Fotogrāfs Ben Kelmer

—Pirmkārt un galvenokārt - kurš Tavuprāt ir labākais fotogrāfs Tavā pilsētā? :)

—I think one of the most interesting photographers in tel Aviv is Jen sladkov
jensladkov.com/

—Vai Tu esi fotogēnisks?

—Depend on when I wake up

—Kā tu nokļuvi fotogrāfijas jomā?

—Well, I was always into photography since high school, but 10 years ago I got a job as a photographer for an internet news website in Israel and from that point on things started to take off

—Kuri, Tavuprāt, ir svarīgākie labas fotogrāfijas elementi?

—when I look at a photo I try to see real filings and real emotions, in my eyes, those are the thing that will get the viewers eyes the most

—Vai Tu mīli ceļošanu?

—Sure, and especially now when I have two kids its fantastic thing to travel with them and to have the ability to show them the world

—Kas Tev vislabāk patīk savā profesijā?

—I think the chance I have in meeting new people almost every day is something that I will never get bored off

—Kas Tavā profesijā Tev patīk vismazāk?

—all the logistic stuff (booking, meetings, accounting, etc..) let me shoot all day and I will be fine

—Kāda būs fotogrāfijas nākotne?

—These days when I'm answering this interview (Covid-19), we are having one of the most challenging times as photographers.
But I see more and more bookings for small family portraits; people want to remember and to have a visual memory of themself.

—Kas ir īpašs fotogrāfijas žanrā, kurā specializējies?

—I shoot people, and I don't describe my self, if it's with people and to document real situations, I'm in. I think that that's the unique thing about it, the ability to show people how that looks like and how they beehive with their own family.

—Kā Tu uztver kritiku?

—It's part of the job, and you have to understand that not everyone is going to like what you do, and I think that's good. You want to distinguish yourself from other photographers, not to be like everyone else.

—Vai fotogrāfijā ir kādas īpašas tendences?

—Sure, like in any other industry, but try to avoid it, trends are for people that don't want to be creative if you're going to be unique, so don't copy-paste other people work

—Kādi ir kritēriji, kas klientam jāņem vērā, izvēloties fotogrāfu?

—I don't think there's one criterion, in the end, it comes to how people create when they see a photo of you, how it makes them feel.

—No kā fotogrāfējot būtu jāizvairās?

—in my opinion, I try not to tell people how to act and how to move when I photograph them, I want them to be themselves for them to resonate with the work I do

—Kādus parasti nepamanītus brīžus var notvert fotogrāfs?

—The small thing that people don't pay attention to, let's say the groom forget to unzip one button, the photographer will notice it and will tell him to close it

—Kurš cilvēks, Tavuprāt, varētu būt 21. gadsimta simbols?

—I think that in these days, its Donald Trump, unfortunately, but I think he represents the fact that people are looking for shortcuts in life and in business. And there's no shortcut, if you want to succeed you have to put in the work. I think people elected him cause that thought that in 4 years he will come and change everything and now we see that its not the case.

—Ko Tu vēlētos fotogrāfēt?

—I would be happy to photograph the Queen of England. I already photograph her son and one grandson.

—Vai Tev ir kādi profesionālie tabu?

—I was a photojournalist for almost seven years, and I shoot a lot of stuff that happened in my country even during challenging situations, but I would not photograph something that I would have thought that will cause the other person to fill like I misrepresent what really took place.

—Ar ko Tu kopā vēlētos fotogrāfēt?

—I would like to work with Magnum photographer Alex Webb

—Par ko Tu satraucies un kāpēc?

—I worry about the fact that there are more and more wedding photographers out there today that don't know how to price the work that they do and they are bringing the industry down

—Kas ir Tavas dzīves iespaidīgakais brīdis?

—I think the birth of my children's :)

—Ja Tu būtu multfilmas, grāmatas vai filmas varonis, kurš tas būtu un kāpēc?

—Spiderman, for sure, to have the ability to reach places in the coolest way.

