Fotógrafo Ciprian Vladut

—¿Es usted fotogénico(a)?

—I consider I ain't, but it so happens that on occasion some other photographer catches the good/bright sight of me.

—¿Cómo empezó a trabajar en la industria de fotografía?

—I started taking pictures in 2000 and shooting weddings in 2008. At first, I didn't want to do weddings, I thought it would diminish my work. But I started anyway and found the most challenging environment, I discovered that no matter what type of photography you do, you can always reinvent yourself and find new ways to tell a story. Especially when you meet extraordinary people all the time :)

—¿En su opinión, cuáles son los elementos más importantes de una buena fotografía?

—First & foremost, the people involved and their mood (if you're shooting people), then the light (I began ”seeing” the light after years of shooting) and the decisive moment. I don't agree that the quality of a photograph is not important, but it indeed comes in second after the feelings it produces.

—¿Le gusta viajar?

—So much that if it would be possible I would be traveling all the time.

—¿Qué le gusta más de su profesión?

—The diversity – today I'm shooting a wedding, tomorrow a baptism, after tomorrow a concert, then a family portrait, a corporate event or some landscape. It's what keeps me connected all the time.

—¿Qué le gusta menos de su profesión?

—Having too much to edit.

—¿Cuál será el futuro de la fotografía?

—I think it is constantly evolving and that we'll always see changes for the good. We'll always have trends that come and go, the important thing is to know who you are and do what you really like, not necessarily follow the hype.

—¿Qué tiene de especial el género fotográfico en que trabaja?

—Oh, everything about it is special. I must admit I suffer when someone refers to it as a banality, thinking that ”real artists” don't do wedding photos. Special is meeting new people, seeing new places or facing new challenges. Besides war photography, I find it the most challenging type, you get to meet all kinds of situations during one day: different light every minute, you get to shoot outdoors and indoors, in plain sun or in the shadow of a tree/building, inside a cave or on a mountain top etc. etc. Need I say more?

—¿Cómo gestiona las críticas?

—I'm all in for constructive criticism, don't like destructive one. That's why we're here on My Wed, right? To constantly learn from other photographers and document ourselves about where we are as wedding photographers. I, for one, would like to hear more criticism about my work and where to improve. Here's an idea: you could implement a section where each photographer could post one photo/week for critique :D

—¿Existe alguna tendencia en la fotografía?

—Of course there are, but these come and go, the important thing is to never let go of who you are and follow your own way. If you have your style, there will probably come a moment when it will be trending, but when it's gone it doesn't mean you have to go with the flow. Out there, there will always be people who will appreciate you, your work, your style and your way of being.

—¿Qué criterios debería tener en cuenta una persona a la hora de elegir a un fotógrafo?

—First of all, it's important that the bride and groom identify themselves with the photographer and his work, the choice should be made by whether they consider he is the one who's worth recording their lifetime memories. Then, they should absolutely watch an entire wedding shot by the one they chose. I like being approached by future weds who know a thing or two about photography and who got their mind set on what they really want.

—¿Qué no está permitido de ningún modo cuando realiza una fotografía?

—Getting in front of the photographer.

—¿Qué detalles que normalmente no tenemos en cuenta puede un fotógrafo captar?

—The wedding photographer sees the extraordinary where other people see normality. It's not about things, it's about the ”vision” he/she has and the ability to transfer this vision into reality.

—¿Qué influye en el valor de una fotografía? ¿Cuáles son sus elementos?

—Composition, light, placement of subject, vision, editing. Generally speaking, a photographer must be three things: a good shooter (if you don't do it right straight out of the camera, it will be hell afterwards), a good selector (choosing the photos that remain it's not an easy task) and a good editor (I know some of us prefer the ”raw” images – I consider that editing can be a form of art, the same as creating the image with the camera).

—En su opinión, ¿qué persona podría ser un símbolo del siglo XXI?

—I have no idea, you should ask me the same in 2115 :))

—¿A quién le gustaría fotografiar?

—Led Zeppelin and U2 in concert.

—¿Tiene tabúes profesionales?

—No, not really.

—¿Con quién le gustaría fotografiarse?

—Sebastiao Salgado, then David LaChapelle or Erwin Olaf. And I'd like to see Marius Bărbulerscu or Adina Dumitrescu at work :D

—¿Qué le preocupa y por qué?

—Not being able to deliver photos on time, I'm always busy shooting.

—¿Cuál ha sido el momento más impactante de su vida?

—I think that moment is still to come.

—Si fuera un personaje de animación, literario o cinematográfico, ¿quién le gustaría ser y por qué?

—Dorian Grey, I like the idea of being able to stay forever young. But keeping my personality :P

—¿Quién le inspira en su vida y por qué?

—The people in general and the places I visit. The diversity of people and the situations we meet in a lifetime are infinite and life is too short to be able to register them all.

—¿Cómo definiría el éxito? ¿Cómo lo mide?

—Success is when you feel accomplished, when you're happy with your work and with your family. Success is measured inside one's mind, not on the outside. Can we measure happiness?

—¿Qué prefiere, gustar o sentirse respetado?

—Respected, since Facebook arrived likes can be deceiving.

—¿Cuál es el mayor error que ha cometido en su trabajo?

—Going to shoot someone's portrait and leaving all my cards at home.

