攝影師 Ed Mash

—首先─您認為誰是雅息特, 英國最優秀的攝影師呢？ :)

—That's such a personal choice for clients. Here in Exeter there are different styles to choose, and different personalities. Clients should pick someone they're comfortable with on the BIG day

—您上相嗎？

—Photographers don't appear in many pictures do they....i find it hard to judge an image of myself! I keep getting invited back to parties so I cant be that bad :)

—您如何開始從事攝影行業？

—Initially I only photographed weddings of close friends, and people I knew, but by personal recommendation the demand has grown....so I made the leap!

—您認為一張好照片裡最重要的元素有哪些？

—I think a great photograph has resonance, and shares something with the viewer. Personally if it makes me say 'WOW' or smile, or conveys an idea then it's attractive.

—您熱愛旅行嗎？

—YES. I've travelled a great deal.....every continent except Antarctica....and I still have a thirst for those unusual out of the way places.

—您最喜歡這個職業的哪個部分？

—I love seeing the world through a lens, it brings me close to people, and the important events in their lives. It's a real privilege

—您最不喜歡這個職業的哪個部分？

—Missing a special moment.....you can see the image in your mind, and you know you haven't got it...its very disappointing.

—攝影的前景如何？

—Technology is changing cameras, in the future the processing power of the computer will be more integrated into the camera body, with better colour processing, and skin tone rendition.

—您擅長的攝影類型有什麼特別之處？

—I love wedding photography, everyone is dressed up, smiling, and determined to have a great time. The atmosphere is exciting and clients are always happy to engage with the camera.

—您如何應對批評？

—....I haven't received any so far from clients, but I did have a co worker who was brutally critical of everything I did. Its important to listen, be objective, and use it as a learning process.

—攝影有什麼潮流？

—I think there is a tendency to use deep apertures, and sharpness as its an inherent part of the digital world. However I always appreciate a photographer who can skilfully handle a shallow aperture to tell the viewer exactly where to look (Sorry that was a technical answer!)

—客戶選擇攝影師的標準有哪些？

—Choose a style of photography that speaks to you personally and best encapsulates your values. Also go for the best budget you can afford...a good photographer will make memories you'll look back on for the rest of your life.

—拍攝時應該避免哪些事項？

—Never force a situation...never make people feel uncomfortable, dress for the wedding and blend into the guests to capture those discreet moments.

—通常不會被注意，但攝影師卻能留意的細節有哪些呢？

—I think unnoticed details is a fault in a wedding photographer, great photographers are masters of seeing, rather than just looking.

—什麼事物會影響照片的價值？它包含了哪些因素？

—A valuable photo is very much of its time. It's not a wedding photo but Frank Cappas photo "falling Soldier" taken during the Spanish civil war stopped me in my tracks. It's a painful subject but it has always fascinated and haunted me at the same time, you think of the victim, the photographer standing in a war with a camera, and the soldier who fired the bullet.

—您認為哪個人可以被視為21世紀的代表人物？

—There are so many.....Ghandi probably made the most significant difference to the largest amount of people, so numerically he's top of the list.

—您想拍誰？

—No one springs to mind, but I'm confident I could draw out the best in anyone......so long as they wanted to work with me!

—您有任何職業禁忌嗎？

—I don't believe you should step to far from reality in post production. IMHO over processed photo's don't stand the test of time.

—您想和誰一起拍攝？

—Working in a team, or with a partner can be immensely rewarding, I'm always happy working with talented people with ideas and enthusiasm.

—您會擔心什麼？為什麼？

—Its a worry trying to cover the increasing cost of, cameras, lenses, hard disk storage, and computers. Most clients are unaware of this. For instance at the last wedding I photographed my equipment totalled 25K (that said Ive got the best kit in the world, and that's to be expected on the big day)

—您人生中印象最深刻的一刻是什麼？

—The birth of my first son.

—如果您是個卡通、小說或電影角色，您想成為誰？為什麼？

—Great question! Put me down as Harry Potter, I like the glasses, and the wand would be very useful on shoots.

—誰能在生命中激發您的靈感？為什麼？

—I don't think there's one person, but I'm also a painter, and so art, paintings, and ideas, have always been a constant source of inspiration.

—您如何定義成功？您會怎麼衡量它？

—It's hard to quantify success but I have all the important things I need in my life already.

