Tag: interview

Interview: Gilles Kayser

Posted on by Paul

Stranger than paradise

 

Interview by Paulo Lobo
pictures of Gilles Kayser by Lynn Theisen

“It was all about exploring and experiencing life with a camera at hand.”

“Street photography is a mirror of the society that we live in”

Gilles Kayser on Instagram

His pictures, taken in Japan and Hong Kong, have captivated us. They have this special mixture of ethereal mood and distinguished alienation, of luminous clarity and diffuse strangeness. When you look at Gilles Kayser’s photos, you just have to keep looking at them : they grab you deeply and you don’t really know why. It’s not a question of technical virtuosity, it’s more something like a poetical eye.

How did you choose photography as a means of expression ?

Back in High school I was always struggling through art classes. My grades reflected that I did the bare minimum just to pass. I couldn’t find any interest in paintings and art installations… The only thing that always interested me was photography. Looking at the fact that I draw like a five-year-old and can’t sing, it became quite natural to pick photography as my mean of expression.

What were your main milestones in practicing photography ?

Some three years ago, I bought a decent camera and started to shoot photos in the streets together with a good friend. We used to compare each other’s photos and criticize each other’s work. His technique was slightly better, a fact which motivated me to improve.  This was when my obsession for street photography started. I never took any classes nor participated in any workshops. It was all about exploring and experiencing life with a camera at hand.

What photographers – past and present – do you admire or influence your approach ?

Studying the work of other photographers that one admires is an essential part of improving as a photographer.

When it comes to past generations photographers, I admire the work of Fan Ho who captured 1950’s and 60’s Hong Kong with excellent use of light and shadows. Another superb street photographer is Daido Moriyama, known for his gritty black and white shots of Tokyo. A big local influence is Sven Becker who has a very interesting and subtle style of documenting life. Furthermore, I am influenced everyday by a huge number of good pictures I see on Instagram.

What is the main purpose of taking pictures for you?

For me photography is a way of expressing myself. It’s a medium to show people how I perceive the world. It allows me to communicate with the viewer. And most importantly, I enjoy doing it and I have fun.

What specific domain in photography is of interest to you (portrait, reportage, street, conceptual…)?

My main interest lies in street and documentary photography but I do appreciate other domains and genres of photography. I also love portraits that are shot in an urban setting as well as architecture photography.

In what form do you exhibit your « street » photos?

I had the opportunity to be part of two Street Photography Luxembourg Slide night events. Apart from that I didn’t have any exhibitions so far. I mainly use Instagram, as it is a good tool to show some of my work to a wide and varied audience, while allowing me to interact with photographers from all over the world.

What do you think about the current state of photography, and the fact that it has become probably the most popular artistic practice?

First, I think that it has never been easier or cheaper to express yourself through photography. Cheap cameras and smartphones have made photography much more accessible than it was a couple of decades ago. This phenomenon is encouraging more and more young people to get into photography and to express themselves through this art, making it easier for talent to emerge.

On the other hand, I observe that more and more amateur photographers are using their hobby just as a tool to earn extra money. Because of the proliferation of photographers, most people can’t even distinguish between “good” and “bad” photography. This phenomenon often comes to the expense of quality and it is hurting many among the young and not-so-young passionate photographers who have had the courage to make a job out of photography. So please stop charging 200 euros for crappy baby photos.

What does street photography mean to you?

Street photography is a mirror of the society that we live in. It is a way of documenting the human condition and the environment that we engage with. It is a pure form of photography. My own street photography always takes place in an urban setting. I feel inspired by cities and try to capture candid untouched moments on the streets.

In the streets/public spaces, what kind of situations catch your eye and make you stop and shoot?

I love to walk around an area and observe life around me. I take pictures of whatever inspires me, which could be random scenes happening in the street, interactions between people and the environment they live in. I look for interesting light and harsh shadows to give my images a dramatic feeling. Especially at night, I try to capture the light pollution that lingers in the cities, in the attempt of creating photos that express a moody atmosphere.

What is your connection with the people you photograph in the streets ? Do you look for getting in contact or do you just catch the passing silhouettes ? What distance to your subject?

