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                                ZZ PHOTOGRAPHER FEATURE

L’Alquimista

27/8/2016

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this weekend we like to give you some inside of the work and background of Spanish photographer Xavi Carol, director at El Molí de la Llum. We really like his inventiveness and the creative implementation of his ideas into the impressing images, you can see here and on his webpage. Learn about him here with our interview:
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Xavi, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
I am Xavi Carol, but cause of my photos I am using the pseudonym "L’Alquimista". I was born in Barcelona, Spain. About 7 years ago I moved to a quiet and small town located in the Penedés area. I dedicate a weekly 80 hours work in my 2 professions and passions in life, analyst-programmer and photographer. It is the highlight of my ability to learn and transmit knowledge.
 
Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?
My family always has placed great emphasis on painting, sculpture and music. So i think, that i was favored by the perspective of a viewer, who was always surrounded by good taste.
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Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?

It's all very random ... I see images in my dreams or maybe a news story ... a movie .... most of the times I find inspiration in clothes. I learned to find a symbiosis between the evolution of fashion collections, makeup and hairdressing.

Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?

With the age of 18 years i was watching some photos taken by my grandfather in the 50s. I was totally attracted. I started making photos with slide film, since i had no money to buy a digital SLR camera. Even the digital revolution just began in that time, I stopped for a long time to take pictures, but was always informed of improvements in software and compact camera. It was about 5 years ago, that I took up the hobby and just over 3 years ago I discovered my passion for fashion. Since then I have been a sponge acquiring all knowledge that crossed my path.

What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?
I started in photography with a Canon AE-1 Program-second hand, a fully analog camera. Currently I do my  fashion works with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

As lens i'm using a sigma 70-200mm f2.8. I believe that the lenses influence everything. There are a number of conditions that determine which I'll use .... for example, to beauty I like to use the Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 macro.
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Can you tell us about your work flow from the point until you showcase the developed picture?

When inspiration comes, it is always as a "raw material" to be developed, so whenever I have an idea, the filter for several views .... aesthetic psychology of the viewer, resources and costs ...

Once I have the idea refined as a concept and meet mandatory requirements, I write a document as a creative direction. This document is a sketch, written and graphic examples of all the requirements and concepts. This is, what the team gets ... clients ... etc ... to start the technical development.

The team, providing its professional experience, and enrich the concept with their point of view, finalizes to the lowest level of detail.

The shoot is the topping on the cake, hard work previously done, so the team knows, what to do this day. So this day is usually fun, as most problems have been resolved earlier, and the risks are minimal.

Having obtained the photos in RAW format, initially i process it in LightRoom, choosing a global processing that respects the concept, even that enhances aesthetic .... the details of the processing performed later by PhotoShop, after which I have the results ready to publish.
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Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?

I try my work to not have a definite influence on a style. You can find projects with a similar style to that of Man Ray or Chas Ray Krider ...... or similar with cinematic styles ... but not something as standard or preference. It is something that is implicit in the project. I like a style defined not associate with my work.

What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
Someone once gave me the advice not to compare myself with other photographers, either for better or for worse, to seek my way and make my photographs. That said, I like to think and make a photograph communicative and is not tied to a style or technique that defines me. For me the techniques and resources used are tools.

Among your works, which is your favorite and why?

My favorite is always the work I am developing as it is a new challenge and always creates new illusions.

Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.
I remember a session I did for a personal book on top of one of the slopes of "Pont Nou", a historic aqueduct in the town where I live. It was a little cloudy that day and i decided to plant a foot with a strobist and a small translucent umbrella ...... There was a time that the wind blew a little .... Imagine that, the contraption flew in the style of Mary Poppins and I had to run downhill to reach it!
 
