Fotograf Mark Wallis

—Fotogenični ste?

—Not really, mainly because I pull stupid faces when I find myself on the wrong side of the camera.

—Kako ste ušli u svet fotografije?

—The old story of the couple with no money, an old uni friend with a decent camera and a firm agreement that there’d be no posed photos.

—Šta smatrate da su ključni elementi dobre fotografije?

—For me it’s all about the genuine moment, captured without any intervention by the photographer. A moment that would have happened even if the photographer wasn’t there. A moment of action, emotion, great light, etc.

—Volite putovanja?

—I do, but in comfort. I’m more of a city person than a wilderness person.

—Šta najviše volite u vezi sa svojim zanimanjem?

—Working for myself and (kinda) gatecrashing parties.

—Šta najmanje volite u vezi sa svojim zanimanjem?

—The assumption by some that I’m at the wedding to take control of everything and to take boring, posed photos of the guests.

—Kakva će biti budućnost fotografije?

—Not sure I even know what the ‘present’ of wedding photography is. I just do what I do and hope enough people each year want that.

—Kako podnosite kritiku?

—Depends who it’s coming from and how constructive it is.

—Da li u fotografiji postoje trendovi?

—Always somebody doing something that everybody else copies until something else comes along. Trends get old quickly (see ‘couple in rain with flashgun’, etc.)

—Šta treba da budu kriterijumi kada klijent bira fotografa?

—Approach is key for me. They either want to just get on and enjoy their wedding and have a record of it, or they want to spend the day modelling for pieces of art or fashion photography (or somewhere in between). A connection with the photographer’s portfolio, and a desire to see themselves in those images, is a good guide.

—Koje najčešće neprimetne detalje primećuje fotograf?

—I don’t think there is anything specific. A good wedding photographer will have an eye for a moment or an interesting composition or great light that most won’t have, but the key thing is that when you’re employed to shoot a wedding you approach it from a different angle to a friend or family member who is there to enjoy the wedding. I am paid to be observant. Plus, I see what the common people are doing. I’m there to photograph everybody, not just the couple.

—Za koju ličnost smatrate da bi mogla da bude simbol 21. veka?

—For me, whoever does the most to increase education and encourage the use of reason and logic in decision-making from the top to the bottom of social and political hierarchy.

—Koga biste želeli da fotografišete?

—Anybody that trusts me completely and who will ignore me.

—Da li za vas u poslu postoji nešto zabranjeno?

—I won’t work for people or companies that I perceive to be helping to make the world a worse place.

—Sa kim biste želeli da sarađujete?

—Nobody. I like working alone.

—Šta vas brine i zašto?

—Time and money and my misguided perception that I have a shortage of both.

—Koji trenutak u vašem životu je bio najupečatljiviji?

—Completing this interview.

—Koji lik iz crtaća, knjige ili filma biste bili i zašto?

—Butthead from Beavis & Butthead, because he.. he… he. You said would. He.. he…

—Ko vam je životna inspiracija i zašto?

—I’m not good at absorbing or recognising inspiration.

—Da li biste pre bili voljeni ili poštovani?

—Depends who is doing the liking and respecting.

—Šta je najveća greška koju ste do sada napravili u poslu?

—Running up the stairs of Marylebone Town Hall with a zoom lens precariously perched in a jacket pocket didn’t end well.

—Šta nosite sa sobom na putovanja i zašto?

—Clothes, money, phone, a camera of some sort.

—Da li ima nešto među vašim alatkama čiju kupovinu ste zažalili? Zašto?

—A Panasonic GF1 that I barely used and that my wife dropped and damaged after I’d had it for a couple of weeks. I don’t get on with cameras without viewfinders.

—Kako se edukujete da biste bolje fotografisali?

—Take more pictures.

—Čiji rad je najviše uticao na vas kao fotografa?

—Nobody specific, but seeing in 2004/2005 that a documentary approach was a viable option for wedding photography was the push I needed to start doing it myself.

—Šta želite da poručite svojim fotografijama?

—The truth.

—Šta vas motiviše da se i dalje bavite fotografijom?

—People keep paying me to come to their weddings.

—Da li mislite da su vaši roditelji bili premalo ili previše strogi?

—My mum got it pretty much spot on.

—Da možete da se vratite u prošlost, šta biste uradili drugačije?

—I would make better use of my enquiring mind and study science or engineering, so that I could be of more use to the world and future generations.

—Šta mislite o životu na drugim planetama?

—Presumably, but we’ll wipe out life on our own planet before we make contact with life on others.

—Ko su vaši heroji?

—I don’t really have any. They’d only ruin it at some point.

—Prema kome nemate nimalo poštovanja?

—Those who promote fear, intolerance and lies to feed their own greed.

—Kako provodite slobodno vreme?

—I do DIY, or I play my ukulele, or I go to (mostly metal) gigs or I do a crossword.

—Koji deo sebe nikada ne pokazujete javno?

—Most of my sides. I’m a fairly private person.

—Kad ste potpuno zadovoljni svojim radom?

—Dunno, it hasn’t happened yet.

—Da li verujete u tradicionalne uloge muškaraca i žena?

—Like most traditions, best left in the past. Live and let live.

—Da li lako sklapate prijateljstva?

—I really don’t. I’m friendly and approachable and I get on with most people, but I’ve been burnt too many times so I keep most people at a few arms’ length.

—Gde biste voleli da živite?

—In a huge warehouse apartment in NYC, or in a cosy old manor house surrounded by a few acres, or on top of a hill in Scotland.

—Da li postoji život posle braka?

—It’s just a certificate and a great party. As you were.

—Imate omiljeni vic? Prepričajte nam ga.

—“Some people like cats and some people don't. Apparently the Pope's a cataholic.” Milton Jones

—Da li volite pse ili mačke?

—I prefer cats to dogs, but I don’t like the damage they do to your house, so am currently resisting my family’s desire to own one.

—Da li postoji neko ili nešto što mrzite?

—Overuse of hate.

—Najbolja stvar u životu je:

—Freedom. And Five Guy’s Bacon Cheeseburger, All The Way.

—Najiritantnija stvar u životu je:

—Procrastination. And people constantly changing speed on the motorway when I’m using cruise control.

—Šta biste promenili kod sebe?

—I’d like to have more self-belief.

—Šta biste promenili u svetu?

—I’d like to ensure everyone gets a quality education and eradicate dependence on myth, legend and violence.

—Da li imate neki savet za fotografe koji tek počinju?

—Take your own (decent) food, and wear comfortable shoes.

—Kad bi vanzemaljci došli na Zemlju i prvo sreli vas, šta biste im rekli?

—That I want a ride in their spaceship.

—Kad bi vas zvali da snimite film, koji biste žanr izabrali?

—A very dark and gory horror film.

—Od sutra ću da…

—…something less boring instead.