Fotograf Krystallenia Batziou

—Först och främst - vem kan du nämna som den bästa fotografen i Porto, Portugal? :)

—Porto is such an inspiring and romantic destination, old yet full of modern vibes, sometimes sunny but mostly moody and misty. There is a plethora of photographers telling couple's stories in this city, in order to decide who is the best for you, you need to find your match!

—Är du fotogenisk?

—When I have control of the camera (self-portrait) I do. However, it's like natural selection: when I have the control, the worst photos of my face won't make it to see the light. When my friends take pictures of me, it's another (horror) story!

—Hur började du inom fotografi?

—I got an invitation to second shoot at Spanish-Portuguese wedding in Guimarães ( a small town close to Porto) back in 2016 and the adrenaline of a wedding day photo shoot was just love at first sight.

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

—Composition, emotions, story-telling.

—Älskar du att resa?

—I love travelling.

—Vad gillar du mest med ditt yrke?

—It's mostly the ability to "see things" others don't (because they are probably enjoying and Aperol aperitif like normal human beings instead of scanning the place with their eyes like a weirdo looking for a moment worth capturing).

—Vad gillar du minst med ditt yrke?

—It is not pleasant when a potential client tries to negotiate your fees. Wedding photography services are definitely not cheap and I wish everyone could afford to hire good visual story-tellers on their big day, but the profession itself requires an unthinkable amount of investment (money/equipment/education/tim e-wise). Building a visual identity also requires plenty of effort and it is important for those things to be taken into consideration when looking for the perfect wedding photographer for you. There are so many different styles, color palettes, personalities etc, you just need to find your best match with the best quality/price ratio!

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

—It's a boost of adrenaline, it's like roller-coaster of emotions and a mix of so many other photography genres: it's lifestyle, portrait, studio, product, documentary, real-estate photography put together, along with the ability to detect and shoot fast with the best technique possible.

—Hur hanterar du kritik?

—I get better at accepting criticism every year.

—Finns det några trender inom fotografering?

—Absolutely!

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

—They have to make sure they like both the shooting and editing style and that they can connect and communicate well with their photographer.

—Vad är absolut inte tillåtet under fotograferingen?

—Not respecting your subject.

—Vad påverkar fotots värde? Vilka är dess element?

—When it makes your heart beat faster every time you look at it.

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

—Charlie and the chocolate factory by Roald Dahl.

—Vem är din inspirationskälla i livet och varför?

—Rosie Hardy.

—Hur definierar du framgång? Hur mäter du framgång?

—By the smiles on your beloved one's faces when you show up with a plate full of freshly homemade cookies.

—Föredrar du att vara omtyckt eller respekterad?

—Respected.

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

—By watching videos of my favorite photographers of the industry, reading their books or enrolling to their online courses.

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

—I have a degree in Biology so i can scratch that from my list!

—Vad försöker du säga med dina fotografier?

—Truthfulness. There's nothing more honest than love for your family, friends and other half.

—Vad motiverar dig att fortsätta att ta bilder?

—It's an addiction!

—Borde dina föräldrar ha varit mer eller mindre strikta?

—My parents were and continue being the perfect parents, with all their flaws and virtues.

—Vilka är dina hjältar?

—My grandparents, they are my heroes.

—Vad gör du på fritiden?

—Depending on my energy levels, I either workout or just being a coach potato watching cartoons/youtube tutorials/Netflix.

—Tror du på de traditionella mans- och kvinnorollerna?

—What,no!

—Var skulle du vilja bo?

—I would love to live either in New York or somewhere in southern Italy.

—Gillar du hundar eller katter?

—Dogs <3

—Det bästa med livet är:

—Family, dogs and food.

—Det mest irriterande med livet är:

—Money.

—Kan du ge några råd till nya fotografer?

—Work both hard and smart! get inspired but don't copy.