Marc Adamus
When I first saw his photos in 2008, I was fascinated by his style and the way he sees the world.
Meeting the World-Class Landscape Photographer – Marc Adamus
I had been waiting for this moment practically since I first became interested in landscape photography. Marc was the very first landscape photographer whose work I followed from the beginning.
I always admired his unique style and photo editing, and I tried to incorporate elements of it into my own work—I never hid that. When you look at his photographs, you pause for a moment and think, how did he do that? His images evoke strong emotions, both positive and negative. The negative ones usually stem from personal biases or artistic disagreements—but let’s not dwell on that!
What is he like?
He’s open, professional, and, as it turns out, a fan of heavier music! ;)
When I knew I would finally meet Marc, I kept wondering: What should I ask him? Will he even want to talk?
Meanwhile...
After lunch, my friend Piotr and I were chatting about photography and travel with none other than Sean Bagshaw! (By the way, he was in Poland last year!)
I’ve been following Sean’s work almost as long as Marc’s. I even mentioned that I remember his early landscape photos with the PhotoCascadia group, which were a huge inspiration. And of course, I brought up the first Photoshop actions from Tony Kuyper, which really impressed him. ;) (Back then, there were just actions—long before the TK panel!)
Sean is such a warm and approachable guy. We were having a relaxed conversation when, suddenly, the organiser brought Marc Adamus over to introduce him to Sean—and, unintentionally, to us as well! :D
The two exchanged a few words, but there wasn’t much chemistry, so I decided to step in.
I asked Marc for a photo together, and he immediately said, Of course! Then he asked where I was from. When I told him I was from Poland, he surprised me by saying that his surname is Polish too, and that he has our roots! :D
At that moment, I thought—It’s great to be Polish! ;)
He went on to say that there are many people in Oregon with the surname Adamus. Meanwhile, I asked Piotr to take our picture. Marc then noticed Piotr’s t-shirt with a band name on it and excitedly said he loves that band—immediately, the guys broke into full-on rock ’n’ roll mode!
I never would have guessed that my first meeting with Marc would feel like catching up with an old friend. My carefully prepared list of questions? Completely useless!
Of course, as time went on, I did ask him about his style and how he approaches composition. He put it simply: Stay as close to nature as possible!
Later, Marc held a workshop on landscape photography and his editing techniques.
His motto:
"Don’t show what you photographed. Photograph what you want to show!"
With digital photography today, the only limit is our imagination.
Photo Editing – This Might Surprise You!
He spends the most time blending images, but when it comes to refining a photo, he only uses five tools—at most!
He repeated this several times, demonstrating on his own photos that you only need to master five Photoshop tools to achieve his signature style.
Marc can talk about photography for hours without a break. He inspires, captivates, and truly infects you with his passion—in the best possible way! ;)
Meeting Another Photography Legend – Joel Tjintjelaar
I also had the chance to meet another world-renowned photographer, Joel Tjintjelaar, a master of black-and-white photography.
I first discovered Joel’s work around 2012 when I was searching for unique B&W techniques. That’s how I found BWvision and Joel’s methods.
So much knowledge about light, shadows, and the countless shades of grey—it makes your head spin! ;)