—Kas Tevi iedvesmo dzīvē un kāpēc?

—I think that my father was an inspiration to me, he was a captain on container ships and he works hard, I think the working morality I got is from him.

—Kā Tu definētu veiksmi? Vai to var izmērīt?

—It changes every time, I think. now success for me is to see my children grow up and becoming the amazing people that they are ❤️

—Vai Tev labāk patīk tikt mīlētam vai tikt cienītam?

—respected for sure.

—Kas ir lielākā kļūda, ko Tu esi pieļāvis darbā?

—only one? :) that's how we learn the best, one time, I doubled book a wedding, and I only noticed it a week before the wedding.

—Kad Tu plāno ceļot, ko Tu ņem līdzi un kāpēc?

—Now I try to travel as light as I can. So I only take with me the FUJIX100F, which is small and great for traveling + the Yashica 635 with B&W film for the more artwork that I do.

—Vai kāda ierīcēm (gadžetiem), kas Tev pieder, ir tāda, kuru Tev nebūtu vajadzējis pirkt? Kāpēc?

—I bought a polaroid Fujifilm camera that I only used a few times and then I got bored with it

—Kā Tu mācies, lai uzņemtu arvien labākas fotogrāfijas?

—I try (before covid19) to attend a workshop once a year, it doesn't have to be from a wedding photographer.
My all-time favorite workshop was in NYC with Alex Webb.

—Kuri darbi Tevi kā fotogrāfu ir visvairāk iedvesmojuši?

—Alex Webb is one of the greatest photographers, in my opinion. I also really like the work of Chris Hondros, that was one of the greatest war photographers in modern times.

—Kas ir tā lieta, ko Tu būtu gribējis zināt pirms sāki nodarboties ar fotogrāfēšanu?

—How to charge for my work

—Ko Tu vēlies pastāstīt ar savām fotogrāfijām?

—I'm just trying to tell an authentic story.

—Kas Tevi motivē turpināt uzņemt fotogrāfijas?

—The feedback from my clients but also I just like it too much, it feels great every time I see that I have an exciting frame.

—Ja Tu varētu ceļot atpakaļ laikā, ko Tu darītu savādāk?

—I would have acted differently with the money I earned and invest it more carefully

—Ko Tu dari brīvajā laikā?

—I love the sea, so I try to go swimming when I can or going on diving trips.

—Kuru Tavu pusi citi nekad neredz?

—I don't share a lot of my family, it's our moments.

—Kad Tu esi pilnībā apmierināts ar savu darbu?

—Never :)

—Vai Tu tici tradicionālajam lomu sadalījumam starp vīrieti un sievieti?

—No, in our house we are equal, we both have demanding jobs and the kids.
we try to be both of us with them and without the iPhone from 5-7 when its just family time

—Vai Tu vienkārši sadraudzējies?

—Yes, part of being a people photographer.

—Kur Tu vēlētos dzīvot?

—I would like to live for one year in New Zealand, as a Hobbit fun, I think that's the perfect place for me.

—Vai pastāv dzīve pēc kāzām?

—Sure, it's just gets better over time

—Kas Tev patīk labāk - kaķi vai suņi?

—Dogs

—Labākā lieta dzīvē ir:

—As you may have guessed i think that my time with my kids is the best thing I have

—Vai ir kaut kas tāds, ko Tu vēlētos mainīt?

—A lot.

—Kādi būtu Tavi padomi jaunajiem fotogrāfiem?

—Yes, understand that success is something that takes time, be patient in the long run, keep learning, and do every job the best you can, and the work plus success will follow.

—Ja uz zemes nolaistos citplanētieši un Tu būtu pirmais, ko viņi satiktu, ko Tu viņiem teiktu?

—Want coffee?

—Ja Tev būtu iespēja uzņemt filmu, kāda žanra filma tā būtu?

—SCI-FI

—Rīt es aiziešu un izdarīšu...

—The same