My goal is to capture raw unchanged moments. I will try to remain as unnoticed as possible. If people catch me taking pictures of them I will smile at them. This made me get out alive of all situations so far. For me it is extremely important to respect the people I take pictures of.

Are you more like improvising in the flow of the city, or do you put yourself specific goals or missions?

Everything I do is pretty much improvised. Since photography is my hobby I don’t have any deadlines or specific missions. I will just go with the flow and enjoy myself out there.

What is your favorite camera/lens for shooting in the streets?

I personally use a Fujifilm camera with a 28mm prime lens. For me it is crucial to use a small set up for street photography. It does not matter much what camera you use, even a modern smartphone will do the trick.

What is your feeling concerning street photography in Luxembourg (Lux City or other places in Grand-Duchy)? Do you have kind of favorite spots?

Street photography has become quite popular in our small country, mostly thanks to the formation of the Street Photography Luxembourg collective and their well-organized events around the subject.

Being extremely diverse and multicultural, Luxembourg can be an interesting place for street photography. My favorite spot used to be the area around the Centre Hamilius (RIP). Other interesting spots are the area around the “Gare” as well as Bonnevoie.

Personally, though, I feel that the small size of the city as well as the number of people I know when walking around the city often hold me back from taking street photos.

Do you think a photographer is entitled to photograph anything in the streets?  What do you think should be his/her limits?

As I mentioned before it is important to respect the subjects on the street. If I notice that someone doesn’t want to be photographed I will not take a picture of that person. I’m not a fan of Bruce Gilden’s modus operandi, which basically involves him jumping in front of people and blinding them with his handheld flash. That’s bullshit, show some respect.

Your Asia experience : What cities have interested you most? And why?

Tokyo and Hong Kong are the places that fascinated me the most. The amount of aural and visual stimuli both places offer is just insane.

I love Tokyo for its diversity, each area has its own identity. Some parts are overwhelmingly crowded; others are just quiet and local. To me Tokyo has something dark and mysterious about it. No matter how much time you spent there, you can never understand this place. The city gives me a weird surreal sensation.

Hong Kong on the other hand is much more straightforward. It’s really crowded, noisy and full of life. The amount of dodgy back alleys and glimmering neon signs give it a movie like atmosphere. It is a blend between East and West. The contrast between its two sides reaches its peak when comparing the more Chinese Kowloon side to the westernized island side. Hong Kong is very energizing. Every time I leave Hong Kong I feel like I am missing out on life.

Tell us about this journey and the way you took photos over there?

My trip lasted seven weeks. After a week in Hong Kong, I went to Shanghai and then stayed a whole month in Japan. There, I visited a lot of different cities, such as Tokyo and Osaka, as well as some smaller places like Takamatsu and Kochi. After that I explored Taipei and went back to Hong Kong before heading back to Luxembourg. While exploring the different places I always had my camera with me and just took randomly pictures of whatever caught the attention of my eye. It was all about getting lost and enjoying the vibe of the places.

What distance and relation did you adopt towards the people you photographed?

As I mentioned before I do not ask for permission when shooting on the streets. There is not much interaction between the subjects and me. Often people don’t even notice that I am taking a picture of them. If they do I will smile or greet them friendly. I’m a rather quiet person so this way of shooting reflects my personality.

Why did you shoot in black-and-white?

There is no rational way of deciding whether I edit my pictures in black-and-white or colour. It all depends on my mood as well as on the atmosphere that I want to transmit trough my images. Both have advantages as well as disadvantages.

What countries/cities are you interested to discover and photograph in future?

In the future, I plan to visit the eastern part of Europe, as I haven’t been there so far. Furthermore, I fancy a trip to Seoul as well as exploring some Chinese megacities.

Interview: Patrick Galbats Street Photographer from Luxembourg

Posted on by Paul

 

Interview by Paulo Lobo

Luxembourg City is still a small paradise for street photographers

 

Patrick Galbats was born in 1978 in Luxembourg.

In 2002, he finishes his studies of photography in the « École Supérieure des Arts de l’Image » (« le septante-cinq ») in Brussels. Bruxelles. Between 2011 and 2016, he was the official photographer of the weekly Lëtzebuerger Land. He got missions from several NGOs which took him to Haiti, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Bolivia and Cameroon. Since 2001, Galbats has undertaken regular journeys to Romania. Since 2012, he has been focussing on the impact of Europe without borders on Roma musicians’ communities from the northeast of Romania.

