Here’s something I’d like to start doing regularly on the blog, photographer interviews!  Let’s get right to today’s, an interview with wildlife photographer, Klaus Peter.

What’s your name?

Klaus J. Peter a.k.a. kjpweb

Where do you live?

Minneola, Florida

Link us to your website and/or blog:

http://kjpweb.com Virtua Gallery

What type of photography do you do?

Wildlife

Have you ever taken any type of photography class?

I actually studied it along with Graphic Arts at the University in Muenster, Germany.
That was in Film times and included extensive darkroom work.

How long have you been a photographer?

Since 1974 – but with a long stretch of no Photography at all in between

Do you have a way for people to purchase your photography online?

Only indirectly: http://virtua-gallery.com/wp/purchase-images/

Name one person/photographer that has influenced you the most in the way you shoot?

No one in particular

What gear do you carry with you?

Body (Nikon D2x) Wide Lens – 18-55mm, Zoom – 100-300m f4, 2x Converter,
Flash, Better Beamer, Spare Batteries, Tripod (only if REALLY needed)

What gear do you carry with you that’s not photography related?

MP3 Player and Speaker, First Aid Kit, Plastic Bags, A lot of water – and Coffee
in a thermos in the car. If needed Folding Chair

What’s your favorite photo of all time that you took?

If you could only use one camera and one lens, what would they be?

Nikon D 300s, Sigma 120-300mm f 2.8 + 2x Converter

Where do you purchase most of your camera gear?

No Specific place – Online B&H, Offline – Colonial Photo & Hobby, Orlando

Next camera gear purchase will be….?

Replacement for my 100-300mm lens and D2x

What are your favorite places to go shoot?

Gatorland, Circle B Bar Reserve, Green Cay, Viera Wetlands

Favorite time of day to shoot…morning or evening?

Morning, Evening, Noon – hey – anytime!

A photographer you admire?

There are a lot of photogs I can only look up to.
Only one real Bigshot among them:
Joe McNally – for exceptional lighting techniques

But there are some pretty normal people out there, too, that
are as good or better as most of the celebrated Photographers:
Ken Conger – exceptional Wildlife Photographer
Edgar Thiessen – always emotional Wildlife shots
Andreas Stridsberg – enormously creative

Richard Steel – image perfection

What was your very first SLR or DSLR camera?

A Yashica FR – fully manual

Best tip you’d give someone just starting out in photography?

Shoot, Shoot, Shoot – that you reach the point in the aspect of Photography
that is nothing more than craft ( the “How to use the camera”), where it
is no longer something you have to actually think about.

What is the next bird/animal that is on your ‘list’ that you’re hoping to photograph?

I so would like to see an American Coot! (Oh no – I think I already got one)
Peregrine Falcon, I guess.

What is one impression you hope the viewer takes away from your photography?

Some kind of satisfaction for having seen animals in their natural beauty, what most
people can’t!

Favorite blogs you read?

• J-Walk
• From the faraway nearby
• Birdchick Blog
• Scotty Graham

Mac or PC?

PC

What software do you use the most to edit your photographs?

FastStone image viewer, to sort through
Photoshop 3, 4, 5, 6 ,7, CS, CS2, CS3, CS4

Thank you so much Klaus for doing this interview!