Fotograf Erik Kruthoff

—În primul rând, pe cine puteți numi cel mai bun fotograf în Dorado, Puerto Rico? :)

—I believe there is no set of criteria to judge who is "best". Different people want different things in their wedding photos and the goal is to find the best match for what you are looking for. I do know that I am good at what I do. If you like my style and vision than I am the best for you. All artists have to have at least a little bit of ego ;)

—Sunteți fotogenic?

—A mentor of mine, Magnum Photographer David Alan Harvey, once taught me how to "see myself" in my work. If you are true to your inner voice and vision, you should be able to look at a photograph and instantly tell who made it. Good photography is a collaborative effort between the photographer and the subject. So, I guess the answer is yes :)

—Cum ați ajuns în industria fotografiei?

—As a high school student I spent as much time in the dark room as possible, learning the craft of photography: Shooting, developing, and printing my own work on black and white film. My teacher identified a talent in me early on and I eventually came to make a career out of it. I couldn't ask for much more than making my passion into my job.

—Care sunt cele mai importante componente ale unei fotografii bune, după părerea dvs?

—It's a combination of three elements working in concert with one another: Light, composition, and moment. A good photo will elicit an emotional response from the viewer.

—Vă place să călătoriți?

—Always! I am not a notch-in-the-belt type of traveler, though. I don't operate on a bucket list and instead prefer more meaningful travel and making human and cultural connections with the people and places I encounter. I enjoy a night at the pub chatting with locals over seeing a tour-bus tourist crowded monument or famous attraction.

—Ce vă place cel mai mult la profesia dvs?

—Capturing special moments and memories that will be looked at and enjoyed for many years to come.

—Ce vă place cel mai puțin la profesia dvs?

—Not really. Even during more challenging parts, I love to come up with solutions, be flexible and try new things.

—Care va fi viitorul fotografiei?

—I don't think it will change too much. Sure, trends will change but no camera or gadget or software can ever replace an artist's eye.

—Ce este special la genul de fotografie în care sunteți specializat?

—The pressure. You only have one shot at it and you never know what will be thrown your way. You have to be quick thinking and ready to adapt in any situation.

—Cum răspundeți criticilor?

—When I was younger, not well. Now that I am a bit older and have a family, I have learned the value of keeping my mouth shut and becoming a better listener.

—Există tendințe în fotografia?

—I think too many wedding photographers go into a wedding with their own agenda. The have a shot list that they must do every time and think about their own portfolio instead of listening to the clients wants and personalities.

—Care ar trebui să fie criteriile după care un client să aleagă un fotograf?

—Ask to see entire galleries from a recent REAL wedding. Instagram and social media only showcase the best, most over the top images and many times come from stylized shoots of models. Have a meeting with them ahead of time to get to know each other. It's important to have this relationship.

—Ce lucruri sunt complet nepermise când fotografiați?

—Anything goes for me as long as it doesn't offend or hurt anyone. You have to be able to read the crowd and understand the sensibilities of your clients.

—Ce detalii de obicei neobservate de alții pot fi observate de un fotograf?

—Often times the best picture is behind the obvious action. I stay aware and on my toes to capture these little gems whenever possible.

—Ce influențează valoarea fotografiei? Care sunt elementele ei?

—A good photo makes an emotional connection with the viewer.

—Ce persoană poate fi simbolul secolului XXI după părerea dvs?

—I have no idea :/ I don't really idolize anyone in particular. I'm just trying to learn who I am and how I can contribute to this world.

—Pe cine doriți să fotografiați?

—Fun-loving adventurous couples. I have shot celebrities before and just just treat them like regular people. I don't get star struck and think of everyone as unique individuals with their own interesting story to tell.

—Aveți tabuuri profesionale?

—If your clients like it, it's all good.

—Cu cine ați vrea să faceți fotografii?

—My favorite wedding photographers: Fer Juaristi, Emin Kuliyev, Victor Lax

—Ce vă îngrijorează și de ce?

—I try not to worry whenever possible. I think every wedding photographer is a little worried of failure. Once I get the photos on my computer and see that I did my job, that goes away.

—Care este cel mai impresionant moment din viața dvs?

—Meeting my wife and the births of my son and daughter.

