Jurufoto Laura Otoya

—Adakah anda seorang yang fotogenik?

—Only whenever I'm not faking my smile ;)

—Bagaimanakah anda mula menceburkan diri dalam industri fotografi?

—I had always loved taking photos as a hobby but had no real knowledge on the subject. I was working at Citibank in one of those "dream jobs" that everyone wants only when they don't have it... I couldn't sleep, I dreamed with workflow diagrams (REALLY!) and I felt I just needed an escape. I bought my first semipro camera and registered into La Salle College. I took two courses and was just hooked, but never thought of pursuing photography as a career. After two years I met Gustavo (my fiancé and business partner) and since we both loved photography we took our cameras everywhere. Our friends began telling us that we took awesome photos and we should think about making it more than a hobby. We began investigating and went to a few weddings as second shooters until we felt ready to take on the responsibility on our own. We are both currently full time wedding photographers!

—Apakah komponen paling penting sekeping foto yang bagus menurut pendapat anda?

—Moment, emotion, light and composition.

—Adakah anda minat mengembara?

—I absolutely love to travel and hope to be able to see and photograph the world!

—Apakah yang paling anda sukai mengenai kerjaya anda?

—Every wedding implies an emotional surge that renews me. I absolutely enjoy getting to know every client, helping and providing any assessment they may need, before and during their wedding day. We have made quite a few new friends thanks to this profession!

—Apakah yang paling anda tidak suka mengenai kerjaya anda?

—There is way to much envy and nasty competition only based on pricing. Thankfully we have met a few collegues that share our view of being more human and friendly than competitive.

—Apakah masa depan fotografi?

—Brides and grooms who previously made the mistake of thinking "I have a friend who owns a professional camera" or "My uncle Bob will take care of the photos" or "I found a photographer who is INCREDIBLY cheaper than you" or even "my friend who takes photos for National Geographic offered to take my photos at no charge" are now alarming their own friends and suggesting they should invest in a profesional and experienced wedding photographer. Clients are beginning to realize that investing millions in flowers it not worth it if you don't at least have good photos to remember them by. So... the future? I'd say its just bound to be brighter every day!

—Apakah yang istimewa dalam genre fotografi yang anda sedang mengkhusus?

—The emotional component in the atmosphere that you can feel, capture and relive. As well as the amount of detail and effort that you know was put into making the day perfect... and knowing that you (or us in my case) are the ones responsible for making the couple and their family and friends be able to remember even more than what they were actually able to see.

—Bagaimanakah cara anda menangani kritikan?

—I try to receive it in a constructive way in order to improve. I would actually enjoy receiving more constructive criticism from colleagues.

—Adakah wujud sebarang trend dalam fotografi?

—I think there are several trends (some in fashion, others not so much) regarding the way you approach a wedding and there are also trends in the way images are edited and post-processed. None better than others, just different.

—Apakah sepatutnya menjadi kriteria untuk seorang pelanggan memilih jurufoto?

—I believe they should just love their style and approach on weddings and feel connected and confident about their choice. If there is any reason to doubt, rethink.

—Apakah perkara yang patut dielakkan semasa penggambaran?

—Hmm... chewing gum? Wearing high heels? I don't know I guess anything that would be uncomfortable for your clients, their guests or even yourself.

—Apakah perincian yang selalunya terlepas tanpa disedari namun boleh disedari oleh seorang jurufoto?

—I would say the actions (emotional connection and complicity) between the bride and groom and the actions and reactions of the guests to whatever is going on. Practice makes us better observers in time.

—Apakah yang boleh mempengaruhi nilai sekeping foto? Apakah elemen nilai itu?

—I believe in wedding photography there is value only when the photo is actually valuable for someone. The emotional component in the photo can make it even more valuable, and to some viewers, more or even less beautiful. You may have taken a photo that is your favorite of all times, but if the bride and groom divorce, the photo will have no value whatsoever to them and will loose sense even for you. You may take a regular portrait of the groom with his grandmother and then find out that grandma passed a few months after... that photo is invaluable to him and very valuable to you, but may be of no value to others. So elements? I guess the main one would be love.

