Fotógrafo Ed Mash

—Em primeiro lugar - quem é para si o melhor fotógrafo em Exeter, Reino Unido? :)

—That's such a personal choice for clients. Here in Exeter there are different styles to choose, and different personalities. Clients should pick someone they're comfortable with on the BIG day

—Você é fotogénica(o)?

—Photographers don't appear in many pictures do they....i find it hard to judge an image of myself! I keep getting invited back to parties so I cant be that bad :)

—Como se iniciou na indústria da fotografia?

—Initially I only photographed weddings of close friends, and people I knew, but by personal recommendation the demand has grown....so I made the leap!

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

—I think a great photograph has resonance, and shares something with the viewer. Personally if it makes me say 'WOW' or smile, or conveys an idea then it's attractive.

—Gosta de viajar?

—YES. I've travelled a great deal.....every continent except Antarctica....and I still have a thirst for those unusual out of the way places.

—O que mais gosta na sua profissão?

—I love seeing the world through a lens, it brings me close to people, and the important events in their lives. It's a real privilege

—O que menos gosta na sua profissão?

—Missing a special moment.....you can see the image in your mind, and you know you haven't got it...its very disappointing.

—Qual será o futuro da fotografia?

—Technology is changing cameras, in the future the processing power of the computer will be more integrated into the camera body, with better colour processing, and skin tone rendition.

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

—I love wedding photography, everyone is dressed up, smiling, and determined to have a great time. The atmosphere is exciting and clients are always happy to engage with the camera.

—Como lida com as críticas?

—....I haven't received any so far from clients, but I did have a co worker who was brutally critical of everything I did. Its important to listen, be objective, and use it as a learning process.

—Existem tendências na fotografia?

—I think there is a tendency to use deep apertures, and sharpness as its an inherent part of the digital world. However I always appreciate a photographer who can skilfully handle a shallow aperture to tell the viewer exactly where to look (Sorry that was a technical answer!)

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

—Choose a style of photography that speaks to you personally and best encapsulates your values. Also go for the best budget you can afford...a good photographer will make memories you'll look back on for the rest of your life.

—O que não é permitido de todo ao fotografar?

—Never force a situation...never make people feel uncomfortable, dress for the wedding and blend into the guests to capture those discreet moments.

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

—I think unnoticed details is a fault in a wedding photographer, great photographers are masters of seeing, rather than just looking.

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

—A valuable photo is very much of its time. It's not a wedding photo but Frank Cappas photo "falling Soldier" taken during the Spanish civil war stopped me in my tracks. It's a painful subject but it has always fascinated and haunted me at the same time, you think of the victim, the photographer standing in a war with a camera, and the soldier who fired the bullet.

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

—There are so many.....Ghandi probably made the most significant difference to the largest amount of people, so numerically he's top of the list.

—O quem pretende fotografar?

—No one springs to mind, but I'm confident I could draw out the best in anyone......so long as they wanted to work with me!

—Tem tabus profissionais?

—I don't believe you should step to far from reality in post production. IMHO over processed photo's don't stand the test of time.

—Com quem gostaria de fotografar?

—Working in a team, or with a partner can be immensely rewarding, I'm always happy working with talented people with ideas and enthusiasm.

—Com que se preocupa e porquê?

—Its a worry trying to cover the increasing cost of, cameras, lenses, hard disk storage, and computers. Most clients are unaware of this. For instance at the last wedding I photographed my equipment totalled 25K (that said Ive got the best kit in the world, and that's to be expected on the big day)

—Qual foi o momento mais impressionante na sua vida?

—The birth of my first son.

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

—Great question! Put me down as Harry Potter, I like the glasses, and the wand would be very useful on shoots.

—Quem o inspira na sua vida e porquê?

—I don't think there's one person, but I'm also a painter, and so art, paintings, and ideas, have always been a constant source of inspiration.

—Como define o sucesso? Como o afere?