—Dacă ați fi fost un personaj de desen animat, de carte sau de film, cine v-ar fi plăcut să fiți?

—Don Quixote

—Cine vă inspiră în viață și de ce?

—My two kids, easily.

—Cum definiți succesul? Cum îl măsurați?

—Creating meaningful art and making my clients happy. Always improving your self and honing your skills. There's no end or limit to learning.

—V-ar plăcea să fiți mai degrabă plăcut sau respectat?

—Respected. I am very comfortable with who I am and how I work and want to remain true to myself.

—Care este cea mai mare greșeală pe care ați făcut-o în profesia dvs?

—Undervaluing the importance of having relationships with other industry professionals.

—Când plecați în călătorie, ce luați cu dvs. și de ce?

—A change of clothes and my camera. What else do you need?

—Există vreun lucru pe care vă doriți să nu-l fi cumpărat dintre aparatele pe care le aveți? De ce?

—none.

—Cum vă pregătiți pentru a face fotografii mai bune?

—I invest a lot of time in education to further my skills and vision. I study the works of the masters throughout the history of photography. I have been lucky enough to work alongside some of them. I go to at least one workshop each year to stay fresh and inspired to create.

—Activitatea cărei persoane v-a influențat cel mai mult în calitate de fotograf?

—Fer Juaristi, Emin Kuliyev, Victor Lax, Sam Hurd, Ryan Brenizer, Jose Villa

—Care este lucrul pe care vă doriți să-l fi știut când ați început să faceți fotografii?

—Painting, Art History.

—Ce doriți să exprimați prin fotografiile dvs?

—A sense of shared humanity and an emotional connection.

—Ce vă motivează să continuați să faceți fotografii?

—Always improving, always searching for the perfect light and the perfect moment.

—Părinții dvs. ar fi trebuit să mai mai stricți sau mai puțin stricți?

—I love my parents. I wouldn't change a thing.

—Dacă v-ați putea întoarce în timp, ce ați face diferit?

—Not major in Spanish in college, lol! Everything happens for a reason though and I have no regrets.

—Ce credeți despre viața pe alte planete?

—of course.

—Cine sunt eroii dvs?

—My mentor and teacher, David Alan Harvey. We share kindred spirits.

—Pentru cine nu aveți respect?

—I'm not a hater and won't even go there :)

—Ce faceți în timpul liber?

—Enjoying life with my family, travelling, listening to music, watching films, playing sports.

—Care este latura dvs. pe care publicul nu o vede niciodată?

—I am who I am. Don't want to be anything but me.

—Când sunteți complet mulțumit de munca dvs?

—Once I have the photos loaded into my computer and go over them for the first time and choose images for the sampler gallery to send to the couple.

—Credeți în rolurile tradiționale ale femeii și bărbatului?

—no

—Vă faceți prieteni ușor?

—yes

—Unde v-ar plăcea să trăiți?

—On an island in warm weather

—Există viață după căsătorie?

—Sure.

—Aveți o glumă preferată? Spuneți-o.

—I still remember what my grandfather told me before he kicked the bucket.He said,
"I wonder how far I can kick this bucket."

—Vă plac câinii sau pisicile?

—Dogs, though I like both.

—Pe cine sau ce urâți?

—No way. I respect everyone.

—Cel mai bun lucru în viață este:

—People, nature, and shared human experiences.

—Cel mai neplăcut lucru în viață este:

—Hate and divisiveness.

—Este ceva în jur ce v-ar plăcea să schimbați?

—Showing people the beauty that's all around us.

—Ce v-ar plăcea să schimbați la dvs?

—Maybe a few years younger? Everything hurts more now, lol!

—Ce v-ar plăcea să schimbați în lume?

—To have people see the humanity in those they disagree with.

—Ne puteți da câteva sugestii pentru fotografii începători?

—Keep improving yourself.

—Dacă extratereștrii ar veni pe Pământ și ați fi prima persoana care s-ar întâlni cu ei, ce le-ați spune?

—Have a beer!

—Dacă ați fi solicitat să faceți un film, ce gen ar fi?

—Drama

—Mâine mă voi duce să fac...

—I will be attending an open critique at a local art gallery to get feedback on a book I am working on.