—Siapakah individu yang boleh menjadi simbol abad ke-21 menurut pendapat anda?

—There's still more than 80 years left in the century lets give it more time ;)

—Siapakah yang mahu anda rakamkan dalam foto?

—Happy and enamoured brides and grooms.

—Adakah anda ada sebarang tabu profesional?

—Nothing that I would consider a taboo comes to mind at the moment.

—Siapakah orang yang anda mahu merakam foto bersamanya?

—There are a few renown wedding photographers that I would love to learn from and see, but I believe I already shoot with my favorite person in the world.

—Apakah yang merisaukan anda, dan mengapa?

—I think I worry about the future that is meant to the following generations. I just see hatred, destruction and evil everywhere.

—Apakah detik paling mengesankan dalam hidup anda?

—Hmmm first thing that comes to mind was my engagement, it was at night on Charles Bridge in Prague with the view the Prague Castle. Totally surprising, romantic and impressive!

—Jika anda ialah karakter dalam kartun, buku atau filem, siapakah yang anda ingin jadi dan kenapa?

—Captain Planet. I would just love to have the power to "bring pollution down to zero".

—Siapakah yang menjadi sumber inspirasi hidup anda dan mengapa?

—My fiancé and my family. They are motors in my life and I want to always see them happy.

—Bagaimanakah anda mentakrifkan kejayaan? Bagaimanakah anda mengukurnya?

—Being able to live happily, peacefully and freely. Finding the joy in everything you do (specially for a living), and enjoying both the simple and the complex.

—Mana satu yang lebih penting bagi anda, disukai atau dihormati?

—Liked. I'd say most people that like you will respect you anyway. If respect is only a manifestation of hypocrisy, in the long run you inspire nothing.

—Apakah kesilapan terbesar yang pernah anda lakukan ketika bekerja?

—Hmm... I once sent an album off for printing and when I received it I realized that the bride had a black smudge on her cheek in the photo of the kiss. I went to look at the original photo and when I zoomed in I discovered that the black smudge was actually a huge mosquito. Of course I had to send it back and pay for the correction. I now zoom in to anything that I'm not so sure is a mole.

—Apabila anda pergi mengembara, apakah yang anda bawa bersama anda dan mengapa?

—A very good smartphone. It holds all important information, allows you to use GPS applications, access the internet, communicate with loved ones and take (good-enough) daytime photos and video. I've never had to travel without additionally taking my camera but it ends up being "too much" when all you need is a selfie or a fellow tourist that can actually take a photo that is in focus.

—Adakah sesuatu yang anda harap anda tidak pernah beli antara banyak gajet milik anda? Mengapa?

—While you learn what is truly important you spend on things you think you need. I would totally take back a few backdrops that I bought expecting to have extra time during the week to do lots of newborn photography. Whenever I need a backdrop I use different alternatives anyway.

—Bagaimanakah anda meningkatkan diri untuk merakam gambar yang lebih baik?

—"Practice makes the master” and I do feel I learn more with every wedding we shoot. However we try to find time to do at least one professional workshop every year, read and investigate ways to improve and perfect technical knowledge, follow and analyze photos taken by other colleges (not only weddings), take online courses and watch good movies.

—Hasil kerja siapakah yang paling mempengaruhi anda sebagai jurufoto?

—Susan Stripling.

—Apakah satu perkara yang anda harap anda telah tahu ketika mula merakam foto?

—No matter how much effort you put into a photo or how much heart you involve in making the image the best, "beauty still is in the eye of the beholder". You just can't suffer or take it personal if in the end it doesn't even make the photo album.

—Apakah yang ingin anda sampaikan melalui foto anda?

—I just want my images to speak for themselves.