—您是希望被喜愛或是被景仰呢？

—I always strive for high end results so for me its more important to be liked for the person I am, and the body of my work. If people don't respect me there's not much I can do about it.

—您在工作上犯過最大的錯誤是什麼？

—Missing THE shot!

—當您要去旅行時，您會帶什麼？為什麼？

—When I was 23 a good friend gave me a copy of "Four Quartets" by T.S Eliot. Its slim and fits in every rucsac or camera bag. I only carry it when I'm travelling but its quixotic view of infinity constantly surprises me with its relevance in new locations.

—在您擁有的物品中，有任何您希望沒買過的嗎？為什麼？

—I don't like phone calls when I'm working so I have to say the mobile phone....I know that's heretical these days!

—您如何學習拍出更好的照片呢？

—Research is a big part of expanding your skill set. I'm constantly looking to develop and expand through experimentation with the camera or computer, or both.

—身為攝影師，誰的作品對您影響最大？

—I think I'm influenced by many images rather than one photographer in person.

—哪件事是您希望從開始拍照時就知道的？

—More computer skills:)

—您想用自己的照片說些什麼？

—Intimacy and resonance are very important, but also a sense of place....images are like time capsules I want people to look back and feel connected with the images, again and again.

—讓您持續拍照的動力是什麼？

—There's always a sense of the perfect shot being around the next corner, something more special, more romantic, more FUN.....so I keep searching.

—您的雙親應該更加或是更不嚴厲呢？

—My parents were very relaxed and open minded in their guidance....so I guess a tiny bit more strictness might have been a good thing?

—如果能回到過去，您會有什麼不同舉動呢？

—I'm a very positive person and I think reflection on the past can be self absorbing so I prefer to embrace the future.

—您對在其他星球上的生命有什麼看法呢？

—Definitely...sadly due to deep time its going to be very hard to find.

—誰是您的英雄？

—I've mentioned Ghandi but I'd happily add Leonardo Da Vinci, Einstein, Marie Curie, Dickens, Tesla, Jane Austen.

—您不重視誰？

—The tiny minded despots who've sacrificed millions of lives in vain.

—您空閒時會做些什麼？

—Well the camera's always with me out walking, or at art galleries, meeting up with friends, and of course with my family. At home I love to cook, and my garden is a small oasis.

—您的哪一面是公眾不曾看到過的？

—Its always good to keep your professional side towards the public, but if I'm honest I'm a bit shy so I keep that well hidden.

—您什麼時候會對自己的作品完全滿意？

—Tough question......i need to learn to stop tweaking.

—您認可男女性的傳統角色嗎？

—I'm not really a traditional person, and having had a very liberal background I trust other people to make the choices that are best suited to them and their perception of gender.

—您容易交到朋友嗎？

—Yes I make friends easily and I'm very lucky in the friends I have, I still have all my school friends:)

—您希望在哪裡生活？

—I live in Devon so I'm spoilt by beautiful coastline in every direction, and two very different national parks. This is a great base for getting the work life balance just right. I'm happy right here.

—您曾同意嘗試過最愚蠢的事是什麼？

—So many things.

—結婚後還有人生嗎？

—Personally speaking I'm divorced so YES :)

—您有最愛的笑話嗎？請告訴我們。

—" I've gone on the Whisky Diet-I've lost four days already" Tommy Cooper

—您喜歡狗還是貓？

—Dogs

—您討厭誰或什麼？

—The art of forgiveness means you don't have to hate anyone, it so unhealthy to carry that emotion around inside you.

—人生中最棒的事是：

—Sharing

—人生中最煩人的事是：

—Climate change.

—您的周圍有任何您想改變的事情嗎？

—Personally not much, but politics, world affairs, and the environment are concerns for me.... greater awareness and action by the majority would be a step in the right direction.

—您希望改變自己的哪一點？

—I feel its better to work with what you've got.

—您希望改變世界的哪些方面？

—A greater sense of balance with the environment.

—您能為新進攝影師提供一些建議嗎？

—If you know where to point a camera, then its easy to learn the technical aspects as you progress. Until then trust your instincts, appreciate your own talent, and go and grab as much experience as you possibly can.

—如果外星人來到地球，而您是他們第一個遇見的人，您會跟他們說什麼？

—Watch out for the others!

—如果您被邀請去拍攝電影，那會是什麼類型的電影呢？

—Science Fiction

—明天我會去做...

—Put the house in order and get organised.