Photographer Ruud Claessen

—Are you photogenic?

—No! I much rather be behind a camera.

—How did you get in the photography industry?

—In 2008, I was already doing amateur photography for a couple of year. To do something different for a change, I asked my uncle if I could photograph his wedding. It was his second marriage, they were not asking for a photographer, so there was little risk. I ended up liking it so much, that I decided to do it more.

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

—Above all, the photo has to have a certain impact. Wether that's an intense emotion, a good vibe, or just a spectaculair visual impact. After that comes the technical part. So a good lighting, composition, etcetera. But for me, the impact is the most important part, by far.

—Do you love traveling?

—Yes, but with moderation though. I'd love to do 3-5 destination weddings a year. I don't think I'd enjoy doing 10, 15 or even more.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—It sounds like a horrible cliché, but it's true: Every wedding is different. You never really know what's going to happen. Surprises can happen at every moment. Besides that, I think it's a great honor to be asked to create lifelong memories for the people that are getting married. 5, 10, 25 or even 50 years after they get married, people still remember who took their wedding photos. It's pretty wonderful that you can be an important part in people's lives.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—Basically: The postprocessing. I have a horrible concentration when it comes to editing. I love editing my 50-75 favorites from a wedding, but after that, it gets hard for me to keep focused.

—What will be the future of photography?

—I think the future of wedding photography will be a further evolution of the direction it's going in right now. More journalistic stuff, more moments. But besides that: technical advances. Faster camera's, better low light capabilities, and other accessories like drones, light field cameras, and stuff like that, giving photographers even more tools to being creative.

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

—I love many aspects of it. I love the fact that people are in a good mood, they take the time to look good as well. People get married in beautiful venues, and you as a photographer gets to be a part of so many people's special day. That's amazing.

—How do you handle criticism?

—I try to extract what people really mean with their comments. Some people have difficulties in finding the right words to give feedback, sometimes making them sound rude. But I always try to figure out what's the real message there.

—Are there any trends in photography?

—All the time. But me personally, I try to not let trend be the main thing in my photography. Trends are a nice touch, but I want my photography to be timeless.

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

—1) Do you like the photographer's work? 2) Do you like the photographer? Simple as that.

—What things are to be avoided when shooting?

—'Allowed' is a big word. I'm not the one to say what's allowed or not. However, I don't like to unnecessarily intervene in a wedding. With the exception of the posed shots, I don't like having to tell people what to do, where to stand or how to look.

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

—A good wedding photographer can see beauty in many things, and has a better eye for good light, and good compositions. And also: a photographer is aware of what's going on and can respond quickly when something happens.

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

—Not only is beauty in the eye of the beholder, but the same thing is true for value. A photograph that might not seem like much to a photographer or ti someone who wasn't there, can be the couple's favorite for many reasons. Never make assumptions.

—What person can be the symbol of the 21st century in your opinion?

—I can't look into the future. Sorry ;-)

—Who do you want to shoot?

—Kind, fun and creative people that I have a great chemistry with.

—Do you have any professional taboos?

—Not really. Except for stuff that's prohibited by law, off course.

—Who would you like to shoot with?

—Too many to mention.

—What do you worry about, and why?

—Sometimes I worry about the future. What will happen if I don't get any more bookings? But I think that every professional thinks that way every now and then. On the other side, it helps me improve and stay on my toes.

—What is the most impressive moment in your life?

—I can't name just a single one. There are thousands of great moments that are impressive in their own ways.

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

—Success to me is finding a perfect balance by doing what you love, making a good living out of it, but also having time to live. Because even though I just love shooting weddings, I wouldn't want to shoot 60 weddings a year and have no personal time left.

—Would you rather be liked or respected?

—Liked by my clients, respected by my colleagues.

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

—Not that many, luckily! I once accidentally switched from RAW to TIFF during a wedding. That was a pain in the ass. It cost me a lot more work to process the images, but the clients were happy.

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

—A small but versatile camera kit. Definitely some analog cameras. And off course, the traveling essentials.

—Is there anything that you wish you hadn't bought among the gadgets that you own? Why?

—Nope.

