We had a chat with Oddur, one of our student users of HDR Light Studio, who had been sending us some amazing images created using HDR Light Studio Educational Edition….
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Oddur Sigurdsson
Vodka bottle
Vodka Bottle
Hi Oddur, where are you studying and what course are you on?
I’m currently in the Professional Photography program at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California. The school offers a full time 3-year BFA program that teaches you all aspects of commercial photography. For a few years now, CGI has been offered as an elective course.
What is your background, why did you chose this course?
I was born in Iceland and lived both in England and the US as a child. I graduated from a junior collage in Iceland in 2010 and had a passion to study photography. I had no experience but wanted to turn my passion for it into a career.
How does CGI imaging fit into your studies?
I view CGI as an extension of photography. Whereas photography is the process of capturing physical reality, CGI seeks to emulate it in a virtual environment. Since photography is mostly digital now, the distinction between the two lies merely in the process, not necessarily the result.
What started your interest in HDR Light Studio?
HDR Light Studio caught my eye when I was working on my first render. It blew my mind how quickly and precisely it allowed someone to create stunning light. It takes the guesswork out of the lighting process and lets you focus on the aesthetics.
What have been the benefits to you of using the Educational Edition of HDR Light Studio?
First and foremost, it offers me a chance to use a piece of software that, as a student, I could not otherwise afford. Since the license gives me full control over the program, I’m not limited whatsoever in terms of production. It’s enabled me to take an academic and experimental approach to CGI.
How has using HDR Light Studio benefitted your photography studies?
A thorough understanding of light, how it behaves and how it affects the scene is, in my opinion, the single most important aspect of photography. And while I don’t claim to have reached any level of mastery in this discipline, I can confidently say that I’m getting better with each project. What it boils down to is practice. HDR Light Studio has aided my understanding of light by giving me the power to solve problems quickly. It lets me work experimentally without the constraints of a photography studio, which translates to a better understanding of the subject and a flawless result.
Would you recommend HDR Light Studio to other students?
Definitely yes. HDR Light Studio is simple to learn and the experience of the software is valuable in my study.
What would be your dream job after finishing your studies?
I hope to have opportunity to combine photography and CGI in my work. This technology is in its infancy and I want to contribute to its upbringing. Maybe someday, I’ll get to pass my experience on to others.