Fotografo Ciprian Vladut

—Sei fotogenico?

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

—Come sei entrato nell'industria della fotografia?

—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 :)

—Secondo te, quali sono le componenti più importanti di una bella foto?

—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.

—Ti piace viaggiare?

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

—Che cosa ti piace di più nella tua professione?

—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.

—Che cosa ti piace di meno nella tua professione?

—Having too much to edit.

—Quale sarà il futuro della fotografia?

—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.

—Cosa c'è di speciale nel genere di fotografia in cui sei specializzato?

—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?

—Come gestisci la critica?

—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

—Ci sono determinate tendenze nella fotografia?

—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.

—Quali criteri dovrebbe utilizzare un cliente per scegliere un fotografo?

—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.

—Che cosa non è ammesso durante la ripresa fotografica?

—Getting in front of the photographer.

—Quali dettagli, che solitamente passano inosservati, riesce a notare un fotografo?

—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.

—Che cosa influisce sul valore di una foto? Quali sono le sue componenti?

—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).

—Secondo te, chi può essere considerato simbolo del XXI secolo?

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

—Che cosa vorresti fotografare?

—Led Zeppelin and U2 in concert.

—Hai qualche tabù professionale?

—No, not really.

—Con chi vorresti fare una sessione di ripresa fotografica?

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

—Che cosa ti fa preoccupare e perché?

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

—Qual è stato il momento più impressionante della tua vita?

—I think that moment is still to come.

—Se tu fossi un personaggio di cartone animato, libro o film, chi saresti e perché?

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

—Chi ti ispira nella vita e perché?

—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.

—Come puoi definire il successo? Come si misura?

—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?

—Preferiresti essere amato o rispettato?

—Respected, since Facebook arrived likes can be deceiving.

—Qual è stato il più grande errore che hai commesso nel lavoro?

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

—Preparandoti per partire, che cosa metteresti in valigia e perché?

—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.

—Tra i gadget che possiedi, c'è qualcosa che vorresti non aver comprato? Perché?

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

—Che formazione professionale segui per fare fotografie migliori?

—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 :))

—Il lavoro di chi ha avuto la maggiore influenza su di te come fotografo?

—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.

—Qual è l'unica cosa che vorresti aver saputo iniziando a scattare foto?

—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.

—Che cosa vuoi dire con le tue fotografie?

—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.

—Qual è la tua motivazione per continuare a scattare fotografie?

—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.

—Pensi che i tuoi genitori avrebbero dovuto essere più o meno severi?

—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.

—Se potessi tornare nel passato, che cosa faresti in modo diverso?

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

—Che cosa pensi della vita su altri pianeti?

—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.

—Chi sono i tuoi eroi?

—The people that do good anonymously.

—Per che cosa non hai rispetto?

—Cheaters.

—Che cosa fai nel tuo tempo libero?

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

—Quale lato di te non è mai visibile al pubblico?

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

—Quando ti senti completamente soddisfatto dal tuo lavoro?

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

—Credi nei ruoli tradizionali di donne e uomini?

—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.

—Fai facilmente amicizia?

—Yes.

—Dove ti piacerebbe vivere?

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

—Qual è stata la cosa più stupida che hai accettato di fare?

—Moving in with the wrong person.

—Esiste la vita dopo il 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.

—Hai uno scherzo preferito? Raccontacelo.

—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?

—Ti piacciono i cani o i gatti?

—I like both.

—Chi o che cosa odi?

—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.

—La cosa migliore nella vita è:

—Freedom.

—La cosa più fastidiosa nella vita è:

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

—C'è qualcosa intorno a te che vorresti cambiare?

—Yes, the political class in my country.

—Che cosa vorresti cambiare in te stesso?

—Eliminate procrastinating.

—Che cosa vorresti cambiare nel mondo?

—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.

—Puoi dare alcuni consigli ai fotografi alle prime armi?

—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.

—Se gli alieni dovessero arrivare sulla Terra e tu fossi la prima persona ad incontrarli, che cosa diresti?

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

—Se dovessi essere invitato a girare un film, di che genere sarebbe?

—Fantasy.

—Domani vado a fare...

—... a corporate event in Sinaia.