Fotógrafo Ben Kelmer

—Em primeiro lugar - quem é para si o melhor fotógrafo em Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel? :)

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

—Você é fotogénica(o)?

—Depend on when I wake up

—Como se iniciou na indústria da fotografia?

—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

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

—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

—Gosta de viajar?

—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

—O que mais gosta na sua profissão?

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

—O que menos gosta na sua profissão?

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

—Qual será o futuro da fotografia?

—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.

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

—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.

—Como lida com as críticas?

—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.

—Existem tendências na fotografia?

—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

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

—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.

—O que não é permitido de todo ao fotografar?

—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

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

—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

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

—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.

—O que pretende fotografar?

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

—Tem tabus profissionais?

—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.

—Com quem gostaria de fotografar?

—I would like to work with Magnum photographer Alex Webb

—Com que se preocupa e porquê?

—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

—Qual foi o momento mais impressionante na sua vida?

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

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

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

—Quem o inspira na sua vida e porquê?

—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.

—Como define o sucesso? Como o afere?

—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 ❤️

—Gostaria mais de ser amado ou respeitado?

—respected for sure.

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

—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.

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

—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.

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

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

—Como aprende a tirar fotos melhores?

—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.

—Que trabalho mais o influenciou como fotógrafo?

—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.

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

—How to charge for my work

—O que pretende transmitir com as suas fotos?

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

—O que o motiva a continuar a fotografar?

—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.

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

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

—O que faz nos seus tempos livres?

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

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

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

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

—Never :)

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

—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

—Faz amigos com facilidade?

—Yes, part of being a people photographer.

—Onde gostaria de viver?

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

—Existe vida depois do casamento?

—Sure, it's just gets better over time

—Gosta de cães e gatos?

—Dogs

—A melhor coisa na vida é:

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

—Existe algo em seu redor que gostaria de mudar?

—A lot.

—Pode dar algumas dicas para fotógrafos principiantes?

—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.

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

—Want coffee?

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

—SCI-FI

—Amanhã eu vou fazer...

—The same