The Proof: Eric Neff
Random would be a good way to describe myself. I try to maintain a child like curiosity in my day to day. I have been in the mountains since 2004. Starting in the Rockies, I moved to Whistler in 2007 to be closer to the dealer. POW! It doesn’t get much better than Whistler for waist deep snow.
In 2010 I picked up my first DSLR and decided it was time to pursue my dream. I enrolled in Western Academy of Photography in Victoria, BC and got to work. The camera gives my overactive personality a medium to translate my thoughts and ideas. My interests were in action sports and landscapes but my school was portrait based. I began to adapt to my school’s preferred genre while travelling to the south of Vancouver Island to shoot surfing. As well, I would make the long bus commute back to Whistler every chance I got to shoot skiing and snowboarding.
In my short career I have been all over the map – from shooting skateboarding at Garfs to shooting national figure skaters in Victoria. Personally, I don’t want to limit my creativity to one genre of photography. I have lived in four different cities/towns this year in the pursuit of a better understanding of my medium in all forms. An inspirational short film called “The Dark Side of the Lens” says it best: “I hand on heart say I love doing what I do. I may never be a rich man but if I live long enough I will definitely have a tale or to for the nephews”.
The Photos
01 Meet Gordy – not my cat but I seem to spend allot of time with him.
02 This is the heart of my operation. This all terrain vehicle helps me transport my gear to cool places. She loves the hot springs and long Sunday drives haha.
03 Vitaman C - good way to avoid the common cold.
04 Pizza a staple food for me.
05 Coffee keeps me functional.
06 Late nights and really early mornings has been a big part of my agenda lately.
07 I really like finding rad waterfalls and shooting landscapes. God bless google images and word of mouth.
08 Quality down time. Fishing is always a good way to unwind.
The Questions
What neighbourhood do you live in?
Like most Whistlerites I have had several different apartments. Last winter I was living in Nordic.
What do you do and where?
Kind of a loaded question hah. I maximize my time. Everywhere! Yesterday I was in Alberta, today I am in Toronto, next week I will be paddling my canoe around Ontario fishing for bass like a redneck. Then back to the mountains for winter No. 9.
What are you working on?
I just finished a summer of shooting landscapes in Banff National Park. I am currently at the Toronto International Film Festival working on the red carpet for Visa. After the festival I will be shooting the fall colours on a Hasselblad and having a gallery show.
Where can we find your work?
www.facebook.com/ericneffphotography
http://www.visa.ca/tifffestival/index.jsp#/home