What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
The same, who people gave me at that time:
  • Make your photos and do not compare yourself with another photographer, for better or for worse.
  • Do not be afraid to replace photos in your portfolio.
  • Patience and perseverance, which are the key to gain experience and knowledge.
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I remember using a camera from the age of seven

5/8/2016

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We discovered the amazing fashion pictures of photographer Loïc Brohard on Flickr. He was sharing some of his photos in Streetfashion MagZZine's Flickr group. Meanwhile we share some of our posts also in his facebook group 'Portrait and Fashion Photography'. Beginning of this week we were lucky to get an interview with him and are able to share some of his great photos with you here in Streetfashion MagZZine.
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fashion design and model: Duriel Ben Shimon
Loïc, tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography?
I am a French amateur photographer aged 45, based in London since 12 years. When not doing photography or spending time with my family, I am working in finance in one of the leading manufacturers of electronic products for the consumer and professional markets (including digital camera… I let you guess which company!)

Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?
Not really. My daily job in finance is supposed to be more axed on logic, analytics, maths (the “left-brain”, as they said).

I suppose my hobby had to balance this and use my right-brain functions like intuition, creativity and art/music, and I have oriented myself towards photography since an early age.
I like design, modern art and architecture, but have never been involved as such.
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Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
I don’t know !


Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography?
I remember using a camera from the age of seven, my father’s Kodak Instamatic 155x126 film cartridge camera. The only adjustment possible was by rotating the lens ring between symbols for Sunny and Cloudy/Flash which change the shutter speed. I remember being quite fascinated at that age by that “sense of time stopping and a moment being preserved” as Mary Ellen Mark said. Since then, I have never really stopped taking photographs, moving with technology from one camera to another.

I have started with Travel photography (when I was travelling more frequently around the world), then Architecture, and slowly moved towards Street Photography and now focusing on Portrait & Fashion photography in the last 5 years.
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What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?

Other than the Kodak Instamatic, I have used analogue gear from Canon (AE-1, then EOS). In 2006, I have switched to digital with Konica Minolta and Sony.

At the moment, I am mainly using two cameras : the Sony Alpha 99 full frame DSLR, and the Sony A7R full frame Compact (mirrorless) camera.
I have got many lenses but my favourites are the Sony Zeiss 85mm f1.4 ZA, and the Sony Zeiss Sonnar T 55mm f1.8 ZA.

Can you tell us about your work flow from the point until you showcase the developed picture?
I am mainly doing beauty, headshots and fashion photography, all of them outdoor, if I can get some good conditions (a challenge in London!). I try as much as possible to make best use of the natural light (no flash, no reflector, no tripod!). This is difficult to work with available light and one must accept there is a high percentage of waste, so I am taking a lot of photos during a photoshoot.
Then comes the selection process, most of the time by confronting ideas with the model. What I look for in a good portrait : eyes, hands, head tilt, body language, background and use of space…. The good thing with natural photography is that the photo needs very little retouching. So once the choice is done, it is “good to go”.
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Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?
Not in particular. I love photography in its wider sense. Travel, Architecture, Portrait, Fashion, Photojournalism, Street Photography, etc… I have had a preference for Street Photography though, and I would just refer to Bill Cunningham who left us in June 2016.

What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?
As mentioned above, the use of natural light. Difficult, but rewarding.
I am also trying to engage with the models I am collaborating with. As Alfred Eisenstaedt said, it is “more important to click with people than to click the shutter". It helps in the end result!

Among your works, which is your favorite and why?

I got a few publications I am proud of. But my favourite works is always the one which do ultimately benefits the models, i.e. help them completing their portfolio, and sign with an agency.
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Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.
Usually I am spending a lot of time preparing the details the details before a photoshoot (moodboard, style/outfit, mua and location)

Once I did not. And I ended up with a model with shocking make up…. “maquillé comme un camion volé” as we say in French (heavily made-up, all tarted up, done up like a dog’s dinner).
As I am professional, I carried out the photoshoot till the end, and gave the model the photos, but… I have not used any of them.

What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
Concentrate on the artistic aspect of photography. Of course, learn the basics (exposure, light, …) but don’t get intimidated and overwhelmed by technical knowledge.

Cultivate, develop your brain and TRAIN YOUR EYE. Practice like hell, and remember what Cartier-Bresson was saying: “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst”.
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my inspiration is related to the moment

3/8/2016

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... so photographer Benoit Vandenkieboom, who is based near Liège in Belgium.