—Cuando va de viaje, ¿qué lleva consigo y por qué?

—The normal luggage and my photo bag, along with some filters and my tripod. Struggling hard to make it easier to carry. Why? Because I like to be prepared for any situation I meet.

—¿Se arrepiente de alguno de los gadgets que ha comprado? ¿Por qué?

—No, not a single thing, I still use everything I own, depending on the situation.

—¿Cómo se forma para tomar las mejores imágenes?

—By practicing all the time, either shooting, choosing pictures or editing. That's how you discover new angles, that's how you start to ”see” things in a certain order. One day I was surprised to discover that, while marching on the street, I was involuntarily framing everything I saw, even though my mind was completely elsewhere. Probably that's when you may consider yourself a photographer :))

—¿A quién pertenece el trabajo que le ha influenciado más como fotógrafo?

—As I am 95% self thought, I cannot say there's one particular wedding photographer that influenced me. When time allows me I take a look at the work of other photographers, but mostly I try and work with things I find in the places I go and see them with my ”creative” eye. A big change for me came when I started working with fixed and wide aperture lenses.

—¿Cuál es la única cosa que desearía haber sabido cuando comenzó a tomar fotografías?

—That it's not wise to make loans when you want to buy photo gear. But I know I couldn't have done it otherwise.

—¿Qué desea decir con sus fotografías?

—I try to tell the story of that special day, the story of that beautiful couple and the people surrounding them in order that, when you look at the pictures, you may re-live the feelings and emotions that you felt on place. Or, if you weren't there, to make you feel as if... I try to build memories that last, I consider that the value of the wedding pictures increases with time.

—¿Qué le motiva a continuar tomando imágenes?

—The fact that I know I can reinvent myself for each wedding, meeting new people every week and giving myself new challenges all the time.

—¿Cree que sus padres deberían haber sido más o menos estrictos?

—They've tried to be more strict, but I didn't let them. If I would have, I wouldn't be a photographer nowadays. My special thanks go to my mom, who stood beside me when all others didn't.

—¿Si pudiera volver atrás en el tiempo, qué haría de forma diferente?

—I would try to be more organized and kill the laziness in me.

—¿Qué piensa de la vida en otros planetas?

—Since we can't even imagine how big the Universe is, there's not one single chance that we're alone... there's life out there, we'll probably be allowed to go find it when we'll stop killing each other.

—¿Quiénes son sus héroes?

—The people that do good anonymously.

—¿Por quién no siente respeto?

—Cheaters.

—¿Qué hace en su tiempo libre?

—There's not much time to spare, but when I have it I do some biking, trekking and traveling. Occasionally fishing.

—¿Cuál es su lado desconocido que la gente nunca quiere ver?

—The tons of pictures on my hard drives and the huge amount of time spent in front of my computer, editing.

—¿Está complemente satisfecho de su trabajo?

—Never. Comfort and self appreciation are our biggest enemy.

—¿Cree en los roles tradicionales de hombres y mujeres?

—If you're asking about the man providing the goods and the woman raising children and cooking, definitely no. We're not living those times anymore.

—¿Hace amigos con facilidad?

—Yes.

—¿Dónde le gustaría vivir?

—On the road, traveling most of the time. Eight months/year would be perfect.

—¿Cuál es la cosa más estúpida que ha aceptado hacer?

—Moving in with the wrong person.

—¿Hay vida después del matrimonio?

—Of course there is, if three vectors are met: respect, admiration and dialogue. Real love comes with time and is nurtured by the vectors mentioned before.

—¿Tiene un chiste favorito? Cuéntenoslo.

—I have many favorite jokes, let's stick on one about photography:A mathematician enters a photo lab and says:
- I'd like to print a few photographs from my holiday.
- 9x13? – asks the man in charge.
- 117, why do you ask?

—¿Le gustan los perros o los gatos?

—I like both.

—¿A quién o qué odia?

—Hate is a strong word, let's use dislike. People that disappoint. I know that sometimes I disappoint, too, so there are moments when I dislike myself.

—Lo mejor de su vida es:

—Freedom.

—Lo más molesto de su vida es:

—Not having the time to do all things you'd like to.

—¿Hay algo a su alrededor que le gustaría cambiar?

—Yes, the political class in my country.

—¿Qué le gustaría cambiar de usted mismo?

—Eliminate procrastinating.

—¿Qué le gustaría cambiar del mundo?

—Eliminate inequity and inequalities worldwide. There are plenty of resources for all of us to be able to live decent lives, without war or starvation. All human being should have access to education and a chance to a better life.

—¿Podría ofrecer algunos consejos a los fotógrafos que empiezan?

—Take each step one at a time and grow steadily. I know the impulse is to go big right away, but you'll discover, as we all did, that experience and vision come with time. Try and discover things your own way, go ask only about the things you feel are keeping you down or cannot explain on your own. Practice every day, shoot as much as possible and edit a lot. Don't let anything get in your way, believe in yourself even when others don't.

—Si los extraterrestres llegaran a la Tierra y fuera la primera persona que encontraran, ¿qué les diría?

—”Welcome! I knew you were real... when do you get married?”

—Si le llamaran como fotógrafo de una película, ¿a qué género pertenecería?

—Fantasy.

—Mañana voy a hacer...

—... a corporate event in Sinaia.