Picture Perfect
by Laura Storey
14-year-old Lucas Aston has captivated Colne with his eye-catching images
Like many teenagers, Lucas’s newfound hobby was sparked by a video on YouTube. “I stumbled across a few photography channels,” Lucas explains, “and I thought it seemed quite interesting.”
Lucas Aston
To get him started, he was given a camera for Christmas last year, and ever since, he’s spent his time taking photos—photos of cars, photos of birds, photos of landscapes, photos of people—photos of just about anything he can spot, and he’s been sharing them on his social media channels.
His photos capture songbirds perfectly perched on branches, ducks hiding amongst the reeds and swooping silhouettes. Each tells a story of hours spent, mostly at Foulridge Reservoir, waiting for the perfect shot.
“I’m currently living in Foulridge,” Lucas explains, “so I take a lot of photos down there and along the canal. I also get my mum to drive me to different wildlife places, but you can take a good photo anywhere. I particularly like Foulridge because there’s a lot of countryside. I like going out there as it is quiet, and I can spend more time photographing the wildlife.”
It’s not just wildlife that Lucas focuses on. “I’ve photographed a few local events, including Colne Halloween and Christmas and local Foulridge events, too, and gaining that experience has been amazing. These events draw many people and feature things you wouldn’t get the chance to photograph. I like the seasonal events at Colne because they are popular, the community comes together, and they have a really good energy.
Originally from Colne, he has managed to collaborate with well-known local photographers, including Naz Alam and Ian Tickle. “Ian is a family friend, and he’s helped me a lot. Local photographers give me a lot of inspiration; currently, at my age, I’m happy to gain any experience and feedback I can.”
“AT MY AGE, I’M HAPPY TO GAIN ANY EXPERIENCE AND FEEDBACK I CAN.”
It was Ian who recommended the camera, a Canon 6D MarkII, that has captured some of Lucas’s most beautiful pictures. “I’ve been using that one for a couple of months, and I’m really pleased with it,” he smiles.
At fourteen, Lucas has already built up a portfolio, which includes his favourite photo that he’s taken so far, of Foulridge Reservoir at sunset. “I managed to get it at the prime moment when the colour palette was really nice. There were shades of purple reflecting on the water.”
Lucas’s favourite picture
He hopes to go on to study photography at college and university. “I definitely want to pursue photography as a career. I want to explore what that means, whether that’s wildlife, travel, or street photography. I want to help people with my photography – capturing life moments – I want people to benefit from it.”
He’s already begun to experiment with different techniques. “Recently, I’ve been trying some long exposures of cars and landscapes. I’ve also been trying some nighttime photography and getting shots of the moon. I just want to try everything!”
IF YOU ARE JUST STARTING OUT AND FINDING IT HARD, JUST KEEP GOING
Despite his success, his age sometimes has an impact on his work, particularly when attempting street photography of people. “It’s quite hard to explain that I’m a photographer,” Lucas says. “People seem to assume that it won’t be great because I’m young. I’ve been doing it for a year now, but it’s still hard. You have to prove yourself to them and show them your photos first. I don’t think you are seen as trustworthy when you are young. Luckily for me, I’ve not had too much trouble.”
For other young photographers, Lucas advises that the key to success is perseverance. “If you are just starting out and finding it hard, just keep going, and eventually, a photo will come out that you are proud of.”
ColneLife March/April 24