—Apakah yang memotivasikan anda untuk terus mengambil gambar?

—The value that so many clients give to our work and the fact that the value of many of them will increase even more during time. Reading the testimonial section in our blog is a permanent motivation!

—Bukankah ibu bapa anda pada satu tahap patut bertegas?

—They did their best and surely made mistakes like every parent, but bottom line is I always felt loved. I think they should have been just like they were because that's what has made me the person I am today.

—Jika anda boleh kembali ke masa lalu, apakah yang akan ada lakukan dengan cara berbeza?

—I would have spent less on the unnecessary and more on experiences and travel.

—Bagaimanakah kehidupan di planet lain?

—Seriously? NASA will surely answer this one better than I can.

—Siapakah hero anda?

—I have considered my father my hero for as long as I can remember. Total admiration <3

—Siapakah orang yang anda tidak hormat kepadanya?

—People who treat you like crap just because they think they are in a "higher" place than you are.

—Apakah yang anda lakukan pada masa lapang?

—I try to spend more quality time with my friends and family. If there is singing involved, better yet!

—Apakah sisi diri anda yang tidak pernah diketahui umum?

—Depends on the public... I am very sensitive but I don't show it much. A few wedding vows and speeches have made me cry in "public" recently.

—Bilakah anda akan benar-benar berpuas hati dengan kerja anda?

—Whenever we receive a call or message from the bride and groom expressing how happy they are with their photos.

—Adakah anda percaya dengan peranan tradisi bagi lelaki dan perempuan?

—I was born in a very traditional household but believe roles have changed for justifiable reasons.

—Adakah anda mudah berkawan?

—I consider myself a friendly person but I am not very good at being in contact with everybody. I've always hated spending hours on the phone (not even as a teenager that I actually tried). My true friends know they can count on me and I'm always there even if we don't see or speak to each other often.

—Di manakah anda suka untuk tinggal?

—A retirement in the Rosario Islands in Cartagena would be a dream come true. In the meantime I prefer to be someplace where I can travel for both work and pleasure easily. Bogotá is ideal in this case.

—Apakah perkara paling bodoh pernah anda bersetuju lakukan?

—Go Bungee Jumping off a 130 meter viaduct near Cajamarca, Colombia.

—Masih adakah kehidupan selepas perkahwinan?

—If I didn't think so I wouldn't be getting married!

—Adakah anda ada lawak kegemaran? Beritahu kami.

—I am so bad at jokes I can never remember any.

—Anda suka anjing atau kucing?

—Both!!

—Siapakah atau apakah yang anda tidak suka?

—Hypocrisy and superficiality.

—Perkara terbaik dalam hidup ialah:

—Having enough reasons to smile and laugh often.

—Perkara paling menjengkelkan dalam hidup ialah:

—When you just feel 24 hour days aren't enough and there is nothing you can do about it.

—Adakah sesuatu di sekitar anda yang anda ingin ubah?

—Nope, just go with the flow.

—Apakah yang anda mahu ubah pada diri sendiri?

—I would be a little less stubborn and a little more wild.

—Apakah yang anda ingin ubah di dunia ini?

—Lack of love, indifference, injustice, misery, envy and resentment.

—Bolehkah anda berikan beberapa petua untuk jurufoto yang baru saja bermula?

—Start off as second shooters while you truly learn the dynamic of wedding photography... and don't just do it for the money.

—Jika makhluk asing datang ke Bumi dan anda ialah orang pertama yang mereka temui, apakah yang akan anda beritahu kepada mereka?

—I'd probably just stare (or hide) and be totally incapable of communication. Unless they look like ET.

—Jika anda dipanggil untuk penggambaran sebuah filem, apakah yang akan menjadi genrenya?

—Drama – hopefully taking place in an inspiring city like Prague.

—Esok saya akan pergi dan melakukan...

—Tomorrow is saturday... take a wild guess!?