Tim Hayes-Foley (@tim_hf) is an admirable man. He approaches photography and Instagram with a lighthearted spirit and paints every picture he takes with emotive strokes. Tim captures some of the loveliest pieces of South Africa and beckons forth every bit of mood and fade an image can exude. We've greatly enjoyed his spirit, humor and imagery - not to mention his flawless formulas. We had a bit of a chat with Tim a few weeks back and compiled every bit of it for you to enjoy here!

My name is Tim and I’m 27 years old. I have a 5 year old son (Ethan). He’s a little terror, the love of my life and, at the same time, so funny!

I’m currently living in Durban, South Africa. I grew up here in SA for most of my life. Sometime after leaving school I moved to Paris, France for a year and then came back to South Africa for a while before heading over to London, UK where I spent almost 3 years. I loved It there - especially the part where I lived in Camden Town. Absolute madness (There’s a pub in Camden called World’s End. Need I say more?)! I do plan to move back to Europe in the near future. As to where, I haven’t quite decided yet.

I’m definitely an adventurer - always looking to do new things and discover new places! Some would say that I’m an “adrenaline junkie”, but I don’t really like that term. I’m a qualified fire fighter and a hazardous materials operative, although that’s not a full time job any more. Now I’m a web and applications developer. I know right? I don’t know how that came to be but I honestly do love it!

To sum me up in a few words, I’m mist wanderer, forest dweller and Mountain climber.

What got you in to taking pictures?

To be completely honest, it was Instagram that got me taking pictures. It wasn’t too long ago, roughly over a year. Of course I was taking photos before then, a little aimlessly though. It was more of a case of point and shoot and hope for the best. Instagram was what got me “consciously” taking photos and becoming more aware of perspectives and choosing the right time of day to go on shoots. I still have so much to learn and I feel that you never really stop learning when it comes to photography. There are just so many tips and tricks for all situations. I’m mainly using my iPhone for taking picturess but hopefully I'll get some gear soon!

What is it about photography that really interests you and keeps you taking pictures?

Honestly, I could answer that question a thousand ways, but one of the biggest reasons would be the community on Instagram. Not so much Instagram itself, rather the sub communities like @mextures, @mexturescollective, @sombrescapes, @m3xtures and @sombrexplore to name a few. These hubs and a few others have such strong communities where I have made friends for life even though I've never had the pleasure of meeting these people. I definitely have plans to meet as many of them as I can on my overseas trips!

With that being said, the amount of phenomenal work being shared over these hubs is such a great way to get new ideas and try things out that you wouldn't have thought about before. Or maybe you find someone who generally has the same content as you, but shoots from a completely different perspective than what you would usually so you try it out for yourself. To me, these communities are where the magic is. It’s the final piece that just makes Instagram awesome and keeps me wanting to share my work and make new friends.

What does it typically look like when you edit a photo?

I've actually just recently changed my editing style while still keeping the moody atmospheres of course. Before I started this new style, my editing was pretty straight forward. Fefore adding any layers or textures I would first bring the saturation down to about -20 - sometimes even less. I would then go to fade and push this up to around 35. This created my base for editing.

With my new "style" I've become a little more technical. As soon as I import a pic I go straight to the film presets and select PX-70. I then push the tint all the way to the top and bring the temperature down to -25 followed by taking saturation down almost completely. From here I start adding all my layers. I recently bought the Anomaly and Intensity packs and using these two packs together anything is possible!

Would you be up for sharing some of your formulas?

Of course! What a pleasure!

Mountain Dew - Formula Code - ICKWYKZ

This was one of the first formulas that I created. It's very simplistic with only one layer and the K-PORTA film preset. With this formula saturation is brought right down while bumping up the fade to give a nice clean, soft look.

Into The Woods - Formula Code - JRHGCNG

This formula uses the LOMOGRAPHY film preset. It’s very similar to the the previous formula but gives much more of a darker atmosphere because of the LOMOGRAPHY preset. I also pushed up the saturation a little more than the previous formula to keep the tones more vibrant.

Courage The Cowardly Dog (if you know the show you'll get it when you see the original photo that was saved with this formula) - Formula Code - VAQWWNQ

This is a black and white formula using the DIANA film preset, again to create a darker, more moody atmosphere. I used layers from Grunge and Grit and Grain, so don’t expect a clean black and white here!

Innocent - Formula Code - LUTNFVR

Now, with this formula it’s hard to find an image that pairs well with it, but if you do you wont be disappointed! This formula uses my favorite film preset, PX-70! I use multiple layers from Grit and Grain, along with RETICULE from the Anomaly pack and SWAMPED from the Intensity pack. Those last two layers, when combined, make an intense but subtle green tone that I cant explain! With this formula and the right shot to go with it, expect moody as hell.

Do you feel like Mextures offers anything unique to your editing process?

Where to even begin? I'll start off by saying that I've used a few well known editing apps before I started using Mextures, so I say this from a neutral stand point and not as a Mextures fanboy.

Mextures is basically the equivalent of having the world renowned Adobe Photoshop on your smart phone that fits in your pocket! I haven't come across another editing app that comes close to the scale of options that are packed into Mextures!

The key point of Mextures that stands out the most for me is the ability to do crisp clean editing all the way through to dark, melodic atmospheres with a bunch of Grit and Grain and so many other textured layers available to add to your shot!

There really is no limit when it comes to Mextures. Whatever sort of atmosphere you wish to create there are a ton of options, presets and layers to choose from that will get you to where you want! Another key feature for me is that almost everything is customizable. Choose a layer to add to your shot and now you can control the intensity of it, as well as flip that layer to choose from 4 different positions to allow for a perfect fit within your shot.

Mextures is packed with possibilities and is extremely versatile! There's never been a time where I haven't been able to reach the desired outcome on any given shot. It’s hands down the most powerful editing app for smart phones!

What is your favorite photo that you’ve captured so far?

I think it would have to be this one.

I love the tones here and the ominous atmosphere! I feel a sense of calmness and an urge for adventure.

When I look at this shot, I feel that I could be anywhere in the world - or even another planet. No boundaries. No limits. Just a vastness of endless possibilities!

Are their people that have shaped your creativity in your photography and editing?

That’s a super hard question as there are so many influential accounts out there, but I'll name a few that have played a significant roll in my Instagram life.

The first account I came across was the lovely @blue.ridinghood! I must have had about a 100 followers at the time and had no idea what I was really doing but when I saw M's account I knew that that's what I wanted to create and she has inspired me ever since!

@mirjana_grasser and @ana.mar have the most unique way of capturing beauty and editing in ways that leave me speechless every time. The atmospheres they create are breathtaking!

Ben (@figment_hf) brings everything to the table! His tones are flawless and his photography is a scroll stopper! His Mextures edits are insane and he has been a huge inspiration for me!

When it comes to cityscapes and tones, @jfotograph is the dude to follow. His shots are truly captivating and the perspectives from which he shoots leave you in awe!

Jade (@j_swaine) is the Mextures queen! The way Jade utilizes Mextures just makes you feel stupid! The atmospheres she creates are something magical and her photography is equally breathtaking!

@aira37, @kateesmith, @nonchulya, @__kallisto__, @521gemini, @bartic78, @nnnance, @bodneyboo, @leinsview and @merderich have all been there since the beginning of my journey here on Instagram. They are all truly phenomenal photographers, hugely supportive, and have all influenced me one way or another to get me to where my photography and style are today! All of them are Mextures pros who consistently post stunning work!

There’s much more of Tim’s work to see right here!