Kevin Kaminski is, largely, a self-taught Phoenix-based photographer with a strong interest in nature and adventure imagery. Like many people who call Phoenix home (he tells us), he’s a transplant:
I’m originally from the northern suburbs of Chicago, in a somewhat small town called Lake Zurich (Go Cubs!). My hometown had the nickname “Lake Zero,” as there was really nothing to exciting to do there. Living in a neighborhood of very few houses and a lot of forest land, I developed an affinity for the outdoors from an early age which carried into adulthood.
Playing outside naturally sparked my curiosity in the world of photography, when I began using my mother’s old Minolta to photograph my adventures. I took my first photography class in high school, using that same old camera, which seemed to transform “Lake Zero” into an amusement park for me. I explored almost every inch of that town with my camera around my neck.
Kevin Kaminski: Nature & Adventure Photography
As far as where Kevin’s interest in this type of photography came from, he says it’s all natural:
It helps that I have an equal passion in all of that crazy outdoor stuff like rock climbing, mountain biking, backpacking, and hiking, just to name a few. During college winter breaks, my best friend and I would road trip from Illinois to Arizona, where we would spend our time off rock climbing and exploring the state. Arizona really grew on me; the diverse landscapes, endless hiking and climbing opportunities, adventure rafting, mountain biking.
This state has it all. Not to mention, I’ve been to almost all 50 states and none can beat the sunsets out here! You can definitely see that diversity in my photos. Monsoons in the summer can bring raging waters throughout the state, as you can see from the chocolate colored waterfalls of Grand Falls. Then, drive to Flagstaff or the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, where you can find the bright yellow and red fall colors.
The Shot: Napali Mountains
Kevin’s shot captures a portion of the iconic, mountainous shoreline on Kauai’s North Shore.
“The sun was setting, the mist was coming in from the ocean—the mist isn’t rolling down the mountains, it’s actually rolling up it,” Kevin exclaimed. “It was one of those moments where, just, wow, I thought this is really cool and I had never seen anything like this.”
“This shot was taken approximately 30 minutes before the sun was going to set,” Kevin explains. “I shot it at f11, which is my go-to, and my shutter speed was probably at a sixtieth of a second. I was underexposing it a little bit so I could get at the deeper shadows against the super-bright contrast of the mist,” he adds.
“I definitely use a tripod when I shoot my landscape photography,” Kevin adds. “I almost always shoot on a two-second delay timer, or I will actually use something called a CamRanger, which allows me to operate all the control on my camera on my phone. That way there’s no movement, nothing is touching the camera.”
Kevin Kaminski: The Interview!
Check out our interview with Kevin Kaminski:
Where to Find Kevin Kaminski
Where can you see more of Kevin and his work? Check him out on Instagram!
But you can also find him via his website: Kevin Kaminski Photography.
Check out our other TruLife® Acrylic Featured Photographers to read all the nice things they have to say about TruLife® Acrylic and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter so we can deliver recent blog posts, along with any TruLife product and program updates, right to your inbox.
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