Fotógrafo Gina Stef

—Você é fotogénica(o)?

—Yes I am, but only when i'm not posing.

—Como se iniciou na indústria da fotografia?

—I wanted to do something else with my photos, to bring more joy to happy couples.

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

—It has to capture the moment. When the bride cries, when the groom laughs at her or when the people at the wedding just go crazy :)

—Gosta de viajar?

—Absolutely YES! We love meeting new and interesting couples and we're eager to take their photos in an unknown location. This is also a big challenge, to take improvised great photos of them in a place we've never been before.

—O que mais gosta na sua profissão?

—Every wedding is a challenge and we love challenges! Meeting new people and "clicking" on their wedding ideas is great!

—O que menos gosta na sua profissão?

—Sometimes it's the long hours of a wedding here in Romania that get to us, but after all if the newlyweds are still having fun at 2 a.m. in the morning, we'll hop in and have fun with them!

—Qual será o futuro da fotografia?

—Nowadays if you don't know Photoshop you're like dead in the water. Photography won't change much, as opposed to the way we as photographers will present the final result to our clients.

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

—Before any event we always have butterflies in our stomachs and that's a good thing, because it pushes us further. We love the rush of the events and the general happiness of the people attending the wedding.

—Como lida com as críticas?

—We try to prevent it, usually we under-promise and over-deliver. If by any chance our clients are not fully satisfied, we communicate on what's wrong and we try to correct that.

—Existem tendências na fotografia?

—The vintage, chabby-chic trends are on fire! And we love them, all the decors give a wedding a great feel!

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

—On the initial meeting, they should analyze whether they "click" with the photographer. If you're not on the same mindset, then you might as well find another one.

—O que não é permitido de todo ao fotografar?

—It all comes down to common-sense. A wedding photographer is not (or should not) seek the tabloid-like, outrageous pictures. He/she should always comply with the client's wishes and demands.

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

—It's that split-second facial expression on somebody's face, or some short event that nobody saw because they were focused on the bride and groom.

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

—I think it's all about the "feel". No matter how you composed it, no matter how blurry it is.

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

—It's difficult to assess, since social media is huge nowadays and everybody's a celebrity.

—O que pretende fotografar?

—We would like to shoot a tattooed open-minded rockers couple, in Moab, Utah :)

—Tem tabus profissionais?

—Yes, to never disappoint our clients!

—Com quem gostaria de fotografar?

—It would be a dream to shoot with Sergey Ivanov, Sal Cincotta or Aaron Nace!

—Com que se preocupa e porquê?

—I always worry that we won't be able to satisfy all our clients' needs. But so far, so good.

—Qual foi o momento mais impressionante na sua vida?

—Traveling through the U.S. and admiring the cities, the breweries, the landscapes and all the beautiful people!

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

—When I was little I looked like Betty Boop so...

—Quem o inspira na sua vida e porquê?

—I see inspiration all around, it's hard to pinpoint something.

—Como define o sucesso? Como o afere?

—I thing it's a sum of the opinions of the people who met you. If most of the opinions are great, you could consider yourself a successful person.

—Gostaria mais de ser amado ou respeitado?

—Both, of course!

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

—I made only small mistakes :)

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

—My husband, our cameras and leave behind everything else.

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

—Along the way there has been some trial and error, some gadgets failed and some we still have, but I guess we shouldn't have bought a Wii U console and a 2x extender.

—Como aprende a tirar fotos melhores?

—Through inspiration on the web, brainstorming with friends and talks with clients.

—Que trabalho mais o influenciou como fotógrafo?

—I wish Sergey Ivanov influenced me, but I couldn't rise to that level :)

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

—That "anything flies" if you have a story behind it.

—O que pretende transmitir com as suas fotos?

—People are beautiful!

—O que o motiva a continuar a fotografar?

—The satisfaction of our clients and money, of course.

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

—At times I wanted them to be less of a pain, but it turns out that I turned out just fine!

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

—Listen to rock music earlier, read more and move to another city sooner.

—O que pensa da vida nos outros planetas?

—I can't wait to have an alien friend!

—Quem são os seus heróis?

—Lebowski from "The Big Lebowski" film!

—A quem é que não respeita?

—People who don't have any hobby, any taste in anything, any opinion of their own.

—O que faz nos seus tempos livres?

—I love calligraphy and everything hand made, I try to do as much as I can, apart from editing photos.

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

—I'd have to kill you...

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

—Never!

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

—I'm not a feminist, but no, I do not believe in these stereotypes.

—Faz amigos com facilidade?

—I'd say that I do, but some would say that I keep to myself a lot. I only make friends with the people which inspire me and help me evolve, by having interesting argumentative conversations.

—Onde gostaria de viver?

—San Francisco, some 50 years ago.

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

—I have a problem with saying "no" to things. But I'm working on that.

—Existe vida depois do casamento?

—Of course. If you don't make a child right away. Or never.

—Tem uma anedota favorita? Conte-nos.

—It's a photographers' joke, of course:
So there's a dinner party. A photographer's talking to the host. She says to him: "Mr. Photographer, I love your work! You must have a great camera!" The photographer doesn't respond. But at the dinner table, after taking a bite, the photographer says to the host: "Oh, this food is delicious! You must have a terrific oven!"

—Gosta de cães e gatos?

—Both, but mostly cats.

—A quem ou o que odeia?

—Ignorance and arrogance together.

—A melhor coisa na vida é:

—Combining your hobby and your job.

—A coisa mais irritante na vida é:

—Having a job and a hobby-job :)

—Existe algo em seu redor que gostaria de mudar?

—I would love it if the hobby would stay just hobby, not having to deal with contracts, invoices, bills to pay... This narrows the creativity, the whole "professional" side of photography.

—O que gostaria de mudar em si próprio?

—I would like to learn to say NO and not bite more than I can chew.

—O que gostaria de mudar no mundo?

—If only money disappeared, people will start being people again.

—Pode dar algumas dicas para fotógrafos principiantes?

—Take lots of photos, then analyze them and develop your own style. And most importantly, never stop!

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

—Most surely they won't understand a word, but I'll beg them to share some wisdom here on Earth!

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

—Some moody drama

—Amanhã eu vou fazer...

—some portraits, for sure!