Already a while ago we discovered his photos on Flickr. And now we had the pleasure to get an interview with him and the possibility to show you some of his beautiful pictures.
Benoit, please tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with. (How old are you, Where were you born and where do you live now, What is your profession and do you have other besides photography? 
Waow ! When I received the contact message I tought it was a joke. But no I’m there! My name is Benoit Vandenkieboom. I was born in Liège (Belgium) 48 years ago.  I spent my early years in the beautiful Herve plateau. In the countryside among the fruit trees and animals especially cows ... I left these beautiful landscapes for the city to make my computer studies. The Job I made then 28 years now. Just a few years ago I left the city to return to the quiet of the countryside and have a daughter, now 12 years old.
Now I live near Liège Airport in an old renovated farmhouse in the small village of Roloux.  I started table tennis because we must keep the form lol
My other passion is the theater. I am an actor (as amateur too) for over 20 years. I play comedy, street theater, cabaret ... An other form of art in some kind…
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Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?
After my studies I needed to express ideas, perhaps to leave a record of my passage on earth as prehistoric men (we can dream no ?). At this time I had hesitated between photography and illustration (artistic design). I chosed the second but quickly my friends sent me to the theater. They felt that my place was on stage to make humorous show. I did it and had a lot of fun all around the world, playing in many countries meeting a lot of interesting people of different cultures.
Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
I would like to thank you for contacting me in relation to my work. It is an honor because for a beginner like me it is a great motivation to continue working even more to achieve the goal I set myself, make good pictures.  For now, the inspiration is more related to the moment, but I have in my head images which I hope to leave one day, when I know more about photographic techniques and editing. In fact, just look around to see lots of beautiful things and images.
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Could you share with us how you first became interested in photography? 
As I said earlier, it tempted me for a while but I got finally got there a year and a half. I took the basics with training on the net. After that, I joined the groups and did some workshops. I started at my computer, watching youtube for hours. I posted the photos, received criticism (good or bad) and then tried to apply them ... again and again.  Now I joined a club with good photographers, it’ll help I hope.
 
What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?

I replaced my canon 1000d that I bought when my daughter was born, for a 70D. I wanted a reflex with a value for money, because I did not know if I would use it or not. I did it ! After I bought the Canon 50mm 1.4 and a Sigma 105mm macro 2.8, because initially I thought to do macro photography only but !  Just a few months ago I bought a Tamron 24-70 2.8.  I prefer the fixed lens as this will make me move around to find the desired image.
 
Can you tell us about your work flow from the point until you showcase the developed picture?

I do not prepare much to tell the truth and that's where I'd like to change. As I said above is intuitive, by chance if I can say ...  inspired by the model. The main thing is to have fun !
After I work on my computer, a lot with Affinity photo and try to have the best result.  I'm almost never satisfied but I try to do my best and hope that future will be better ;-)
 
Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?
Not especially. There are a lot of beautiful photos circulating on networks. Obviously some are references but for me the work is still long. This is certainly due to lack of experience but I am not discouraged.
 
What would you say characterizes your work in comparison to other photographers?

What differentiates my work is probably that I'm in search of what I would be in your photography. I have not yet found a particular style. I have some ideas and I’m working on.
 

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Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
At the studio, I like the chiaroscuro. This light that reveals details such as curves, lines and this in black and white. I also like the boudoir session because I think these pictures are very sensual. A woman in lingerie is something very sexy.  I love black and white for its strength, contrast, simplicity and also because I'm colorblind too lol.
 
Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.

The shootings are always very interesting because it is very often beautiful meetings. Often we end with a drink, a pizza or something else.  It’s the funniest part of this job.
The most unpleasant, as I often work with amateur models, are the withdrawals. As I do not have much time available, it is always complicated to replace models at the last moment. So I can not always do as much as I would like ...
 
What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?

Being a newcomer myself it's difficult to give advice. That said, I could tell you must observe, try, take slaps, try again. Sometimes you get discouraged and one day a better picture comes and goes again until the next slap. ;-)   Just take pictures and pictures again…
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