Photographer Erkin Agsaran

—Are you photogenic?

—Nope. But the reason I don't look great on photographs is that the people who take my photographs haven't found my angle yet :) Jokes aside, I don't believe in photogenic. Everybody is photogenic, and at the same time nobody is. It depends on the light, the angle, and of course the photographer.

—How did you get in the photography industry?

—Wedding photography never crossed my mind until a friend of mine asked me to photograph her wedding back in 2006. I wasn't sure if I would be able to pull that off by myself at first, so I asked some well known wedding photographers to assist them for a while, and one of them generously said yes. And I quickly fell in love with the job. That is how it all started.

—What are the most important components of a good photo in your opinion?

—A good photograph should be able to make you 'feel'. The viewer needs to feel it now, and feel it the same 10 years later. In order to do that, the photographs need the moment, and the emotion, and preferably a clean composition.

—Do you love traveling?

—I do! So far I have traveled to many countries over 3 continents. I still dream I can have a RTW trip someday.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—Beautiful happy people, nice locations, variety of cultures and their customs.... What more can I ask for.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—Photography as a profession is not only about taking photographs. There is also the business side of it, which is not my favourite part.

—What will be the future of photography?

—Smaller cameras and 4+K video will dominate the industry. The photographers who don't have a very unique skill and style will have a hard time, as the technolgy makes it easier to take beautiful snapshots.

—What is special in the photography genre you specialise at?

—The fact that it is the act of documenting an event, which is, for most couples, a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and one of the biggest milestones in their lives. There are no re-takes, no room for error, no option to be bitchy to your clients. Every once in a while, I take other assignments, like commercials, products, etc. and everytime I am shocked by the luxury of having a lot of time and flexibility to make the image. You don't have that luxury in weddings.

—Are there any trends in photography?

—Unfortunately, yes!Trends come and go, but wedding photographs should last for generations. Why pay thousands for photography, if you want something that will be out of trend in less than a year? Value of good, timeless wedding photography increases by the time, while the value of trendy photographs diminish.

—What should be the criteria for a customer to choose a photographer?

—They should look at the photographs and feel something first. They should be able to connect with the photographer, first through his/her portfolio, than in person.