Fotograf Ben Kelmer

—Zuallererst - wen können Sie als besten Fotografen in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel nennen? :)

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

—Sind Sie fotogen?

—Depend on when I wake up

—Wie sind sind zur Fotografiebranche gekommen?

—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

—Was macht Ihrer Meinung nach ein gutes Foto aus?

—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

—Reisen Sie gern?

—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

—Was gefällt Ihnen an Ihrem Beruf am meisten?

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

—Was gefällt Ihnen an Ihrem Beruf am wenigsten?

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

—Was ist die Zukunft der Fotografie?

—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.

—Was das Besondere an dem Fotografiegenre, auf das Sie sich spezialisiert haben?

—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.

—Wie gehen Sie mit Kritik um?

—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.

—Gibt es irgendwelche Trends in der Fotografie?

—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

—Was sollten die Kriterien für Kunden bei der Wahl eines Fotografen sein?

—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.

—Was ist bei Fotoaufnahmen strikt verboten?

—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

—Welche Details werden häufig übersehen, die ein Fotograf aber erkennt?

—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

—Welche Person verkörpert für Sie das 21. Jahrhundert am besten?

—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.

—Was würden Sie gern fotografieren?

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

—Gibt es für Sie in Ihrem Beruf Tabus?

—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.

—Mit welcher Ausrüstung würden Sie gern fotografieren?

—I would like to work with Magnum photographer Alex Webb

—Worüber machen Sie sich Sorgen und warum?

—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

—Was war der eindrucksvollste Moment in Ihrem Leben?

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

—Welche literarische Figur oder Filmfigur wären Sie gern und warum?

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

—Wer inspiriert Sie in Ihrem Leben und warum?

—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.

—Wie definieren Sie Erfolg? Wie messen Sie ihn?

—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 ❤️

—Gefällt es Ihnen mehr, wenn man Sie mag oder wenn Sie respektiert werden?

—respected for sure.

—Was war der größte Fehler bei Ihrer Arbeit?

—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.

—Was nehmen Sie mit, wenn Sie auf Reisen gehen und warum?

—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.

—Haben Sie Apparate oder Ausrüstung, die Sie lieber nicht hätten kaufen sollen? Warum?

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

—Wie bilden Sie sich weiter, damit Ihre Bilder noch besser werden?

—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.

—Welche Arbeiten haben Sie als Fotografen am meisten beeindruckt?

—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.

—Was hätten Sie auf jeden Fall wissen müssen, als Sie mit der Fotografie begannen?

—How to charge for my work

—Was möchten Sie mit Ihren Fotos zum Ausdruck bringen?

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

—Was motiviert Sie weiterzumachen?

—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.

—Wenn Sie zurückschauen, was hätten Sie besser machen können?

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

—Was tun Sie in Ihrer Freizeit?

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

—Welche Seite Ihrer Persönlichkeit bleibt dem Publikum verborgen?

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

—Wann sind Sie mit Ihrer Arbeit in jeder Hinsicht zufrieden?

—Never :)

—Glauben Sie an die traditionellen Rollen von Mann und Frau?

—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

—Schließen Sie schnell Freundschaft?

—Yes, part of being a people photographer.

—Wo würden Sie gern leben?

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

—Gibt es ein Leben nach der Heirat?

—Sure, it's just gets better over time

—Lieben Sie Hunde oder Katzen?

—Dogs

—Das Beste im Leben ist:

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

—Gibt es etwas in Ihrem Umfeld, das Sie ändern möchten?

—A lot.

—Haben Sie ein paar Tipps für angehende Fotografen?

—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.

—Wenn Außerirdische auf der Erde ankommen und Sie sind die erste Person, die sie treffen, was sagen Sie zu ihnen?

—Want coffee?

—Angenommen Sie erhalten den Auftrag, einen Film aufzunehmen. Welches Genre würden Sie für den Film wählen?

—SCI-FI

—Morgen werde ich...

—The same