Fotograf Ben Kelmer

—Først og fremmest - hvem kan du navngive som den bedste fotograf i Tel Aviv, Israel? :)

—I think one of the most interesting photographers in tel Aviv is Jen sladkov
jensladkov.com/

—Er du fotogen?

—Depend on when I wake up

—Hvordan blev du en del af fotografiindustrien?

—Well, I was always into photography since high school, but 10 years ago I got a job as a photographer for an internet news website in Israel and from that point on things started to take off

—Hvad er de vigtigste komponenter i et godt billede efter din mening?

—when I look at a photo I try to see real filings and real emotions, in my eyes, those are the thing that will get the viewers eyes the most

—Elsker du at rejse?

—Sure, and especially now when I have two kids its fantastic thing to travel with them and to have the ability to show them the world

—Hvad kan du bedst lide ved dit fag?

—I think the chance I have in meeting new people almost every day is something that I will never get bored off

—Hvad synes du mindre godt om ved dit fag?

—all the logistic stuff (booking, meetings, accounting, etc..) let me shoot all day and I will be fine

—Hvordan ser fremtiden ud for fotografering?

—These days when I'm answering this interview (Covid-19), we are having one of the most challenging times as photographers.
But I see more and more bookings for small family portraits; people want to remember and to have a visual memory of themself.

—Hvad er der specielt ved den fotografigenre, du specialiserer dig i?

—I shoot people, and I don't describe my self, if it's with people and to document real situations, I'm in. I think that that's the unique thing about it, the ability to show people how that looks like and how they beehive with their own family.

—Hvordan håndterer du kritik?

—It's part of the job, and you have to understand that not everyone is going to like what you do, and I think that's good. You want to distinguish yourself from other photographers, not to be like everyone else.

—Er der nogen tendenser inden for fotografering?

—Sure, like in any other industry, but try to avoid it, trends are for people that don't want to be creative if you're going to be unique, so don't copy-paste other people work

—Hvad bør kriterierne være for en kunde, der skal vælge en fotograf?

—I don't think there's one criterion, in the end, it comes to how people create when they see a photo of you, how it makes them feel.

—Hvilke ting er slet ikke tilladt under fotograferingen?

—in my opinion, I try not to tell people how to act and how to move when I photograph them, I want them to be themselves for them to resonate with the work I do

—Hvilke detaljer, der som regel går ubemærket hen, vil en fotograf bemærke?

—The small thing that people don't pay attention to, let's say the groom forget to unzip one button, the photographer will notice it and will tell him to close it

—Hvilken person kan være symbolet på det 21. århundrede efter din mening?

—I think that in these days, its Donald Trump, unfortunately, but I think he represents the fact that people are looking for shortcuts in life and in business. And there's no shortcut, if you want to succeed you have to put in the work. I think people elected him cause that thought that in 4 years he will come and change everything and now we see that its not the case.

—Hvem vil du gerne fotografere?

—I would be happy to photograph the Queen of England. I already photograph her son and one grandson.

—Har du nogen professionelle tabuemner?

—I was a photojournalist for almost seven years, and I shoot a lot of stuff that happened in my country even during challenging situations, but I would not photograph something that I would have thought that will cause the other person to fill like I misrepresent what really took place.

—Hvem ville du gerne fotografere sammen med?

—I would like to work with Magnum photographer Alex Webb

—Hvad bekymrer du dig om, og hvorfor?

—I worry about the fact that there are more and more wedding photographers out there today that don't know how to price the work that they do and they are bringing the industry down

—Hvad har været det mest imponerende øjeblik i dit liv?

—I think the birth of my children's :)

—Hvis du var en animeret figur, en fiktiv person eller en person i en film, hvem ville du så være, og hvorfor?

—Spiderman, for sure, to have the ability to reach places in the coolest way.

—Hvem inspirerer dig i dit liv, og hvorfor?

—I think that my father was an inspiration to me, he was a captain on container ships and he works hard, I think the working morality I got is from him.

—Hvordan definerer du succes? Hvordan måler du det?

—It changes every time, I think. now success for me is to see my children grow up and becoming the amazing people that they are ❤️

—Foretrækker du, at folk kan lide dig, eller at de respekterer dig?

—respected for sure.

—Hvad er den største fejl, du nogensinde har begået i dit arbejde?

—only one? :) that's how we learn the best, one time, I doubled book a wedding, and I only noticed it a week before the wedding.

—Når du skal rejse, hvad tager du så med dig, og hvorfor?

—Now I try to travel as light as I can. So I only take with me the FUJIX100F, which is small and great for traveling + the Yashica 635 with B&W film for the more artwork that I do.

—Er der noget, du ville ønske, du ikke havde købt blandt de tingester, som du ejer? Hvorfor?

—I bought a polaroid Fujifilm camera that I only used a few times and then I got bored with it

—Hvordan uddanner du dig selv til at tage bedre billeder?

—I try (before covid19) to attend a workshop once a year, it doesn't have to be from a wedding photographer.
My all-time favorite workshop was in NYC with Alex Webb.

—Hvis arbejde har haft størst indflydelse på dig som fotograf?

—Alex Webb is one of the greatest photographers, in my opinion. I also really like the work of Chris Hondros, that was one of the greatest war photographers in modern times.

—Hvad er det eneste, du ville ønske, du vidste, da du begyndte at tage billeder?

—How to charge for my work

—Hvad vil du gerne fortælle med dine fotografier?

—I'm just trying to tell an authentic story.

—Hvad motiverer dig til at fortsætte med at tage billeder?

—The feedback from my clients but also I just like it too much, it feels great every time I see that I have an exciting frame.

—Hvis du kunne gå tilbage i tiden, hvad ville du så gøre anderledes?

—I would have acted differently with the money I earned and invest it more carefully

—Hvad laver du i din fritid?

—I love the sea, so I try to go swimming when I can or going on diving trips.

—Hvilken side af dig viser du aldrig offentligt?

—I don't share a lot of my family, it's our moments.

—Hvornår er du helt tilfreds med dit arbejde?

—Never :)

—Tror du på de traditionelle mande- og kvinderoller?

—No, in our house we are equal, we both have demanding jobs and the kids.
we try to be both of us with them and without the iPhone from 5-7 when its just family time

—Har du let ved at få nye venner?

—Yes, part of being a people photographer.

—Hvor vil du gerne bo?

—I would like to live for one year in New Zealand, as a Hobbit fun, I think that's the perfect place for me.

—Er der liv efter ægteskabet?

—Sure, it's just gets better over time

—Kan du lide hunde eller katte?

—Dogs

—Det bedste ved livet er:

—As you may have guessed i think that my time with my kids is the best thing I have

—Er der nogen ting rundt omkring, som du gerne vil ændre?

—A lot.

—Kan du give et par råd til de fotografer, som lige er startet?

—Yes, understand that success is something that takes time, be patient in the long run, keep learning, and do every job the best you can, and the work plus success will follow.

—Hvis nogle rumvæsner kom til jorden, og du var den første person, de mødte, hvad ville du så sige til dem?

—Want coffee?

—Hvis du bliver spurgt, om du vil indspille en film, hvilken genre vil det så være?

—SCI-FI

—I morgen tager jeg ud og...

—The same