Fotograf Ciprian Vladut

—Är du fotogenisk?

—I consider I ain't, but it so happens that on occasion some other photographer catches the good/bright sight of me.

—Hur började du inom fotografi?

—I started taking pictures in 2000 and shooting weddings in 2008. At first, I didn't want to do weddings, I thought it would diminish my work. But I started anyway and found the most challenging environment, I discovered that no matter what type of photography you do, you can always reinvent yourself and find new ways to tell a story. Especially when you meet extraordinary people all the time :)

—Vilka är enligt dig de viktigaste komponenterna för ett bra fotografi?

—First & foremost, the people involved and their mood (if you're shooting people), then the light (I began ”seeing” the light after years of shooting) and the decisive moment. I don't agree that the quality of a photograph is not important, but it indeed comes in second after the feelings it produces.

—Älskar du att resa?

—So much that if it would be possible I would be traveling all the time.

—Vad gillar du mest med ditt yrke?

—The diversity – today I'm shooting a wedding, tomorrow a baptism, after tomorrow a concert, then a family portrait, a corporate event or some landscape. It's what keeps me connected all the time.

—Vad gillar du minst med ditt yrke?

—Having too much to edit.

—Hur kommer framtiden för fotografering att se ut?

—I think it is constantly evolving and that we'll always see changes for the good. We'll always have trends that come and go, the important thing is to know who you are and do what you really like, not necessarily follow the hype.

—Vad är det speciella med den fotografigenre du specialiserar i?

—Oh, everything about it is special. I must admit I suffer when someone refers to it as a banality, thinking that ”real artists” don't do wedding photos. Special is meeting new people, seeing new places or facing new challenges. Besides war photography, I find it the most challenging type, you get to meet all kinds of situations during one day: different light every minute, you get to shoot outdoors and indoors, in plain sun or in the shadow of a tree/building, inside a cave or on a mountain top etc. etc. Need I say more?

—Hur hanterar du kritik?

—I'm all in for constructive criticism, don't like destructive one. That's why we're here on My Wed, right? To constantly learn from other photographers and document ourselves about where we are as wedding photographers. I, for one, would like to hear more criticism about my work and where to improve. Here's an idea: you could implement a section where each photographer could post one photo/week for critique :D

—Finns det några trender inom fotografering?

—Of course there are, but these come and go, the important thing is to never let go of who you are and follow your own way. If you have your style, there will probably come a moment when it will be trending, but when it's gone it doesn't mean you have to go with the flow. Out there, there will always be people who will appreciate you, your work, your style and your way of being.

—Vad bör kriterierna vara för en kund som ska välja en fotograf?

—First of all, it's important that the bride and groom identify themselves with the photographer and his work, the choice should be made by whether they consider he is the one who's worth recording their lifetime memories. Then, they should absolutely watch an entire wedding shot by the one they chose. I like being approached by future weds who know a thing or two about photography and who got their mind set on what they really want.

—Vad är absolut inte tillåtet under fotograferingen?

—Getting in front of the photographer.

—Vilka detaljer kan en fotograf fånga som vanligtvis går obemärkta?

—The wedding photographer sees the extraordinary where other people see normality. It's not about things, it's about the ”vision” he/she has and the ability to transfer this vision into reality.

—Vad påverkar fotots värde? Vilka är dess element?

—Composition, light, placement of subject, vision, editing. Generally speaking, a photographer must be three things: a good shooter (if you don't do it right straight out of the camera, it will be hell afterwards), a good selector (choosing the photos that remain it's not an easy task) and a good editor (I know some of us prefer the ”raw” images – I consider that editing can be a form of art, the same as creating the image with the camera).

—Vilken person tycker du symboliserar 2000-talet?

—I have no idea, you should ask me the same in 2115 :))

—Vem vill du fotografera?

—Led Zeppelin and U2 in concert.

—Har du några professionella tabun?

—No, not really.

—Vem skulle du vilja fotografera med?

—Sebastiao Salgado, then David LaChapelle or Erwin Olaf. And I'd like to see Marius Bărbulerscu or Adina Dumitrescu at work :D

—Vad oroar du dig över och varför?

—Not being able to deliver photos on time, I'm always busy shooting.

—Vilket är det mest imponerande ögonblicket i ditt liv?

—I think that moment is still to come.

—Om du vore en animerad, litterär eller filmkaraktär, vem skulle du vara och varför?

—Dorian Grey, I like the idea of being able to stay forever young. But keeping my personality :P

—Vem är din inspirationskälla i livet och varför?

—The people in general and the places I visit. The diversity of people and the situations we meet in a lifetime are infinite and life is too short to be able to register them all.

—Hur definierar du framgång? Hur mäter du framgång?

—Success is when you feel accomplished, when you're happy with your work and with your family. Success is measured inside one's mind, not on the outside. Can we measure happiness?

—Föredrar du att vara omtyckt eller respekterad?

—Respected, since Facebook arrived likes can be deceiving.

—Vilket är det största misstaget som du har gjort på jobbet?

—Going to shoot someone's portrait and leaving all my cards at home.

—Vad tar du med dig och varför när du är ute och reser?

