Fotograf Ben Kelmer

—Po prvé a predovšetkým - koho môžete vymenovať ako najlepšieho fotografa vo vašom meste? :)

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

—Ste fotogenický?

—Depend on when I wake up

—Ako ste sa dostali do fotografického priemyslu?

—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

—Aké sú podľa vás najdôležitejšie súčasti dobrej fotografie?

—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

—Máte radi cestovanie?

—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

—Čo máte najradšej na vašej profesii?

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

—Čo sa vám páči najmenej na vašej profesii?

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

—Aká bude budúcnosť fotenia?

—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.

—Čo je výnimočné na žánri fotografií, na ktorý sa špecializujete?

—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.

—Ako zvládate kritiku?

—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.

—Sú nejaké trendy v oblasti fotografie?

—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

—Aké by mal mať zákazník kritérium pri výbere fotografa?

—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.

—Čomu sa určite vyhnúť pri práci?

—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

—Aké detaily, ktoré zvyčajne prejdú bez povšimnutia, si môže fotograf všimnúť?

—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

—Ktorá osoba môže byť podľa vás symbolom 21. storočia?

—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.

—Koho chcete fotografovať?

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

—Máte nejaké profesionálne tabu?

—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.

—S kým by ste chceli fotografovať?

—I would like to work with Magnum photographer Alex Webb

—Čoho sa obávate a prečo?

—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

—Aký bol váš najpôsobivejší okamih v živote?

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

—Ak by ste boli animovaná, literárna alebo filmová postava, kto by ste boli a prečo?

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

—Kto vás vo vašom živote inšpiruje a prečo?

—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.

—Ako definujete úspech? Ako ho meriate?

—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 ❤️

—Boli by ste radšej obľúbení alebo rešpektovaní?

—respected for sure.

—Aká je najväčšia chyba, ktorú ste kedy v práci urobili?

—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.

—Keď cestujete, čo si so sebou beriete a prečo?

—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.

—Existuje niečo, čo by ste si boli radšej nekúpili zo zariadení, ktoré vlastníte? Prečo?

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

—Ako sa vzdelávate, aby ste robili lepšie fotografie?

—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.

—Koho práca vás ovplyvnila najviac ako fotografa?

—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.

—Jedna vec, ktorú by ste chceli vedieť, keď ste začínali s fotením?

—How to charge for my work

—Čo by ste chceli povedať cez vaše fotografie?

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

—Čo vás motivuje v ďalšom fotografovaní?

—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.

—Ak by ste sa mohli vrátiť v čase, čo by ste urobili inak?

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

—Čo robíte vo svojom voľnom čase?

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

—Akú vašu tvár nikdy neukazujte na verejnosti?

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

—Kedy ste úplne spokojní s vašou prácou?

—Never :)

—Veríte v tradičné role mužov a žien?

—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

—Získavate ľahko nových priateľov?

—Yes, part of being a people photographer.

—Kde by ste radi žili?

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

—Existuje život po svadbe?

—Sure, it's just gets better over time

—Máte radi psy alebo mačky?

—Dogs

—Najlepšia vec v živote je:

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

—Existuje niečo okolo vás, čo by ste chceli zmeniť?

—A lot.

—Môžete dať niekoľko tipov pre fotografov, ktorí práve začínajú?

—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.

—Keby prišli na našu planétu mimozemšťania a vy by ste boli prvou osobou, s ktorou sa stretnú, čo by ste im povedali?

—Want coffee?

—Ak by ste mali natočiť film, aký žáner by to bol?

—SCI-FI

—Zajtra pôjdem a urobím...

—The same