Fotograf Adam Johnson

—Jste fotogeničtí?

—I think everyone is photogenic. Just not everyone appreciates it the first time they see a photo of themselves. I'm the kind of person who grows to like photos of myself over time, rather than instantly loving them.

—Jak jste se dostali do fotografického průmyslu?

—It just happened. I got married, bought a DSLR for my honeymoon, and became obsessed with it. I thought I was getting quite good, shot a friend's wedding (as a guest) and did a terrible job. So I went away, practised and studied super hard, bought better equipment then tried again. It went much better the second time and I was able to build a portfolio and website. 18 months later I quit my day job.

—Jaké jsou podle vás nedůležitější součásti dobré fotografie?

—If we are talking about a wedding photo then it's all about emotion. Light is my obsession, but a beautifully lit emotionless or 'mute' wedding photo is pointless. A photo has to speak for itself, it shouldn't need a caption or an explanation.

—Cestujete rádi?

—Of course. And I love that wedding photography is showing me more of the world than I would ever have seen without it.

—Co máte nejredši na vaší profesi?

—Freedom of expression. The more you shoot, the better you get, the more people hear about you and know about your work, the more freedom you are given to express yourself artistically. That and what I said about traveling in the last question!

—Co se vám líbí nejméně na vaší profesi?

—I am honestly grateful for this being my profession but of course, when you have young children at school, it can take its toll when you're out most weekends throughout the summer and not able to spend as much time with them as I would like.

—Jaká je budoucnost focení?

—Who knows?! I just hope I'm able to change and adapt to however it changes. I truly believe there will always be a market for beautiful, well crafted photos – the technology and expectations may change but the product will not.

—Co je výjimečného na žánru fotografií, na který se specializujete?

—People. That's what it's all about. People and relationships. Being invited into a private world and asked to document it for a day.

—Jak zvládáte kritiku?

—Badly. I do not like to be criticised. Often once it has sunk in I'm able to either reject or accept it and use it to improve, but I don't like it!

—Jsou nějaké trendy v oblasti focení?

—Of course! I just prefer to ignore them.

—Jaké by měl mít zákazník kritérium při výběru fotografa?

—If the photographer's photos of a total stranger's wedding can make you feel something in your heart and soul, you've found your wedding photographer.

—Co není dovoleno při focení?

—There are no rules but I think each photographer will have their own principles or boundaries. If someone is crying because they are truly sad then I will not photograph them just to get that 'tear shot' that is so popular with wedding photographers these days. If I do not feel it is appropriate to shoot something, then I won't shoot it.

—Kdo může být podle vás symbolem 21. století?

—Can we answer this with 85 years of the century remaining?! I think there are so many medical and technological advances we will see in this century and I expect icons to be created in these areas.

—Co chcete fotit?

—Ben Folds, Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United.

—Máte nějaké profesní tabu?

—Not that I know of!

—S kým byste chtěli fotit?

—Annie Leibowitz, Joey L, James Nachtwey, Don McCullin, Richard Avedon... I love to shoot with other photographers, I think it's a good thing to do regularly.

—Čeho se bojíte a proč?

—I am a worrier. I worry about a lot of things! Professionally speaking I worry about becoming irrelevant, about getting stuck in a rut and left behind and nobody wanting me to take their wedding pictures!

—Jaký byl nejpůsobivější okamžik ve vašem životě?

—The births of my two children.

—Pokud byste byli animovaná, literární nebo filmová postava, kdo byste byli a proč?

—Peter Pan. I want to stay young and always fight pirates.

—Kdo vás inspiruje ve vašem životě a proč?

—I don't know if they inspire me as such but my children are the reason that I do what I do and why I want to continually get better at it. I am inspired by anyone successful – in business, in photography, in sport, in life... Not in an arrogant way but I find my own successes an inspiration to keep trying harder and to achieve more.

—Jak byste definovali úspěch? Jak ho měříte?

—For me, people booking me to shoot photos of them, plus the recognition of my work by my peers is probably my yardstick of success professionally. Happiness and contentment are signs of success in wider life.

—Byli byste raději oblíbení nebo respektovaní?

—I don't think it's possible for me personally to respect somebody I don't like, so I don't think you can be one or the other. I can quickly lose respect for someone who turns out to be a huge douchebag.

—Jaká je největší chyba, kterou jste kdy v práci udělali?

—I don't remember. I know I've made mistakes but I'm pretty good about moving on from stuff.

—Když cestujete, co si berete s sebou a proč?

—My iphone, my kindle, my macbook, my camera and some earphones.