In his personal works, Patrick Galbats shows a special interest towards society and its evolutions. In the course of the years, he has moved gradually from social reportage to documentary photography. The landscape takes more scale in his approach. He uses it to testify about a specific period of time and as means of analysis of the problems that worry him. But the human being, his subject of preference, never disappears from the images.

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What made you choose photography as a job ?

The fact I have chosen photography was a consequence of my education. I grew up in a context with many kids in the neighborhood. We played and hung together nearly every free minute. When I was eight years old, I joined the boy scouts. During the following 13 years, I learned to appreciate the beauty of daily life. At the same time, I had to accept that we are all different, and that this is how the world is made. Also I don’t like injustice. All this I can express in my pictures today.

 

 

What were the main milestones of your journey into photography (schools, workshops, experiences…) ?

When I was 18, I traveled to Haiti in order to plant some trees in a region four hours away from Port-au- Prince. With a borrowed camera, a 50 mm lens and less than ten films in my pocket, I documented everything I found interesting. Taking pictures while I was discovering a world which was perfectly unknown to myself, was the most exciting thing I had ever experienced. At that moment, I knew that I wanted to be a photographer.

 

What photographers – past and/or present – do you admire or do influence your approach in some manner ?

As a photographer, it seems very important to me to have a great knowledge of art history and the history of photography. One led to the other. Early documentary photographers in the nineteenth century like Timothy O’Sullivan in the U.S. or Charles Marville and Eugène Atget in Paris were preceding a Walker Evans who was the spiritual father of Robert Frank and Lee Friedlander and so on. In contemporary photography, I like very much the work of Alec Soth. He shows us the world in his own poetical way. His pictures seem timeless.

 

What is the main purpose of taking pictures for you (apart from earning a living) ?

It is my way to express myself. I use photography instead of writing.

 

What specific domain in photography is of particular interest to you (portrait, reportage, street, conceptual…) ?

I don’t like categorization. My recent work (which will be shown next year) on the influence of nationalist and even fascist politics in the Hungarian landscape is composed of architecture, landscape, street and portrait photography. The whole sequence together can be seen as a conceptual work. Of course I use the only language of documentary photography but I don’t want to limit myself while I am working. Working as a photographer has to remain a pleasure.

 

Do you have a definition of what street photography should be ?

No, except that there is a photographer who shoots pictures in public areas, mostly urban. But! It is significant that a photographer admits his huge responsibility towards his subjects. We can hurt people if we show inadequate pictures. In countries with illiberal governments we can even put people’s lives in danger. A photographer must understand that today nearly every person on earth has access to internet.

 

In the streets/public spaces, what kind of situation catches your eye and makes you stop and shoot ?

Honestly, I don’t stop so often when I use my small format camera. I have probably a Winogrand kind of way to take my street pictures. Walking and snap-shooting. I try to capture the identity of a place and its people passing by. So it is difficult to say what makes me shoot. Sometimes it’s the light and sometimes it’s the contrast between the different people in front of me. I like to charge the pictures with some chaos.

 

Are you more like improvising in the flow of the city, or do you put yourself specific goals or missions ?

I plan and then I improvise. Which means that when I have a job it depends on the job description where I finally go and take my pictures. But once I have chosen the area, I improvise. Of course, I happen to unexpectedly take out my camera, just for a few minutes on my way home.

 

What is your connection with the people you photograph in the streets ? Do you look for getting in contact or do you just catch the passing silhouette ? Do you keep a distance to your subject ?

In the specific case of improvised street-photography, I am rarely in contact with the people. A situation often lasts less than a second. Impossible to ask the people’s permission before. It would also extremely falsify the picture. I realised that “stealing” a picture of people in the street is often more like a surprising act to them than an annoying one. But it’s still a risk that photographers have to take. Concerning the distance, Robert Capa said once : If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.

 

How far can you impregnate your street photographs with social/political/philosophical issues ?

