Spotlight On: Aston Myer Photography

Spotlight On: Aston Myer Photography

As part of our ongoing series, we are interviewing people of interest in the area who are having a positive impact on our community.

This time, we reached out to Tim Aston from Aston Myer photography!

Tim, what inspired you to become a photographer, particularly in the Eastern Sierra?

Family vacations when I was a kid were mostly spent in nature, and the Eastern Sierra was a favorite destination. Nature is how I recoup energy, and I have an obsessive one-track mind. I taught high school biology for ten years and decided to transition into landscape photography full time making my own prints and teaching customized private classes out of Inyo National Forest (Aston Myer Photography operates under permit of Inyo National Forest). I find the challenge of translating the beautiful strangeness that nature produces into a compelling image to be irresistible. The mountains are where I feel most at home, and the Eastern Sierra has unmatched variety. Having the Sierra, Long Valley and Owens Valley, Yosemite, Mono Lake, Death Valley, and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest close at hand offers a lifetime of exploration, and there is a huge difference between visiting a landscape and living in it.

When do you think is the best time for capturing images?

Different seasons offer different opportunities, and there is always something compelling to photograph. The longer I photograph, the more I’ve fallen in love with the small scenes. Grand landscapes are wonderful, and I’ll photograph a clearing storm with a rainbow if it’s on offer, but a stunning image for me is one that forces you to pause and get lost in it, maybe more subtle than you’d expect. I find the strength of photography as a medium is the texture and detail that light brings out. Rather than feeling disappointed by a blue-sky day, looking for soft reflected light can produce stunning images at any time of year. That said, anytime I can access the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is the best time to capture stunning images. The stories in their wood are unmatched.

Who or what inspires your photography? Are there certain artists or movements that inspire you?

The natural landscape is what inspires me, so you’ll rarely detect manmade objects or people in my photographs. When I’m selling prints at an art market, I’m frequently asked if I use Photoshop, generative AI, or if I composite my work. These are all simply tools for an artist, and I use them when it makes sense. There has been movement in recent years towards more naturalistic editing popularized by the Natural Landscape Photography Awards, which began in 2021. The founders believe that photography is unique among mediums because it is so grounded in reality. It’s much more satisfying for me to do a subject justice by coming back to photograph it again and again until it feels right than try and force it in post-processing. I’m a big believer in making deliberate choices in every step of the process and ultimately producing classic pigment ink prints on cotton rag paper that should last a lifetime and then some. If I had to name a few landscape photographers that inspire me, Mariposa-based Michael Frye has been my mentor, my Bishop colleague Brittany Colt’s landscape work is incredible, and the work of longtime local John Dittli is legendary.

Can you share a memorable experience from a photoshoot in the Eastern Sierra?

I’ve photographed Obsidian Dome countless times, but it is challenging to make a meaningful photograph. It’s a fine line showing the chaos of a volcanic eruption without the image itself being chaotic. On one morning the light from sunrise was just strong enough to light up the clouds and reflect down on the pumice. It wasn’t a blazing red sunrise and it didn’t need to be. Getting to know the landscape over time changed my perspective and made my image, “Solitary,” more successful at conveying the nuances of the place than my earlier outings with eye-catching vibrant sunsets.

Lastly, where can people find and purchase your work?

My website (AstonMyerPhotography.com) is always available to view my work, though viewing an image on a screen will never match looking at a high-quality physical print. My gallery showcasing 20 large prints is located in the Eastern Sierra Now office at 163 May Street in Bishop. The office is usually open at noon on weekdays, if you’d like to take a look. If you’d like a tour and would like help choosing a print, an appointment inquiry can be made by emailing me. I also have prints at the Mono Arts Council Gallery in Mammoth, and I have a booth every year at Bishop Memorial Day Arts and Crafts Show, Mammoth Lakes Arts on the 4th Festival, Mammoth Lakes Open Air Arts and Crafts Fair, other local fairs put on by Wild Sage Creative, and other art festivals around California. I’m focused on growing my business by doing more of what I enjoy most – teaching photography. I provide online Zoom classes, but the best choice is spending a few days out in the field where I teach any part of my process including fine-tuning composition, awareness of light, camera familiarity, ways to get the most out of your outings in any light, and the pleasure of making your own prints.

A special thank you to Tim for answering our questions. You can find more of his work at https://www.astonmyerphotography.com/.

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TM Rush