—Existuje něco, co byste si byli raději nekoupili z vašich pomůcek, které vlastníte? A proč?

—I tend to sell stuff if it doesn't fit into my life or work after I buy it. I remember I once bought a weird step trainer off an infomercial on the TV, it was so rubbish!

—Jak se vzděláváte, abyste pořidili lepší fotografie?

—Taking pictures is the education. I'm quite analytical so if I see a photo I like I work out what I like and why... I do the same with my own photos, working out how I could've done better or what I could've done differently. I look at other photography a lot – in books, online, instagram and I think that seeps into my work.

—Čí práce vás ovlivnila nejvíce jako fotografa?

—I think a turning point for me was doing a workshop with Daniel Aguilar from Mexico.

—Jedna věc, kterou byste si přáli vědět, když jste začínali s focením?

—That there were no rules!

—Co byste rádi řekli skrze vaše fotografie?

—I've no idea. Good stuff I hope.

—Co vás motivuje v dalším focení?

—The thing I love about taking photos, or any creative pursuit I guess is that it's just that – a pursuit – and you can never catch the thing you're chasing, but you're constantly improving, or changing at least. It's not static, or limited, or constrained. I know I've not taken my best photo, and I may never take it, but I will always keep striving for it.

—Měli vaši rodiče být méně nebo více přísní?

—No comment.

—Pokud byste se mohli vrátit v čase, co byste udělali jinak?

—Nothing, I don't think of life this way. I got to this point in my life, a point in which I am extremely happy, because of the choices I made. I don't want to change anything.That, or I'd go back and invest in Apple before they invented the iPod.Or I could invent the iPod.

—Co o životě na ostatních planetách?

—Maybe, maybe not. I'm not concerned with it.

—Kdo jsou vaši hrdinové?

—I have no heroes.

—Pro koho nemáte žádný respekt?

—An awful question.

—Co děláte ve svém volném čase?

—I play piano, play and watch football, watch TV shows and movies, go to the gym, spend time with friends and family, listen to music...I don't see life as spare time and work time. It's just life. I do all this stuff and I work, there's no split time. I work when I have to and I play whenever I can.

—Jakou vaši tvář nikdy neuvidí veřejnost?

—The public? As opposed to who?

—Kdy jste zcela spokojeni s vaší prací?

—I love my own work. I love seeing progression in my work. I love it when my clients are in love with the photos I give to them. Completely satisfied? Is this possible?

—Věříte v tradiční role mužů a žen?

—My parents got divorced when I was young. This has skewed my view of tradition in the home... I don't really know what traditional roles are – women raise children, cook and clean and men just earn the money? Then no, I don't believe in that. A family is the sum of its parts, not separate and distinct people or roles.

—Získáváte snadno nové přátele?

—Yeah I guess. I'm never the instigator, I'm shy so I tend to wait for people to make friends with me!

—Kde byste rádi žili?

—If I could have four homes I would have one in the UK, probably near where I live now, one in New York City, a rural house in Southern France and one somewhere in California! Not that I'm greedy.

—Co je ta nejhloupější věc, na kterou jste kdy přistoupili?

—I'm not sure I've ever agreed to something stupid.

—Existuje život po svatbě?

—I've been married 8 years... I'm still alive.

—Máte oblíbený vtip? Povězte nám ho.

—What's invisible and smells like carrots?Rabbit farts.

—Máte rádi psy a kočky?

—Neither.

—Koho nebo co nenávidíte?

—I hate wasps. Passionately.

—Nejlepší věc v životě je:

—Family time.

—Nejotravnější věc v životě je:

—Traffic jams.

—Existuje něco, co byste chtěli změnit?

—I want to make my house bigger!

—Co byste chtěli změnit na sobě?

—I would like to break my iphone addiction!

—Co byste chtěli změnit ve světě?

—Far too much to list. The world is a broken place.

—Máte nějaké tipy pro začínající fotografy?

—You don't have to shoot every second of the wedding, you're not making a stop motion movie... Slow down, breathe, let your mind take in what is happening then tell the story with your photos. There are no rules.

—Kdyby přišli na naši planetu mimozemšťané a vy byste byli první osobou, se kterou se potkají, co byste jim řekli?

—You will never feel satisfied after eating a McDonalds...

—Pokud byste měli natočit film, jakého žánru by byl?

—Slapstick comedy.

—Zítra půjdu a udělám...

—I'll go to the gym, do some editing, get ready for Saturday's wedding, kick a football with my children, eat food, drink coffee...