Fotógrafo Gina Stef

—¿Es usted fotogénico(a)?

—Yes I am, but only when i'm not posing.

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

—I wanted to do something else with my photos, to bring more joy to happy couples.

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

—It has to capture the moment. When the bride cries, when the groom laughs at her or when the people at the wedding just go crazy :)

—¿Le gusta viajar?

—Absolutely YES! We love meeting new and interesting couples and we're eager to take their photos in an unknown location. This is also a big challenge, to take improvised great photos of them in a place we've never been before.

—¿Qué le gusta más de su profesión?

—Every wedding is a challenge and we love challenges! Meeting new people and "clicking" on their wedding ideas is great!

—¿Qué le gusta menos de su profesión?

—Sometimes it's the long hours of a wedding here in Romania that get to us, but after all if the newlyweds are still having fun at 2 a.m. in the morning, we'll hop in and have fun with them!

—¿Cuál será el futuro de la fotografía?

—Nowadays if you don't know Photoshop you're like dead in the water. Photography won't change much, as opposed to the way we as photographers will present the final result to our clients.

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

—Before any event we always have butterflies in our stomachs and that's a good thing, because it pushes us further. We love the rush of the events and the general happiness of the people attending the wedding.

—¿Cómo gestiona las críticas?

—We try to prevent it, usually we under-promise and over-deliver. If by any chance our clients are not fully satisfied, we communicate on what's wrong and we try to correct that.

—¿Existe alguna tendencia en la fotografía?

—The vintage, chabby-chic trends are on fire! And we love them, all the decors give a wedding a great feel!

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

—On the initial meeting, they should analyze whether they "click" with the photographer. If you're not on the same mindset, then you might as well find another one.

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

—It all comes down to common-sense. A wedding photographer is not (or should not) seek the tabloid-like, outrageous pictures. He/she should always comply with the client's wishes and demands.

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

—It's that split-second facial expression on somebody's face, or some short event that nobody saw because they were focused on the bride and groom.

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

—I think it's all about the "feel". No matter how you composed it, no matter how blurry it is.

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

—It's difficult to assess, since social media is huge nowadays and everybody's a celebrity.

—¿A quién le gustaría fotografiar?

—We would like to shoot a tattooed open-minded rockers couple, in Moab, Utah :)

—¿Tiene tabúes profesionales?

—Yes, to never disappoint our clients!

—¿Con quién le gustaría fotografiarse?

—It would be a dream to shoot with Sergey Ivanov, Sal Cincotta or Aaron Nace!

—¿Qué le preocupa y por qué?

—I always worry that we won't be able to satisfy all our clients' needs. But so far, so good.

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

—Traveling through the U.S. and admiring the cities, the breweries, the landscapes and all the beautiful people!

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

—When I was little I looked like Betty Boop so...

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

—I see inspiration all around, it's hard to pinpoint something.

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

—I thing it's a sum of the opinions of the people who met you. If most of the opinions are great, you could consider yourself a successful person.

—¿Qué prefiere, gustar o sentirse respetado?

—Both, of course!

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

—I made only small mistakes :)

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

—My husband, our cameras and leave behind everything else.

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

—Along the way there has been some trial and error, some gadgets failed and some we still have, but I guess we shouldn't have bought a Wii U console and a 2x extender.

—¿Cómo se forma para tomar las mejores imágenes?

—Through inspiration on the web, brainstorming with friends and talks with clients.

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

—I wish Sergey Ivanov influenced me, but I couldn't rise to that level :)

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

—That "anything flies" if you have a story behind it.

—¿Qué desea decir con sus fotografías?

—People are beautiful!

—¿Qué le motiva a continuar tomando imágenes?

—The satisfaction of our clients and money, of course.

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

—At times I wanted them to be less of a pain, but it turns out that I turned out just fine!

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

—Listen to rock music earlier, read more and move to another city sooner.

—¿Qué piensa de la vida en otros planetas?

—I can't wait to have an alien friend!

—¿Quiénes son sus héroes?

—Lebowski from "The Big Lebowski" film!

—¿Por quién no siente respeto?

—People who don't have any hobby, any taste in anything, any opinion of their own.

—¿Qué hace en su tiempo libre?

—I love calligraphy and everything hand made, I try to do as much as I can, apart from editing photos.

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

—I'd have to kill you...

—¿Está complemente satisfecho de su trabajo?

—Never!

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

—I'm not a feminist, but no, I do not believe in these stereotypes.

—¿Hace amigos con facilidad?

—I'd say that I do, but some would say that I keep to myself a lot. I only make friends with the people which inspire me and help me evolve, by having interesting argumentative conversations.

—¿Dónde le gustaría vivir?

—San Francisco, some 50 years ago.

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

—I have a problem with saying "no" to things. But I'm working on that.

—¿Hay vida después del matrimonio?

—Of course. If you don't make a child right away. Or never.

—¿Tiene un chiste favorito? Cuéntenoslo.

—It's a photographers' joke, of course:
So there's a dinner party. A photographer's talking to the host. She says to him: "Mr. Photographer, I love your work! You must have a great camera!" The photographer doesn't respond. But at the dinner table, after taking a bite, the photographer says to the host: "Oh, this food is delicious! You must have a terrific oven!"

—¿Le gustan los perros o los gatos?

—Both, but mostly cats.

—¿A quién o qué odia?

—Ignorance and arrogance together.

—Lo mejor de su vida es:

—Combining your hobby and your job.

—Lo más molesto de su vida es:

—Having a job and a hobby-job :)

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

—I would love it if the hobby would stay just hobby, not having to deal with contracts, invoices, bills to pay... This narrows the creativity, the whole "professional" side of photography.

—¿Qué le gustaría cambiar de usted mismo?

—I would like to learn to say NO and not bite more than I can chew.

—¿Qué le gustaría cambiar del mundo?

—If only money disappeared, people will start being people again.

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

—Take lots of photos, then analyze them and develop your own style. And most importantly, never stop!

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

—Most surely they won't understand a word, but I'll beg them to share some wisdom here on Earth!

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

—Some moody drama

—Mañana voy a hacer...

—some portraits, for sure!