Fotógrafo Joseph Requerme

—¿Es usted fotogénico(a)?

—I am not sure yet. I will have my own wedding in the coming months and we'll know if I am. Technically, yes because I direct my couple by doing the pose first.

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

—I got into wedding industry by accident. I was invited to attend a wedding as a guest and I brought with me my 2 days old dslr camera and started taking pictures. To make the story short, the official photographer lost all his photos of the wedding and the couple made my photos as their official(even ordered an album) after 4 years of their wedding. That's where I was inspired to make more love-inspired photos.

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

—For me, it is the emotion that is captured in frames. I always make sure that most of my photos are love-inspired. When emotion is in there, composition and post processing style will follow.

—¿Le gusta viajar?

—Yes, in fact I am a destination wedding photographer based in Cebu City. I have been to different places in the Philippines and abroad.

—¿Qué le gusta más de su profesión?

—I love to feel and indulge myself into an emotional celebration like weddings and my favorite is the pictorial of the bride and his father, the dance with the father and the groom with his mom. Capturing those are heaven to me.

—¿Qué le gusta menos de su profesión?

—What I don't like is the sore in my feet the day after the wedding. I move a lot to make sure that everything is covered. But it also reminds me of a successful wedding coverage. No sore, meaning I did not do my best.

—¿Cuál será el futuro de la fotografía?

—I think people will start to take photographers like me to unfamiliar and less shot locations and will incorporate adventure along the way.

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

—The most special thing in wedding photography is the union of two souls. That's where I challenge my self, to get every inch of emotion and historic event in the frames.

—¿Cómo gestiona las críticas?

—I have the best and worst critic in the world, my partner in life and she tells me the things that she don't like in the harshest way possible. Every time she do that, I will be hurt but I use that pain in my ego to improve. At the end of the day, I am glad that she made those criticism. Criticisms from people I don't know – I listen to them. Criticism from my clients – I am glad they are all satisfied and if there will be one, I will work my way to correct the problem.

—¿Existe alguna tendencia en la fotografía?

—There are no trends for me. Every couple has its own way of making their wedding a memorable one and each shoot is unique. In fact, the more different the wedding is, the more unique it will become.

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

—The couple should and must always like the photographic style of the photographer. No buts and ifs. If you like the work, go for it and tell the photographer. Rates should be the last thing that will hinder in booking a photographer.

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

—For me, the only thing that is not allowed is shooting beyond the cultural norms of every person. You got to respect it.

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

—It is the emotion. When people are emotional they forget about their looks and not aware of their surroundings. The photographers on the other hand, hold the tears or just smile behind the camera and capture those moments.

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

—Its all about the subject, location and composition.

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

—A person that can understand different cultures without any hesitation and manage to blend in.

—¿A quién le gustaría fotografiar?

—I love and want to shoot weddings and any life events.

—¿Tiene tabúes profesionales?

—I am glad that I don't have.

—¿Con quién le gustaría fotografiarse?

—I like to shoot with Jasmine Star. There's a lot of things that I like about her shooting style.

—¿Qué le preocupa y por qué?

—I don't get worried that much in terms of shooting. I worry much when I got home and make the photos exist in different places (backup).

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

—When I got hired by a Swiss magazine to make a portrait of a typhoon survivor. Eventually, they got married and I was their photographer. The story I told was amazing. The guy saved his queen after typhoon Yolanda and that was the most heart warming story I ever told.

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

—My inspiration will always be my partner in life and the photos that I have not captured yet.

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

—Success in not a destination, it is an ongoing process and cannot be measured. As long as you are happy, you can feel success.

—¿Qué prefiere, gustar o sentirse respetado?

—Yes, as a human being but not like king.

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

—Hiring a cheap 2nd shooter. They just don't get my style. When I started to hire right priced shooter, my output became more valuable.

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

—I would take my editor(my partner). She is all in one, my inspiration, my critic, the stylist and can give tons of ideas when I ran out.

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

—Every piece that I have has its own use, I did not regret buying any of them.

—¿Cómo se forma para tomar las mejores imágenes?

—By joining photography related clubs and forums. The different opinions gives me ideas on where to improve.

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

—Jasmine Star

—¿Qué desea decir con sus fotografías?

—I must say that my photographs are created and inspired with love.

—¿Qué le motiva a continuar tomando imágenes?

—The satisfied and happy clients.

—¿Qué hace en su tiempo libre?

—I do fishing, watching movies and travelling. I love indulging to beach, nature and adventure.

—¿Está complemente satisfecho de su trabajo?

—I don't get satisfied. There is always a margin of unsatisfaction but I make sure that the photos are well processed.

—¿Hace amigos con facilidad?

—Yes, I always make sure that I make conversation and help people along the way.

—¿Dónde le gustaría vivir?

—I love my country and my answer is Philippines. If my clients want me to live in their place for a month then I'll go.

—¿Hay vida después del matrimonio?

—For me, Yes. But I should experience it first next year for me to say the whole thing.

—¿Le gustan los perros o los gatos?

—I like both.

—Lo mejor de su vida es:

—The best thing in life is love.

—Lo más molesto de su vida es:

—The most annoying thing in life is disrespect.

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

—Just get your hands dirty and shoot weddings regardless its price. The most important thing is experience. Don't listen to negative and destructive comments.