Interview with GTA Landscape and Astro Photographer Eddie Chan aka @eddiemarkhampyro
Interview was conducted by email in April 2021. Please be sure to check out the photographer via their Instagram.
Who are you?
My name is Eddie Chan @eddiemarkhampyro. I’m 48, live in Markham, and am a Financial Advisor when I’m not pretending to be a photographer.
How did you get started with photography?
Ten years ago I lost my mom to Cancer. Losing her changed my outlook on life forever. Instead of waiting to do the things I’ve always wanted to do, I made it a priority to actually do them. I’ve always had a love for fireworks (hence my IG tag) so I got my Display Assistant license and helped setup fireworks shows like Canada Day at Ashbridge’s Bay and New Year’s Eve at Nathan Phillip’s Square. Photography was a natural fit with photography so I then picked up a camera. That brings me to where I am today.
What do you like to shoot and where?
I love shooting beautiful sunsets, night time cityscapes, perfect light trails, and the stunning Milky Way. However, if I had to choose only one thing to photograph, it would be hunting down the moon and watching it rise above the GTA. Trying to capture the moon’s alignment with famous landmarks across the GTA and Ontario has brought me so much joy (and frustration when the clouds roll in). The planning and execution of alignment shots really does take some time and effort but when it all comes together, there’s truly nothing better for me.
What gear do you use?
I started with a Nikon D3100 and currently shoot with a Nikon D500.
Nikkor 16-80mm 2.8
Tamron 70-200mm 2.8
Tamron 100-400mm 4.5
Who are your favourite photographers?
There are so many great photographers it’s hard to mention them all but some of my favourites are:
@dp.ey
@kurt.wang
@garycphotography
@smaku
@peteryu925
@pameladg8
@roycebairphoto
@steviekahn
@tanovr46ix
And my partner in crime @petesphotography5
Thanks for participating in this series Eddie and sharing your experience and perspective.
Follow the artist at their Instagram: @eddiemarkhampyro
Portrait photo by @petesphotography5
Please check out the photos and comment on the interview post:
View this post on Instagram
