Fotógrafo Ciprian Vladut

—Você é fotogénica(o)?

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

—Como se iniciou na indústria da 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 :)

—Em sua opinião, quais são os componentes mais importantes para uma boa fotografia?

—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.

—Gosta de viajar?

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

—O que mais gosta na sua profissão?

—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.

—O que menos gosta na sua profissão?

—Having too much to edit.

—Qual será o futuro da 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.

—O que há de especial para si, no género de fotografia em que se especializou?

—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?

—Como lida com as críticas?

—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

—Existem tendências na 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.

—Quais deveriam ser os critérios considerados pelo cliente na escolha de um fotógrafo?

—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.

—O que não é permitido de todo ao fotografar?

—Getting in front of the photographer.

—Que detalhes passam habitualmente despercebidos mas nos quais um fotógrafo repara?

—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.

—O que influencia o valor da foto? Quais são os seus elementos?

—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).

—Na sua opinião, que pessoa poderá ser o símbolo do século XXI?

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

—O quem pretende fotografar?

—Led Zeppelin and U2 in concert.

—Tem tabus profissionais?

—No, not really.

—Com quem gostaria de fotografar?

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

—Com que se preocupa e porquê?

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

—Qual foi o momento mais impressionante na sua vida?

—I think that moment is still to come.

—Que personagem animada, literária ou de um filme gostaria de ser? Porquê?

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

—Quem o inspira na sua vida e porquê?

—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.

—Como define o sucesso? Como o afere?

—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?

—Gostaria mais de ser amado ou respeitado?

—Respected, since Facebook arrived likes can be deceiving.

—Qual foi o maior erro que já cometeu a nível profissional?

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

—Quando vai viajar, o que leva consigo e porquê?

—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.

—Está arrependido de ter adquirido algum dos gadgets que possui? Porquê?

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

—Como aprende a tirar fotos melhores?

—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 :))

—Que trabalho mais o influenciou como fotógrafo?

—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 é a coisa que mais gostaria de ter sabido quando começou a fotografar?

—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.

—O que pretende transmitir com as suas fotos?

—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.

—O que o motiva a continuar a fotografar?

—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.

—Os seus pais deveriam ter sido mais ou menos rigorosos?

—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 pudesse regredir no tempo, o que faria de diferente?

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

—O que pensa da vida nos outros planetas?

—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.

—Quem são os seus heróis?

—The people that do good anonymously.

—A quem é que não respeita?

—Cheaters.

—O que faz nos seus tempos livres?

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

—Qual é o seu lado que o público nunca vê?

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

—Quando é que fica completamente satisfeito com o seu trabalho?

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

—Acredita nos papéis tradicionais reservados ao homem e à mulher?

—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.

—Faz amigos com facilidade?

—Yes.

—Onde gostaria de viver?

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

—Qual foi a coisa mais estúpida que concordou em fazer?

—Moving in with the wrong person.

—Existe vida depois do casamento?

—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.

—Tem uma anedota favorita? Conte-nos.

—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?

—Gosta de cães e gatos?

—I like both.

—A quem ou o que odeia?

—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.

—A melhor coisa na vida é:

—Freedom.

—A coisa mais irritante na vida é:

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

—Existe algo em seu redor que gostaria de mudar?

—Yes, the political class in my country.

—O que gostaria de mudar em si próprio?

—Eliminate procrastinating.

—O que gostaria de mudar no mundo?

—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.

—Pode dar algumas dicas para fotógrafos principiantes?

—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.

—Caso os alienígenas viessem para a Terra, e fosse a primeira pessoa a encontrá-los, o que lhes diria?

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

—Se fosse chamado para fazer um filme, que género escolheria?

—Fantasy.

—Amanhã eu vou fazer...

—... a corporate event in Sinaia.