—The normal luggage and my photo bag, along with some filters and my tripod. Struggling hard to make it easier to carry. Why? Because I like to be prepared for any situation I meet.

—Äger du en gadget som du önskar att du inte hade köpt? Varför?

—No, not a single thing, I still use everything I own, depending on the situation.

—Hur utbildar du dig själv för att bli en bättre fotograf?

—By practicing all the time, either shooting, choosing pictures or editing. That's how you discover new angles, that's how you start to ”see” things in a certain order. One day I was surprised to discover that, while marching on the street, I was involuntarily framing everything I saw, even though my mind was completely elsewhere. Probably that's when you may consider yourself a photographer :))

—Vems arbete har haft störst inflytande över dig som fotograf?

—As I am 95% self thought, I cannot say there's one particular wedding photographer that influenced me. When time allows me I take a look at the work of other photographers, but mostly I try and work with things I find in the places I go and see them with my ”creative” eye. A big change for me came when I started working with fixed and wide aperture lenses.

—Finns det någonting specifikt som du önskar att du visste när du började fotografera?

—That it's not wise to make loans when you want to buy photo gear. But I know I couldn't have done it otherwise.

—Vad försöker du säga med dina fotografier?

—I try to tell the story of that special day, the story of that beautiful couple and the people surrounding them in order that, when you look at the pictures, you may re-live the feelings and emotions that you felt on place. Or, if you weren't there, to make you feel as if... I try to build memories that last, I consider that the value of the wedding pictures increases with time.

—Vad motiverar dig att fortsätta att ta bilder?

—The fact that I know I can reinvent myself for each wedding, meeting new people every week and giving myself new challenges all the time.

—Borde dina föräldrar ha varit mer eller mindre strikta?

—They've tried to be more strict, but I didn't let them. If I would have, I wouldn't be a photographer nowadays. My special thanks go to my mom, who stood beside me when all others didn't.

—Om du kunde resa tillbaka i tiden, vad skulle du göra annorlunda?

—I would try to be more organized and kill the laziness in me.

—Tror du att det finns liv på andra planeter?

—Since we can't even imagine how big the Universe is, there's not one single chance that we're alone... there's life out there, we'll probably be allowed to go find it when we'll stop killing each other.

—Vilka är dina hjältar?

—The people that do good anonymously.

—Finns det någon person som du inte har någon respekt för?

—Cheaters.

—Vad gör du på fritiden?

—There's not much time to spare, but when I have it I do some biking, trekking and traveling. Occasionally fishing.

—Har du någon sida som du aldrig visar upp offentligt?

—The tons of pictures on my hard drives and the huge amount of time spent in front of my computer, editing.

—När är du fullständigt tillfredsställd med ditt arbete?

—Never. Comfort and self appreciation are our biggest enemy.

—Tror du på de traditionella mans- och kvinnorollerna?

—If you're asking about the man providing the goods and the woman raising children and cooking, definitely no. We're not living those times anymore.

—Är det enkelt för dig att skaffa vänner?

—Yes.

—Var skulle du vilja bo?

—On the road, traveling most of the time. Eight months/year would be perfect.

—Vad är det dummaste som du någonsin har tackat ja till?

—Moving in with the wrong person.

—Finns det ett liv efter äktenskapet?

—Of course there is, if three vectors are met: respect, admiration and dialogue. Real love comes with time and is nurtured by the vectors mentioned before.

—Har du ett favoritskämt? Berätta det för oss.

—I have many favorite jokes, let's stick on one about photography:A mathematician enters a photo lab and says:
- I'd like to print a few photographs from my holiday.
- 9x13? – asks the man in charge.
- 117, why do you ask?

—Gillar du hundar eller katter?

—I like both.

—Vem eller vad hatar du?

—Hate is a strong word, let's use dislike. People that disappoint. I know that sometimes I disappoint, too, so there are moments when I dislike myself.

—Det bästa med livet är:

—Freedom.

—Det mest irriterande med livet är:

—Not having the time to do all things you'd like to.

—Finns det någonting runt omkring dig som du skulle vilja ändra på?

—Yes, the political class in my country.

—Finns det någonting om dig själv som du skulle vilja ändra?

—Eliminate procrastinating.

—Vad vill du ändra på i världen?

—Eliminate inequity and inequalities worldwide. There are plenty of resources for all of us to be able to live decent lives, without war or starvation. All human being should have access to education and a chance to a better life.

—Kan du ge några råd till nya fotografer?

—Take each step one at a time and grow steadily. I know the impulse is to go big right away, but you'll discover, as we all did, that experience and vision come with time. Try and discover things your own way, go ask only about the things you feel are keeping you down or cannot explain on your own. Practice every day, shoot as much as possible and edit a lot. Don't let anything get in your way, believe in yourself even when others don't.

—Om utomjordingar skulle komma till jorden, och du är den första personen som de träffar, vad skulle du säga till dem?

—”Welcome! I knew you were real... when do you get married?”

—Om du skulle bli tillfrågad att spela in en film, vilken genre skulle det vara?

—Fantasy.

—Imorgon kommer jag att...

—... a corporate event in Sinaia.