These three issues are the only reason why I take pictures in the street. For example, in Luxembourg-City I want to show the strong mixture and contrast of the population, which comes near to a social and political analysis of the urban landscape. In the city-center, we can find reflections of the world of finance, immigration, rich and poor people, the consequences of the former and recent politics and so on…

 

What is your favourite camera/lens for shooting in the streets ?

Since January 2016 it’s my Leica M (Type 262) and the 28 mm I have. I must say that I only have two lenses but the other one is a 75 mm which puts me much too far away from my subjects. In fact, I use the Leica for everything else since I have it. I rather prefer to move than to zoom. Before I used a 24 mm for a long time and I loved it too. But I think it doesn’t matter which camera or lens one has. You should be happy with it.

 

What are your favourite cities ? And why ?

Tangier, Madrid, Brussels and Paris, but even Budapest are cities I like a lot. Southern cities because of its special light and the others because of the mixed population and its chaotic architecture. Finally the city doesn’t really matter to me.

 

What is your feeling concerning street photography in Luxembourg (Luxembourg City or other places in the Grand-Duchy) ? Do you have any kind of favourite spots ?

“Luxembourg City is still a small paradise for street photographers.”

Luxembourg City is still a small paradise for street photographers. People might request you to remove the picture afterwards or they want an explanation why you made the shot and for what purpose you intend to use it. My favourite spots are definitely the city station, Hamilius and Royal – but also in front of Auchan at the bus stop. The mixture of a frequently changing landscape with hasting people inspires me a lot.

 

Do you think a photographer is entitled to photograph anything in the streets ?  What do you think should be his/her boundaries ?

“The most important for me is the respect we owe to our subjects. I do it while I am editing my pictures.”

The city is like a huge theater whose actors are sometimes running out of control. It is the photographers’ job to achieve some order into the chaos if he wants his pictures to be readable. A street photographer doesn’t need to put a limit to what situations he should take or not. The most important for me is the respect we owe to our subjects. I do it while I am editing my pictures.

 

In what form do you exhibit your « street » photos ?

Today, everybody has something to say and wants to share it as soon as possible with the community. The easiest way to do this goes through the social medias. Sure I’m also posting pictures on Facebook or Instagram. This is my way to tell the world “Hey it’s me, I am still there”. But before I release a finished work, I like to take a lot of time to be sure that this is really what I want to show/say. While I was working for “d’Lëtzebuerger Land”, the newspaper was my favorite form. It’s slower than the social medias but still fast. Now I like to transform the pictures into objects as well. So I have to print and to frame them. It’s expensive and needs to be thought a lot.

 

What do you think about the current state of photography and the fact that it has become probably the most popular artistic practice ?

Photography is just a mechanical tool. It all depends on the meaning of the picture and what you finally do with it. A photograph can be powerful or without sense. There are more people owning a pen than a camera, but not everybody writes poems and novels despite the fact that we all know how to write. On the one hand, the digital democratization of photography and also the photographic digital picture give us the possibility to watch/scrutinize the whole world from our desktop. On the other hand, are we really able to understand what happens in the world ?

I think that we still need a better education to understand the

meaning behind the pictures and the difference between them.

I think that we still need a better education to understand the meaning behind the pictures and the difference between them. The kids today should learn (at school) how to read a picture. Many of them are not able to make the difference between a selfie and a portrait. I believe that only when we are able to analyse a situation, we can do or choose the right picture. Otherwise they are only pictures – the same way a word can just be a group of letters.

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interview: Mirela Momanu Street Photographer from Romania

Posted on by Paul

 At its 5th edition, our Slide Night is for the first time part of the European Month of Photography (EMoP). 

In this context, Catalin Burlacu, one of our SPLux members and romanian himself, talked to a passionate Romanian photographer interested in street photography, member of various international photography groups and curator for 1x (www.1x.com). Between 2014-2015 she received awards from international photography contests. 

Mirela is co-founder of PhotoTeam (street photography group – www.phototeam.ro), of the international group of photography On SPOT and, since 2014, of Bucharest Photo Week Festival. She is currently the president of Exposure Association (NGO).

Hello, Mirela. First of all, on behalf of STREET PHOTOGRAPHY LUXEMBOURG GROUP, thank you for taking the time to take this interview with us.

