Fotograf Mark Wallis

—Jste fotogeničtí?

—Not really, mainly because I pull stupid faces when I find myself on the wrong side of the camera.

—Jak jste se dostali do fotografického průmyslu?

—The old story of the couple with no money, an old uni friend with a decent camera and a firm agreement that there’d be no posed photos.

—Jaké jsou podle vás nedůležitější součásti dobré fotografie?

—For me it’s all about the genuine moment, captured without any intervention by the photographer. A moment that would have happened even if the photographer wasn’t there. A moment of action, emotion, great light, etc.

—Cestujete rádi?

—I do, but in comfort. I’m more of a city person than a wilderness person.

—Co máte nejredši na vaší profesi?

—Working for myself and (kinda) gatecrashing parties.

—Co se vám líbí nejméně na vaší profesi?

—The assumption by some that I’m at the wedding to take control of everything and to take boring, posed photos of the guests.

—Jaká je budoucnost focení?

—Not sure I even know what the ‘present’ of wedding photography is. I just do what I do and hope enough people each year want that.

—Jak zvládáte kritiku?

—Depends who it’s coming from and how constructive it is.

—Jsou nějaké trendy v oblasti focení?

—Always somebody doing something that everybody else copies until something else comes along. Trends get old quickly (see ‘couple in rain with flashgun’, etc.)

—Jaké by měl mít zákazník kritérium při výběru fotografa?

—Approach is key for me. They either want to just get on and enjoy their wedding and have a record of it, or they want to spend the day modelling for pieces of art or fashion photography (or somewhere in between). A connection with the photographer’s portfolio, and a desire to see themselves in those images, is a good guide.

—Jakých detailů, které obvykle projdou bez povšimnutí, si může fotograf všimnout?

—I don’t think there is anything specific. A good wedding photographer will have an eye for a moment or an interesting composition or great light that most won’t have, but the key thing is that when you’re employed to shoot a wedding you approach it from a different angle to a friend or family member who is there to enjoy the wedding. I am paid to be observant. Plus, I see what the common people are doing. I’m there to photograph everybody, not just the couple.

—Kdo může být podle vás symbolem 21. století?

—For me, whoever does the most to increase education and encourage the use of reason and logic in decision-making from the top to the bottom of social and political hierarchy.

—Co chcete fotit?

—Anybody that trusts me completely and who will ignore me.

—Máte nějaké profesní tabu?

—I won’t work for people or companies that I perceive to be helping to make the world a worse place.

—S kým byste chtěli fotit?

—Nobody. I like working alone.

—Čeho se bojíte a proč?

—Time and money and my misguided perception that I have a shortage of both.

—Jaký byl nejpůsobivější okamžik ve vašem životě?

—Completing this interview.

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

—Butthead from Beavis & Butthead, because he.. he… he. You said would. He.. he…

—Kdo vás inspiruje ve vašem životě a proč?

—I’m not good at absorbing or recognising inspiration.

—Byli byste raději oblíbení nebo respektovaní?

—Depends who is doing the liking and respecting.

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

—Running up the stairs of Marylebone Town Hall with a zoom lens precariously perched in a jacket pocket didn’t end well.

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

—Clothes, money, phone, a camera of some sort.

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

—A Panasonic GF1 that I barely used and that my wife dropped and damaged after I’d had it for a couple of weeks. I don’t get on with cameras without viewfinders.

—Jak se vzděláváte, abyste pořidili lepší fotografie?

—Take more pictures.

—Čí práce vás ovlivnila nejvíce jako fotografa?

—Nobody specific, but seeing in 2004/2005 that a documentary approach was a viable option for wedding photography was the push I needed to start doing it myself.

—Co byste rádi řekli skrze vaše fotografie?

—The truth.

—Co vás motivuje v dalším focení?

—People keep paying me to come to their weddings.

—Měli vaši rodiče být méně nebo více přísní?

—My mum got it pretty much spot on.

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

—I would make better use of my enquiring mind and study science or engineering, so that I could be of more use to the world and future generations.

—Co o životě na ostatních planetách?

—Presumably, but we’ll wipe out life on our own planet before we make contact with life on others.

—Kdo jsou vaši hrdinové?

—I don’t really have any. They’d only ruin it at some point.

—Pro koho nemáte žádný respekt?

—Those who promote fear, intolerance and lies to feed their own greed.

—Co děláte ve svém volném čase?

—I do DIY, or I play my ukulele, or I go to (mostly metal) gigs or I do a crossword.

—Jakou vaši tvář nikdy neuvidí veřejnost?

—Most of my sides. I’m a fairly private person.

—Kdy jste zcela spokojeni s vaší prací?

—Dunno, it hasn’t happened yet.

—Věříte v tradiční role mužů a žen?

—Like most traditions, best left in the past. Live and let live.

—Získáváte snadno nové přátele?

—I really don’t. I’m friendly and approachable and I get on with most people, but I’ve been burnt too many times so I keep most people at a few arms’ length.

—Kde byste rádi žili?

—In a huge warehouse apartment in NYC, or in a cosy old manor house surrounded by a few acres, or on top of a hill in Scotland.

—Existuje život po svatbě?

—It’s just a certificate and a great party. As you were.

—Máte oblíbený vtip? Povězte nám ho.

—“Some people like cats and some people don't. Apparently the Pope's a cataholic.” Milton Jones

—Máte rádi psy a kočky?

—I prefer cats to dogs, but I don’t like the damage they do to your house, so am currently resisting my family’s desire to own one.

—Koho nebo co nenávidíte?

—Overuse of hate.

—Nejlepší věc v životě je:

—Freedom. And Five Guy’s Bacon Cheeseburger, All The Way.

—Nejotravnější věc v životě je:

—Procrastination. And people constantly changing speed on the motorway when I’m using cruise control.

—Co byste chtěli změnit na sobě?

—I’d like to have more self-belief.

—Co byste chtěli změnit ve světě?

—I’d like to ensure everyone gets a quality education and eradicate dependence on myth, legend and violence.

—Máte nějaké tipy pro začínající fotografy?

—Take your own (decent) food, and wear comfortable shoes.

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

—That I want a ride in their spaceship.

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

—A very dark and gory horror film.

—Zítra půjdu a udělám...

—…something less boring instead.