Photographer James Richardson

—First and foremost – whom can you name as the best photographer in Granada, Spain? :)

—The best photographer doesn't exist, only styles! Today there are so many photographers, and each one has their own style. As long as you work hard to constantly grow and push yourself then you will be happy, your clients will be happy and you will become a great photographer.

—Are you photogenic?

—To be honest, no not really. That is why I hide behind the camera :P

—How did you get in the photography industry?

—You could say that it was hidden away inside me for a long time. Without realising I have always had a camera to hand since I was little. Love my dads Canon 650 EOS and always used to take it off his hands. Never thought that it would turn out to be something that I loved doing.

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

—A good photo has to have life in it. If a photo does not have a penetrating look, or the calmness of a smile, then for me that photo is not natural enough and that is what I always look for in my wedding photos.

—Do you love traveling?

—I love new and unknown territories, this make you push your skills and ideas to the limits and keeps you improving. I have several trips lined up this year and cant wait to work somewhere new. And if it is for vacactional purpose, then without a doubt, but I can assure you that my camera will never leave my side.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—The reaction when I hand my work in and the happiness it brings. I will love photography no matter what, and will always love it no matter what people say about my work. All photographers want to exceed their expectations, improve, update themselves, master new techniques, and we are very perfectionist when it comes down to our own work, so it is a fantastic feeling when others congratulate you on your efforts.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—Nothing, I came from a financial work environment with a stressful background to something that I dreamt about doing for a long time. And when you manage to do something you dream about there will be some down moments but you remember what you are doing and why you are doing it, and that motivating crawls right back in and you thrive again.

—What will be the future of photography?

—Well who knows, it is constantly changing and there are so many different styles and techniques to choose from. But hopefully, it will become less fictional and more natural.

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

—The atmosphere, the mood, the happiness, capturing of the moment that will be shown to every family member and friends, current and future. But more importantly you are immortalising a moment in someone's life which details can be forgot via thought but sealed in a photograph

—How do you handle criticism?

—Constructive criticism helps me improve, mature and evolve. There is always a positive way of looking at things, and criticism can be broken down and used in a positive manner.

—Are there any trends in photography?

—Right at this point in time in the trend of the sameday, where we process photos on the same day of the wedding before the dance. It have become very popular here in Spain.

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

—To select the photographer via his/her work and style and not the price, with out forgetting that they must connect.

—What things are to be avoided when shooting?

—Pressure on the bride and groom. In order to take the best and most natural shots we need the bride and groom to be as relaxed as possible. And also mobile and table devises. There are numerous of occasions when the groom could not see the bride walking down the isle due to the amount of people leaning out with their phones and tables.

—What details that usually pass unnoticed can a photographer notice?

—I try to study the bride and groom before the wedding, assuring those personal gestures are captured so that when their friends and family see the photos, they recognise the naturalness of the image and the moment captured.

—What influences the value of a photo? What are its elements?

—There are so many things to cover for this question. But if i had to sum it up in one, the naturalness of the the photo is highly important.

—Who do you want to take photos of?

—Everything I can see with my eyes, as long as I add my personal touch.

—Do you have any professional taboos?

—No

—Who would you like to shoot with?

—Steve McCurry, Chema Madoz, Sebastiao Salgado, El Marco Rojo, Ramone El Marco Rojo.

—What do you worry about, and why?

—I worry about not having enough time. There is never enough time in one day, but the important this is to make the most out of the time you have.

—What is the most impressive moment in your life?

—When my little ones were born.

—If you were a cartoon, book or movie character, who would you be and why?

—Peter Parker, obvious right?

—Who inspires you in your life and why?

—My partner, she is always motivating my and pushing be to be better and do better in all aspects of my life.

—How do you define success? How do you measure it?

—Success for me would be to continue capturing the best moments and continue to improving.

—Would you rather be liked or respected?

—Respected, first of all you understand who a person is then you respect them and then you start to like them for who they are.

—What is the biggest mistake you have ever made at work?

—I try not to make any mistakes, but hey, we are not perfect. When I started as a wedding photographer, I forgot to check the wedding images after downloading them and had the auto delete after download turned on, resulting in deleting the whole ceremony and service photos. I thank lexar for their amazing recovery app.

—When you're going to travel, what do you take with you and why?

—My fujifilm x30 and my D750 with my 35mm f1.4 – Fuji is easy to store and lightweight. And my D750 because of its amazing quality for those special shots.

—Is there anything among your gadgets that you wish you haven't bought? Why?

—I love all gadgets and never regret buying anything as I make sure I study everything before purchase.

—How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

—Workshops, seminars, and other photographer friends.

—Whose work has influenced you most as a photographer?

—There are so many photographers out there. I just try to learn from all and adapt my own style. But if I had to thank a specific photographer it would be El Marco Rojo.