Thank you for your kind invitation, Catalin, happy and honored to share with you some details of my photographic work.  ☺

Tell us a few words about yourself and what you do?

I’m an amateur photographer located in Bucharest, Romania, and I started to be interested in photography in 2009, after following many years of painting classes. I guess the reason was that I wanted to express myself in a more realistic and efficient way and also, or mainly, because I am quite curious in almost everything I see or experience every day.

How and when did you become interested in photography and especially in street photography?

What I can honestly say is that I love walking on streets and searching around for interesting things to discover. Probably this “search” made me approach street photography, and this may also be a part of personal development and improvement. I am attracted by the street geometries, the light and shadows play or combination of elements with good impact and so on, spiced by a little touch of strange details. But on the way I also discovered expressions and moments involving people on street, movements and weird moments, dynamics and unexpected associations, so this mixture of unique moments around us fascinates me more and more.

Is there any particular artist who inspired your work?

The inspiration always comes from people on street, from my friends, from other photographers I know, from the ones I study…and most important it comes from inside of us, makes us look and search, discover what is out there, making us part of what is happening around us, to be involved and eager to find those moments that makes us “tick” and press the shutter.

My favourite street photographer will always be Elliott Erwitt, for his amazing and so special humour, combined with a touch of strange in every scene.

Do you prefer color or black & white?

My favourite are black and white with strong contrast images. But if the colors are intense, I keep the colors in editing. Moreover, those days when light is „flat”, I simply turn my camera in monochrome mode to see the world in b&w  ☺

What’s your favorite street photography of all time? Any wonderful backstory that you want to share with our readers? 

The first one I can remember and treasure is one photo capture during a photowalk through one of Bucharest’s Parks, a walk interrupted by the injured head of one of my colleagues. So we shortened the photowalk and went to hospital to treat the injury…thought the photowalk was done. But at return, thr
ough the park, I got one of the most touching images from my collection ☺ and here it is.

Sir, need my stick

How much do you prepare for a shot? 

I shoot instinctively, so no preparations in general. The games of light attract me, so every time I see a spot of light, a contre-jour light, or special lighting around me, I take the opportunity to use it without hesitation.

Do you get close to your subjects or do you prefer to remain unnoticed? 

Usually I go really close to people, when necessary, because my camera has just one prime lens of 12mm. No possibility to use zoom. So if I need a portrait or expression, I must go really close to subjects. Sometimes I use flash too 😉 but with a smile and gentle conversation, no one got upset so far.

In your opinion, what are the components of a really great shot?

I believe that most of really great shots have a weird component, the one which gives impact and makes us wonder. This is because the message is simple: there are so many special and unusual things out there waiting to be discovered, right during the common day to day moments. Trying to discover and revealing them, and see the world through new perspective, that offers great captures of the amazing world we are living in!

What equipment do you use for your shots? Do you think that one can use his/her phone to take and publish street photos? 

My camera for street photography is a mirrorless, with a prime lens (Olympus OMD EM1 with 12mm prime lens). But usually the batteries are going quickly so I do not hesitate to take photos with my phone. The enclosed photo taken with mobile was awarded with FIAP GOLD MEDAL at Open-Air PHOTO  – International Photographic Competition, April 2015 – ” MOBILE ” Section (Remember The Time).

Do you have any ongoing projects? 

One of the project I am involved in these days is “PhotoTeam Romania”, a street photography group, with its photographic projects, it motivates me and my friends to go out on street, open our eyes and try new perspectives over day to day life and subjects. We already had some exhibitions and we participated to international photography festivals. And we are preparing to launch our very first printed album with street photos, the result of 5 years of searching the streets looking for the best scenes. Beside this main project, I am also involved in curating and organizing photographic exhibitions, being one of the founders of International Festival „ Bucharest Photo Week”. It is always important to create a photographic local environment, to motivate as many photographers as possible to capture today’s life and moments, learning and developing together, and in this way we may create a valuable archive for future.

Lastly, do you have any tips for photographers to help them grow?

The best advice I can share with you is to go out on streets and be there, photography will not be done in front of a computer ☺ Go out, always will have something new, interesting and captivating to see, feel and capture. We are leaving changing times, do not let time pass by you!

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