Member Profile: Brad Waufle
About me:
©Brad Waufle
Who are you? Tell us about your Photography Journey.
I’m Brad Waufle, (and yes, the last name is pronounced just like the waffle you may have had for breakfast!)
I was a manager for the Union Pacific Railroad, in charge of major construction projects and after 36 years I retired. We have lived in Kansas (where I started with the railroad), Texas, and Missouri before settling in Wyoming. I worked in all but 2 of the 22 States the railroad goes into and saw a lot of the beauty this country has to offer.
We have a small ranch in the sparsely populated state of Wyoming, 30 miles outside of Cheyenne. We have horses, chickens, and barn cats, and run a few head of cattle sometimes. And then there’s my buddy and trusted companion “Thor”, a Belgian Tervuran who is always by my side.
I’m a hobbyist/amateur photographer who has been interested in photography for a number of years. I started in film with a Pentax 35mm camera back in the 1970s, making a lot of mistakes but reading all I could to improve. Gradually improvement came, but film and developing was expensive for a growing family and I didn’t pursue it like I wanted to.
Then about 10 years ago I bought a Canon Rebel my first digital, and began my photography journey again. Relearning through trial and error from what I remembered from my film days with mostly disappointing results. Gradually I added a nice lens and 2 additional camera bodies the Canon 6D and Canon 5D MK IV.
In the process of gaining knowledge, I began researching ways to improve on the internet.
That’s when I discovered TSOP, the best internet search results ever!
I started with the Beginners Course, which brought back a lot of what I had forgotten, but also so much that I never knew to begin with. That led me to the next course: Lightroom. And now, that was an eye-opener for me.
Marc is such a great teacher, clear and precise in his instruction and very thorough in his presentation, which really got me excited to learn more. I began shooting in raw and editing with my new-found knowledge, the results were encouraging. Photoshop was next on my list, a little daunting at first, I found myself going over that one several times until I could get it through this sometimes thick head of mine. Then when I finally get it, I have to laugh at myself because that’s exactly what Marc was teaching to begin with.
What is your preferred genre?
I really enjoy shooting landscapes, wildlife, astrophotography and since I was a railroader [for] steam trains. I have completed the landscape, wildlife, long exposure, cities at night, and astrophotography courses, and still want to do the fine art [one] when time permits.
©Brad Waufle
My favourite photograph:
What is your favourite photograph that you’ve taken?
My favourite photo that I’ve taken ©Brad Waufle
My favorite photo is from a shoot of wild horses out near Rock Springs Wyoming. Not because it really such a great photo, but because of the connection I felt for the little filly and her mare after spending several hours of watching and photographing them. We had a really brutal winter, one in which the deep snow and severe cold had decimated the deer and pronghorn populations with 80% mortality rates. That winter had also affected the elk and wild horse herds too, with large loss’s but not as bad as the deer and pronghorn.
Of the 20 or so different herds of wild horses I had taken pictures of that spring, this was the only foal I saw. I believe the mares that were pregnant and survived the winter, most likely aborted their young. This little filly and her mare were tough survivors of a brutal winter in the wild and harsh environments of these high-elevation deserts. She was very curious and kept a very watchful eye on me. I think of her often, running free with the herd across the sagebrush and grasslands of Wyoming.
Conclusion
I seek continuous improvement in my photography and TSOP is a very important component of that endeavor. From the updates provided from the post-processing upgrades to the monthly assignments, the new courses that come out, and of course, the great photos from the members of the site are a great inspiration for me.
Where can people follow you?
I post on Instagram
Brad’s Gallery:
All images ©Brad Waufle
