WELCOME, YOU CAN, 
Inkable Spotlight: MARCUS VISIC PHOTOGRAPHY AND DESIGN
More than his diverse array of work, he is a true artist, capturing the vibrancy of life through his lens, focusing on different fascinating subjects, in different parts of the world.
We have been blessed enough to have printed his wedding cards for him, and are happy to feature his story and work today.
How did your professional journey start out, and what is your proudest moment so far?
I always feel like this career chose me as I never set out to be a photographer or designer. My particular journey in life just happened to lead me here. I always had an interest in science from a young age but at the same time I have always been quite creative. I started a Science degree thinking I would spend most of my time out in the field but instead found myself in lectures most of the time. The internet and Multimedia were still quite new and exciting so I decided to make a quite drastic switch to a Multimedia degree. This covered web & graphic design, photography, video and multimedia. This was back when everybody was making CD-ROMS, remember those?
I can’t single out one moment in my career that was my proudest, I have had many. I always feel proud when I have to pinch myself and remind myself that I am getting paid to experience some amazing places. This has included cave diving in Mexico, seeing a pride of lions hunting in Africa and diving with sharks. I am sure there will be many more exciting adventures to come!
When I finished my degree I found a video job on board cruise ships in the Caribbean. This was the start of my career and my travels where I visited ports throughout the U.S, Central America & the Caribbean. After 3 years I returned to Perth, Australia and returned to university to complete a Masters degree in Professional Communications. After completing my studies I moved to Melbourne where I worked for a travel company that specialised in high end wildlife safaris.
I designed the brochures and was also able to travel to Africa on a few occasions to photograph wildlife. After 7 years in Melbourne, my fiancee and I moved back to Perth and we married not long after (April this year!). I am still working in the travel industry here in Perth. Whilst print brochures are still an important part of my role I am also making the most of digital marketing, online advertising and marketing automation.
Could you quickly tell us about your work process?
Designing a travel brochure can be a quite mentally exhaustive process. It requires a great deal of attention to detail as well as creativity. On the detail side of things, the pricing needs to be 100% accurate. Quite often I am interpreting complex spreadsheets into a single price so I have to ensure this is correct and adheres to advertising regulations. When describing a place or property copy needs to be accurate and fact checked to ensure the information presented is correct.
In the case of wildlife safari brochures, the pictures need to be accurate in that I can not use a photo of a giraffe that is only found in parts of Zambia in the section of the brochure about Kruger in South Africa. So as well as being creative your mind is constantly working overtime making sure all other aspects are correct and work together.
Wildlife photography is as much about biology and animal behaviour as it is photography. It is important to understand how creatures behave to know where to find them and how to capture their image in the most natural way possible. In saying this, it is also fascinating as it is like a living breathing soap opera as the relationships between animals unravel.
- We think you do an ace job at capturing the essence of each setting we see in your photos, most especially when the focal point is the beauty of the wild.
Could you tell us a story about one of your impressive wildlife shots?
On a morning game drive in South Africa we came across two male lions (brothers) with fresh battle scars. They were dozing off in the shade catching up on rest. My guide managed to drive quite close as I was hoping to get a full frame of just the lions eyes.
I was looking through my viewfinder directly into this lions eyes. Looking into a lions eyes is almost hypnotic and evokes a primordial sense of fear.
The lion did not like the sound of my camera shutter and without warning he lunged forward and let out an almighty roar.
It scared the daylights out of me as well as my guide so he started the vehicle and drove away. The lion really told me off and it took quite some time before my breathing and heart rate returned to normal! The experience really cemented my respect and admiration for these amazing creatures.
What is a favourite work piece you’ve created recently?
I have recently started experimenting more with macro photography. This has opened up a whole new world of exploration and learning. I am now noticing creatures that I would normally walk right past.
I am currently searching for a peacock spider to photograph, they are really amazing little spiders. The males put on a colourful little dance to attract females. At only about 3mm long it is quite challenging to find one. Unfortunately I haven’t found one yet, but hopefully I will have one to post on Instagram or my blog soon!
Copyright: Marcus Visic
Copyright: Marcus Visic
I enjoy exploring around my home and seeing what I can find, it is amazing what you can find in suburban areas of Australia.
How does your workspace look like and what are your favourite tools to create your work?
As much as I try to keep my workplace tidy, it is almost always messy. Quite often I have pricing documents for travel brochures, proofs everywhere as well as camera batteries and cables… oh and coffee.
How has print media figured into your work? What for you is the appeal of print, in our digital-driven time?
Print media still has a very important place, particularly with travel brochures. Although people may find travel inspiration through social media like instagram, brochures are still relevant. This is particularly true for once in a lifetime holidays such as an African safari or a train journey across Australia. People like to still hold a travel brochure in their hands to plan big trips like these. I try to design travel brochures like coffee table books so that people leave them out, enjoy the photography and maybe pass them on to others.
Being an artist and small business owner, what are the challenges for you at present?
Image theft is a big concern for me, it is difficult to see my images pop up on blogs and social media without even a credit. People may think it is harmless to use my images as there is this notion that photography is free once it is on the internet. It is far from free, there is a huge cost involved in purchasing camera gear and computer equipment, maintaining it, updating it and insuring it. Then there is the cost of travel itself and the hours of practice and learning it takes to be able to take a nail the perfect photograph. The challenge is for people to realize this and place more value on what makes a good photograph and its value.
- Our customers are small businesses and creatives who’ve had their share of tough challenges.
Can you impart some advice to those just starting out in their own endeavours?
Be guided by your passions and enjoy what you do. There are so many interesting opportunities out there to explore, finding your dream job is possible!
Where else can we find you?
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.marcusvisic.com/
Behance profile: https://www.behance.net/marcusvisic
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/marcusvisicphoto
Instagram: https://instagram.com/marcusv/
500px: www.500px.com/mvisic
We have been fortunate to have met awesome people through our work, and learning about them and their challenges and triumphs is always humbling and inspiring. Thanks heaps for your time, Marcus! As print advocates, we truly enjoy talking with artists and small businesses who inspire us everyday.
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Marcus is a photographer and designer based in Perth, Australia. Inspired by National Geographic, David Attenborough and his Great-Grandfather’s photos and tales from the Amazon, Marcus has always had a passion for travel, culture, and nature. His career has allowed him to travel extensively in North, Central & South America, the Pacific, Australia, Asia, and Africa.