—How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

—I do mentoring with photographers who are amazing in the aspects of photography that are my weakest points.

—Whose work has influenced you most as a photographer?

—I've never been inspired by certain photographers. I like to look at individual photographs, and analyse what I like about them.

—What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?

—I never thought that photography can be this exhausting! But in a good way.

—What do you want to say with your photographs?

—When looking at my photographs, I want people to feel what they felt when the moment was actually happening.

—What motivates you to continue taking pictures?

—Getting great feedback from customers, and seeing myself grow and becoming a better photographer.

—Should your parents have been more or less strict?

—They have been perfect.

—If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

—I would push myself more and especially sooner. It took about 5 years before I started taking myself and my photography really serious. But since I started doing that, I have improved so very much. I wish I'd done that sooner.

—What about life on other planets?

—Nah. There's tons of places for me to explore on this one.

—Who are your heroes?

—Everybody who believes in something, in themselves, and work hard to achieve that.

—Who do you have no respect for?

—People who are arrogant, and bring other people down.

—What do you do in your spare time?

—Cooking, eating, movies, riding my oldtimer bike, and some an occasional cigar.

—What's the side of you that the public never sees?

—I think a lot of people see me as 'the funny guy'. However, I do have a very serious side. I'm a very contemplative person, and I can be fascinated by almost anything.

—When are you completely satisfied with your work?

—When one of my own photographs really moves me. When I think: Wow, did I capture that? When it makes me feel proud that I've created these images.

—Do you believe in the traditional roles for men and women?

—Absolutely not.

—Do you make friends easily?

—Quite easily. Although sometimes, at first I stay in the background a bit more. I like to evaluate people before I connect to them.

—Where would you like to live?

—Tough question. I've always enjoyed living in the Netherlands, but lately, this feeling of joy has diminished quite a bit. Not because of the horrible weather, but mainly because of the political climate, the discontent of society, the tension. There's a lot going on, a lot of frustrations among a lot of people, causing the general atmosphere to be a lot less relaxed, in my opinion.

—What's the stupidest thing you've ever agreed to do?

—In photography...or... ;-)

—Is there life after marriage?

—Certainly. When it's a good marriage, it enriches your life a lot. A bad marriage can bring you down by an equal amount though.

—Do you have a favorite joke? Tell us.

—I can't. It's too gross.

—Do you like dogs or cats?

—I own both. Although I've always considered myself as more of a dog person, I can thoroughly enjoy the relaxed but also stubborn attitude of cats. They have a mind of their own, which I can relate to.

—Who or what do you hate?

—I hate it when people aren't real. Off course, everybody has skeletons in their closet. But too many people pretend to be something their not. Relating to that: I also really dislike how much we're being lied to. In advertising, in politics, in a lot of things. There's very little sincerity and authenticity left.

—The best thing in life is:

—Love, good company, good food, sex and friendship.

—The most annoying thing in life is:

—Having to type VERY long interviews. Sorry, had to do it ;-)

—Is there anything around you that you would like to change?

—Yes, quite a few things. But that doesn't mean that I'm not happy!

—What would you like to change in yourself?

—I'd like to be more patient, and to be able to focus better.

—What would you like to change in the world?

—Total cliché, but peace. There's too much anger, aggression and frustration. Terrorism, war, mass shootings. Things that are making the world ill. I wish that the world would chill a bit more.

—Can you give a few tips for photographers who are just starting out?

—Be confident, but don't want too much too fast. Take your time to educate and train yourself. Being a good photographer is hard. You don't become one in a year, but that's a trend I'm seeing. People doing a couple of workshops and styled shoots, and calling themselves a professional wedding photographer after that. Workshops and photoshoots are absolutely nothing like shooting a real wedding. So take the time to develop the skills that are needed for doing that.

—If aliens come to the Earth and you are the first person they meet, what will you tell them?

—I'd love to tell them about planet Earth. And I'd love to hear where they're coming from, and also how they got here.

—If you are called to shoot a movie, what genre will it be?

—Probably something artsy, even though I hate that term. I love movies like The Grand Budapest Hotel.

—Tomorrow I will go and do...

—shoot a wedding!