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Lonely, primeval, dramatic, Luke Stackpoole’s landscapes have an otherworldly appeal.The self-taught photographer relies on extensive travel, sophisticated photographic and post-processing technology – and the printing expertise of WhiteWall, the world’s leading photo lab for high-quality gallery prints Not of this world

About the photographer Luke Stackpoole is a professional lifestyle and adventure photographer with a passion for emotional storytelling through his photography. He focuses on the Nordic regions because of the ever-changing weather, the mountains and dramatic lighting conditions that inspire him. Luke has travelled around the world in recent times, creating photo and video content for international brands and joined WhiteWall as an ambassador this year. withluke.com instagram.com/withluke

CRATER LAKES NESTLED between glowing green hills. A giant jagged rock defying the raging waves. Black beaches against the backdrop of icy grey seas. Luke Stackpoole’s pictures often have an otherworldly feel to them, reminiscent of landscapes from The Lord of the Rings . He’s captured these scenes in many corners of the world, but his favourite destinations are Norway, the Faroe Islands and, above all, Iceland. Its highlands, which are only accessible in summer, are especially dear to him: a lonely, strange landscape, distinguished by volcanic peaks and endless black sand deserts. “I’m drawn to where rugged peaks meet deep dark skies or foggy, temperamental weather,” Luke explains, “and I want to create an atmosphere that reflects how I felt when I was there.” Luke’s journey Born in 1992, Luke grew up in a small village in the south of England, studied economics in Birmingham and worked as a financial expert in London for five years. He was already interested in landscape and astrophotography when, in 2016, he bought his first camera and followed in the footsteps of his photographic role models on social media. Only two years later, he earned his first pay cheque from photography and abandoned his financial job, travelling the world for a year, in

search of unusual landscapes and his own personal style. Today, some 330,000 people follow him on Instagram and not for a second has he regretted stepping away from the financial world. “I needed fresh input,” he says, “I wanted to get out of the city and see some of the wonders of the Earth!” His shots cover not just landscapes but wildlife, and Luke relies on high-quality lenses from Tamron and Sony, as well as high- resolution cameras. Currently he shoots with a Sony A7R IV and uses a DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone for his aerial photography. He works extensively on his compositions, but post- processing is especially important, too, taking “one or two hours for each image”. He adds: “I change the colours and light, and work with different filters to convey the mood that I experienced.” The finishing touch Today, creating campaigns for clients including American Express, Discovery Channel, Fjällräven, The North Face and Visit Greenland, as well as teaching workshops in Lightroom processing, Luke feels his images are only truly complete once printed. As a fine-art photographer, the way people look at his pictures and the quality they perceive is extremely important. He expects the best in printing quality. It’s no accident then, that he’s an ambassador for

WhiteWall, which won the TIPA World Award for Best Photo Lab for a third time in 2020. “I knowmy work’s in good hands,” says Luke. The Cologne-based specialist lab combines high-end image quality with trusted craftsmanship. Luke has been particularly impressed by the wide range of fine-art prints and framing products. “I chose WhiteWall because the lab has many years of experience and, with its team of experts, high- quality materials and processing techniques, it produces the highest quality prints out there. I also trust my international audience will receive excellent service thanks to the global reach WhiteWall enjoys,” concludes Luke.

“I wanted to get out of the city and see some of thewonders of the Earth”

WhiteWall ambassadors

WhiteWall ambassadors are among the most respected, talented and influential professional photographers in the world. Each has their own distinctive style, so together they represent a variety of genres in contemporary

photography. Placing their trust in WhiteWall’s internationally award-winning quality, they represent the versatility of contemporary photographic art with their reputations and passion.

whitewall.com/ambassadors

Issue 83 | Photography News 49

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