Dale Sharpe and Karlie Russell are Australian photographers who make up the team at DK Photography, based on the picturesque Gold Coast in Queensland. They both have a strong passion for landscapes and astrophotography. Photography has taken them on adventures across the world and their works always show people the breathtaking beauty of the earth. They hope that their works can inspire others to also chase their dreams
NiSi is delighted to have this interview with Dale of DK Photography. In this interview, you can find out how Dale and Karlie met each other and their experiences and thoughts related to photography.
Z for Zoe and D for Dale
Z: Hi Dale! It’s so nice to meet you! Firstly, could you tell us three interesting things about you that you want people to know?
D: I’m a landscape photographer from Australia with my partner Karlie and we’ve been photographing together for almost 10 years now. Our passion comes from shooting the night sky (aurora and astro) as well as unusual and interesting locations like ice caves and storms. Most people now know as ‘that couple’ that engaged under the northern lights in an image that went globally viral 2 years ago.
Dale and Karlie engaged under the northern lights
Z: How long have you been taking pictures? Do you still remember how you started?
D: I’ve been photographing for almost 15 years (originally doing portraits and real estate) and around 10 years ago I decided to shoot full time doing landscapes as it was a genre of photography I was insanely passionate about. In more recent years we fulfilled our dream to start a company teaching photography workshops all around the world and it has been an incredible success with almost all tours sold out now as well as booking out years in advance. I get a real kick out of helping others achieve their photographic goals now.
Ice Cave
Taken in Vatnajökull, Iceland
With NiSi polarizer
Z: What does landscape photography mean to you? What are some of the most challenging aspects of your work?
D: Landscape photography to me is all about sharing moments in time that many will or may never get to see. It’s about showcasing the beauty of the earth and encouraging others to travel and experience it for themselves as well as educating preservation through the art of photography. The most challenging part of our job however is the unpredictable nature of weather. Which can often bring with it dangerous and diverse conditions that sometimes can add more drama to our images or have us snowed in for days at a time.
Autumn Waterfall
Taken at Monte Fitz Roy in Patagonia, Argentina
With NiSi polarizer
Z: I’ve read that you met and fell in love with Karlie while shooting a sunset. It sounds romantic. Would you like to talk about the story?
D: Haha! This is a very funny story. We actually met online dating (which we don’t often like to admit). We both shared a passion for landscapes and when we met for the first time we captured a sunset together that afternoon and our passion for photography and each other just grew from there.
Z: Do you and Karlie have the influence on each other in some aspects, photographically?
D: We definitely do…sometimes it’s very healthy and other times we often like to mock each other lol. It’s very unique having 2 photographers in a relationship shoot together and we are so lucky to have that bond and respect for one another and share that same passion for landscapes and travel. Our style is very similar and we both have a similar eye when framing and composing an image.
Z: When did you start using NiSi filters and why?
D: Filters have been an integral part of our workflow from the start. We were originally with another company and one thing we loved to shoot was long exposures but the setup of the filter holder as well as the horrible ‘colour cast’ made it frustrating during shooting and post processing. Many years later we were informed by a few fellow Australian landscape photographers of this revolutionary new brand called NiSi that had very neutral filters. We’d contacted Andrew from NiSi Australia and he was kind enough to lend us some gear when we were in New Zealand and the results were incredible and we’ve never looked back. What we love most about NiSi is how they continue to listen to photographers and always improve and perfect their filters and holders.
Waterfall & Mountain Peak
Taken at Kirkjufell in Iceland
With NiSi polarizer, Medium Grad ND 8 (0.9)
Z: Which NiSi products do you usually use while shooting?
D: I love the 150mm S5 for my Nikon 14-24mm and Karlie prefers the new V6 now for size and its new features. Our favourite filter would have to be the 15-stop ND and the 0.9 Medium Grad ND as they are so neutral and the results are always perfect for us.
Sand Dunes
Taken in Dhabi, UAE
With NiSi polarizer, Medium Grad ND 8 (0.9)
Z: Among all the photos you took with NiSi filters, which one is your favorite? What went into creating it?
D: Without a doubt the one that always comes to mind is one we took in the Faroe Islands using the NiSi 15-stop ND. We’d checked the cloud and wind direction and planned to do a really long exposure with the clouds spiralling towards us in a dramatic way. It was a nervous wait to see if we nailed it and we were so happy with the result.
Waterfall into Ocean
Taken in Gasadalur, Faroe Islands
With NiSi ND (15 stops)
Z: Is there a shot was particularly tricky, miserable or enjoyable that you will never forget?
D: One of the trickiest and most rewarding shoots was one we captured in Patagonia last year. We spent days looking for this cascade and when we found it we had one window of opportunity to capture it the following morning with a good forecast top of high cloud predicted. It was tricky balancing the exposure and getting the CPL just right to cut glare out of the foliage and rocks around the falls but it ends up all working out in the end and to this date, it is one of our most popular and purchased images.
Rock Waterfall
Taken in Karijini National Park, Australia
With NiSi polarizer
Z: What advice would you pass on to someone just getting started in photography?
D: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and experiment in finding your own unique style. One thing we learnt over the years was that when we stopped worrying about what other photographers were doing and concentrated on our own goals, improving our skills and the quality of our work increased and we felt a lot more self-satisfaction.
Z: What are your plans in the coming months? Any projects you’re excited about?
D: We are super excited to see out our second year teaching photography workshops in Iceland, Norway, Patagonia, Australia and New Zealand. For fun we will be ticking off a bucket list location and travelling to the USA to Tornado Alley to capture some big storms and hopefully some tornadoes in 2 months time.
