak with rising Instagram photographer, Marc Schäfer.  We also asked Marc for some photography tips and what inspires him to create some of the stunning photo manipulation concepts.  Marc currently has close to 800 followers and he averages close to 140 Likes per post.  Marc can be found here on Instagram and he also posts his work on Unsplash.

We were searching for stock photos on Unsplash and Marc’s work caught our eye.  We wanted to interview him, so we could get a little background on himself and provide our readers with some photography tips.
It was a great opportunity for us to get to know the people behind the beautiful pictures we see everyday on Instagram.

  1. How did you get into photography?

– I have always been interested in photography. In 2017 I have finally bought a camera so I don’t have to use my iPhone to make pictures.

  1. What are some of your photography hardware (i.e., camera, lenses, etc)?  Which one do you tend to use most?

– At the moment I am using Sony Alpha 6000 with Kit-Lens (16-50mm) and Sony SEL55210 (55-210mm). Now I’m looking forward to my new camera the Sony Alpha 7 Mark 3.

  1. What’s your go-to lens?

– The Kit-Lens because of it’s flexibility. It covers the wide and depth focus.

  1. What software do you use to edit your pictures?

– I use Affinity Photo on my MacBook Pro.

  1. Best photo edting apps?

– Snapseed and Prisma, but Snapseed is my favorite!

  1. What are some of the things that inspire your photography?

– Movies, videos and photos from other inspirational artists.

  1. How do you come up with some of your photo manipulation ideas?

– I came up with many ideas while working in a warehouse and some other ideas I got through other artists on Instagram.

  1. What inspires your manipulation ideas?

– I try to make the impossible come true. Photomanipulation is the only way to do so.

  1. What drone are you using for your pictures?

– I owned the DJI Mavic Pro. Now I am using the Mavic Pro 2 Zoom.

  1. What drone recommendations do you have for people who can’t afford a DJI drone?

– I don’t know, I used only DJI drones, yet. But there are many reviews on YouTube that could help to make a decision.

  1. What should people look for in a drone?

– Powerful battery life, a good camera and the assist systems are helpful to make your footage more professional and smoother.

  1. What’s the difference between a good and great drone shot?

– Most drone shots are amazing, but the really great shots are the one with the WOW effect.

  1. What angles do you recommend shooting pictures at?

– For Drone? Top View and cinematic helicopter-view.

  1. What megapixel works best for drone pictures?

– It’s not all about megapixels! Sensor, location and skills are also important.

  1. Team Android or Team Apple?  Why?

– Team Apple, reliability and great workflow between MacBook and iPhone.

  1. Team Nikon, Team Canon or Team Sony?  Why?

– Team Sony, because I only tried them.

  1. Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring photographers?

– Better have a noisy picture than not having one and try a lot of angles.

You can check out Marc Schafer’s work here:

https://www.instagram.com/marcschaefer/