Wayne Suggs is one of the pros on our team here at Muench Workshops. Read on to find out more, and check out his pro page to see which workshops he’s leading.
How did you get into photography?
My mom was a photographer, and as a child, I loved going out with her. She’s the one who gave me the inspiration and the love of capturing the natural world with a camera. I was fourteen when my mom and dad bought me my first camera.
Where are you from, and where are you now?
Las Cruces, New Mexico, a lifelong resident.
What made you want to work for Muench Workshops?
As a child, my mom collected David Muench’s landscape photography books. I would pour through them, and when I was out with my camera, I’d pretend I was David Muench.
What camera system do you use and why?
I’ve always been a Nikon photographer. The camera system has always felt very intuitive and comfortable to me. These days, all camera systems are good, but to create art, I feel that a camera is just a tool and an extension of oneself. I believe you shouldn’t have to think about the technical aspects when taking an image. Nikon makes this very easy to accomplish.
I love showing people a technique or subject they might not have thought of that enables them to express themselves creatively in a new way. It’s an absolute joy to see people get into the creative side of photography!
What is your favorite aspect of teaching photography?
When that light turns on, the person I’m teaching suddenly gets it. There’s nothing more gratifying. It is as gratifying as capturing my own image. When nature is at its best, I’ve helped people capture images that are so meaningful to them.
Do you specialize in any photography technique or style? If yes, what is it?
I want to think I am just a nature photographer, which means capturing nature at its best. Whether it be wildlife, the landscape, or a nightscape image. But, I think many people look at me as someone specializing in night photography. I’ve always loved photographing at night, even with my film cameras. As far as landscapes go, I love wide-angle photography. The world looks so different through a wide-angle lens.
What is your favorite Muench Workshop destination? Why?
Wow, this is a difficult question, but if I had to choose one, it would probably be Bisti Badlands in my home state of New Mexico. It’s a workshop that I can share New Mexico with Muench clients. I think it’s one where you can get creative and get a compositional workout. It offers everything from intimate scenes to wide-angle photography, nightscapes, and Native American dwellings.
What is something valuable you’ve learned through photography that you might not have otherwise learned?
It would have to be the nuances of nature, and I’ve learned to appreciate the little things that the natural world has to offer. The subtle light changes and the changing seasons offer different color palettes and how those colors work together. Educating myself about my subject matter. The more I learn about my subject (which is nature for me), the better photographer I become.
How do you define success as a photographer?
Success for me doesn’t come with social media accolades. I believe success comes from immersing myself in the landscape, so much so that I feel like I was a part of it all when I’ve had a great day. Like I belonged there. Whether I came away with an image I could be proud of or not, I consider it a meaningful day if I was accepted by all around me.
Do you have a favorite book? If so, what is it and why?
“A River Runs Through It” – a book about a family and the struggles a family can have, even though they all love each other dearly. They don’t often understand each other, but the bond that really holds them together is the fly fishing. It’s what they all have in common. I’m an avid fly fisherman, and it’s been the same for me and my family. Fly fishing is almost a religion.
What are your favorite photography resources, i.e. podcasts, YouTube channels, blogs, etc.?
Podcasts: F Stop Collaborate and Listen by Matt Payne. Also, Beyond the Lens by Richard Bernabe. As far as YouTube goes, I’m an avid YouTube watcher since I don’t watch TV. The late Alyn Wallace’s YouTube channel on night photography, Photo Masters by Ian Plant, Morten Hilmer, a Danish wildlife photographer. Simon Baxter, an English forest photographer, Expressive Photography by Scottish photographer Alister Benn.
What’s one place you have not visited yet but want to?
The Canadian Rockies.
What is something interesting about you that we might not already know?!
I have been an avid fly fisherman since I was a child. I also play guitar, sing, and write songs for fun.
What’s your most thrilling photography moment?
This is a difficult one because I’ve had lots of them. I’d have to say when I was on a picnic with my wife, we were there celebrating because we had just found out she was in remission from cancer. I was photographing a tree in the middle of the desert I photographed when I was young. It was a remarkable sunset and the most meaningful photograph of the tree I’d taken. We were in the middle of nowhere, and it was such a peaceful two-hour drive through the desert at night as we returned home.
What’s your favorite image by another photographer?
This is a difficult question as I have so many. I’d have to say it is an image taken in Antarctica by my friend, Joseph Roybal. It paints the whole picture of how Antarctica feels.
Who has influenced your work?
By far, the most influential has been David Muench.
Were there any “ah ha” moments for you while learning photography?
Just about every day. Photography is something I feel is impossible to master. Every day, I’m trying to learn. I would have to say the most meaningful thing for me was when I figured out I could ditch my film camera to take pinpoint stars at night with a digital camera.
What do you like about post-processing?
Back in the film days, I would have to rely on the color lab printing my image to make my print hopefully look the way I wanted it to. With post-processing, I have full control. From the moment I press the shutter to the time I print the image.
Where do you look for continuing inspiration?
From hiking in my own back yard while trying to figure out new and meaningful ways to photograph it to traveling to new places and expanding my knowledge of the beautiful world we live in.