—It's hard to quantify success but I have all the important things I need in my life already.

—Gostaria mais de ser amado ou respeitado?

—I always strive for high end results so for me its more important to be liked for the person I am, and the body of my work. If people don't respect me there's not much I can do about it.

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

—Missing THE shot!

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

—When I was 23 a good friend gave me a copy of "Four Quartets" by T.S Eliot. Its slim and fits in every rucsac or camera bag. I only carry it when I'm travelling but its quixotic view of infinity constantly surprises me with its relevance in new locations.

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

—I don't like phone calls when I'm working so I have to say the mobile phone....I know that's heretical these days!

—Como aprende a tirar fotos melhores?

—Research is a big part of expanding your skill set. I'm constantly looking to develop and expand through experimentation with the camera or computer, or both.

—Que trabalho mais o influenciou como fotógrafo?

—I think I'm influenced by many images rather than one photographer in person.

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

—More computer skills:)

—O que pretende transmitir com as suas fotos?

—Intimacy and resonance are very important, but also a sense of place....images are like time capsules I want people to look back and feel connected with the images, again and again.

—O que o motiva a continuar a fotografar?

—There's always a sense of the perfect shot being around the next corner, something more special, more romantic, more FUN.....so I keep searching.

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

—My parents were very relaxed and open minded in their guidance....so I guess a tiny bit more strictness might have been a good thing?

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

—I'm a very positive person and I think reflection on the past can be self absorbing so I prefer to embrace the future.

—O que pensa da vida nos outros planetas?

—Definitely...sadly due to deep time its going to be very hard to find.

—Quem são os seus heróis?

—I've mentioned Ghandi but I'd happily add Leonardo Da Vinci, Einstein, Marie Curie, Dickens, Tesla, Jane Austen.

—A quem é que não respeita?

—The tiny minded despots who've sacrificed millions of lives in vain.

—O que faz nos seus tempos livres?

—Well the camera's always with me out walking, or at art galleries, meeting up with friends, and of course with my family. At home I love to cook, and my garden is a small oasis.

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

—Its always good to keep your professional side towards the public, but if I'm honest I'm a bit shy so I keep that well hidden.

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

—Tough question......i need to learn to stop tweaking.

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

—I'm not really a traditional person, and having had a very liberal background I trust other people to make the choices that are best suited to them and their perception of gender.

—Faz amigos com facilidade?

—Yes I make friends easily and I'm very lucky in the friends I have, I still have all my school friends:)

—Onde gostaria de viver?

—I live in Devon so I'm spoilt by beautiful coastline in every direction, and two very different national parks. This is a great base for getting the work life balance just right. I'm happy right here.

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

—So many things.

—Existe vida depois do casamento?

—Personally speaking I'm divorced so YES :)

—Tem uma anedota favorita? Conte-nos.

—" I've gone on the Whisky Diet-I've lost four days already" Tommy Cooper

—Gosta de cães e gatos?

—Dogs

—A quem ou o que odeia?

—The art of forgiveness means you don't have to hate anyone, it so unhealthy to carry that emotion around inside you.

—A melhor coisa na vida é:

—Sharing

—A coisa mais irritante na vida é:

—Climate change.

—Existe algo em seu redor que gostaria de mudar?

—Personally not much, but politics, world affairs, and the environment are concerns for me.... greater awareness and action by the majority would be a step in the right direction.

—O que gostaria de mudar em si próprio?

—I feel its better to work with what you've got.

—O que gostaria de mudar no mundo?

—A greater sense of balance with the environment.

—Pode dar algumas dicas para fotógrafos principiantes?

—If you know where to point a camera, then its easy to learn the technical aspects as you progress. Until then trust your instincts, appreciate your own talent, and go and grab as much experience as you possibly can.

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

—Watch out for the others!

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

—Science Fiction

—Amanhã eu vou fazer...

—Put the house in order and get organised.