Denis, 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´m 42 years old, I was born in Granada, Andalussia, Spain...Maybe one of the most beautiful cities of this country!! Actually, i live in Granada, exactly in Armilla, a little village near the city, but for my work i can say, really, i live on the roud!! I work in a publicity company that works in different types of events around the country and sometimes in Europe too. Photography for me is first of all a passion, and second, a job too! But not my principal work at this moment!! Hope I can change this soon!

Have you been involved in the arts in some form other than photography?
Really yes! I´m a drawer!! In my youth i had a pencil near to my hand continuously, later came the paint and the illustration. But it is true, at this moment all this creative torrent is fully dedicated to photography, but why not back to the pencil sometimes?

Seeing your remarkable work, I am curious where your creativity comes from?
Oh thank you!!!
Maybe from drawing! I remember myself looking magazines like Vogue and others with the intention of drawing later and getting inspired from their pics! Later as an Ilustrator I found the perfection and most important the connection with viewers. Thanks to it I have an educated eye, but really the creativity comes from your heart, it is a need, really it is something irrational and yes this is a constant in all my life!! But in different ways!

Can you tell us about your work flow from the point until you showcase the developed picture?
The first of all, you need an idea! After that you must think what do you need for this idea! The location was determinant, the background, the athmosphere, the light (natural, artificial or the combination of them). Later you need, if it is possible, to design every plan, thinking which camera lens you need, decide what do you need for the ilumination and the complements needed to work with that. The model by his side, needs an according look for this idea, the number of different changes, complements and make up. You must try to design a timming for the development of the season thinking not only in your needs, how long needs the model for every change and for the make up is important, much more if you work outdoors! The day of shooting if it is possible I reserve a little bit, or all the time, for improvising. To play with the alternative possibilities of your location. I must say I love somethimes this style of fully improvised season..usually whit just a camera, one lens, the natural light and a model who wants to play with different poses! And yes, the results can be amazing!

After the shooting, starts the selection of the best shots, and the postproduction. The postproduction is a very important process, that requires a lot of time and energy, and it is decisive to give the final touch. But I must say I like the natural style and the respect of the original image, for me you should take the pictures with the camera, not with the computer!

Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that
attracts you?
Today a lot of photographers have an influence! Or everyone! In fashion photography great names like Testino, Ritts or Anni Leibovitz are super influencers, if you see minimum once the Vogue or Elle magazzine you have influence from this monster and much others!! From my side I started to look this kind of magazines when I was 10 or 12 years old, my mother and sisters have a lot of them! It is not the usual style of magazine for a boy...But i love to read it! And later to draw this amazing models!! And of course this is an inevitable influence for me! And now i enjoy a lot building my self pics! On the other hand, I have influence from the word of comic, the rock and punk music, and a little bit of the surfer culture. Lot of time i give to my seasons a small irreberent touch! And this comes from that!

Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
Difficult too! From my last work i ´m happy with the serie “Arena y Sal” with the amazing Brazilian model Thais Correia, and the make up of Lucýa Calg, it is a serie on the beach, technically difficult because i work with the hard ligth of a very sunny day... but this is the Idea!! And the results of this serie are excellents for the expresion, and the great feeling with Thais is eassily moved to the final images....And of course the magnetism of this model is determinant!

Raf, 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?
Hello, my name is Raf Debruyne and I was born in 1975. I was born and raised in Leopoldsburg (Belgium) and I still live there in the city center. After my studies in Hasselt, I started as a Mechanical Engineer for a engineering’s company in the region. In 2005 I start working in the Netherlands still as a Mechanical Engineer for another engineering’s company. I still love my job and it combines very good with photography. My other major spare time activity is driving around with my Ducati.

What equipment are you using now and with what did you get started? what is your favorite lens?
At the moment I use a Canon 5DIII body and  lenses Canon 135/f2.0 and 24-105/f4.0 and also a Carl Zeiss T 50/f1.4. I use the sun as main light with reflectors if needed. Speedlites or a set of Elinchroms I use to give it a more glamour look. I use some rentals like Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 if I need them, they are too expansive at the moment for me to buy.

At this moment I use most of the time the prime lenses, I like the look they produce and the way of taking photos with it.

I started with a Canon 550D with the standard 18-55mm lens with afterwards a Canon 17-85mm and other lenses.
 
Can you tell us about your work flow from the point until you showcase the developed picture?
If I start from a scratch it is like this. Find a theme, location and model, sometimes also a MUA and some assistants.  When it is a new model for me, I try to have a meeting before the shoot to speak to know what we want to accomplish with the shoot. If I already did some shoots or know the model it is some moodboards, mailing and calling if needed. For the location, I try to find a nice spot that would fit  the shoot theme and I try to see it a couple of days before the shoot. When the shoot starts we have a small chat so there is a relaxed atmosphere in the group. During the shoot there will be enough time to give each other directions and discuss how the end result need to be.

Afterwards I make a back-up before select the best photos from the shoot. I try to deliver a couple as fast as possible, so the model have a good example of what it looked like during the shoot. At the moment still using Elements but I start learning Lightroom this winter to use that with Photoshop later next year.

Do you see a particular influence, be it a photographer or school on your work? Any subject that attracts you?
Beside street fashion or portraits, I’m also photographer for Miss beauty of the Netherlands and love travel photography. Combine those styles together and you have my influence.

I can’t say that I see some influences from particular photographers in my work. I look and enjoy the work of other photographers.

Among your works, which is your favorite and why?
If I had to choose one, it wouldn’t be fair, I’m still growing in my work and it will be one of the latest shoots that I did until now.

I would say the picture that the model likes the most and is used for publication on blogs or used in portfolios. That is what makes me happy.
 
Tell us your funniest or most awkward photography story.
This summer I had the opportunity to shoot the voting photos of finalists for Miss Beauty of the the Netherlands on an helipad above an hotel near Rotterdam Airport. A weekend shoot with 360 degrees view over Rotterdam skyline and airport during the fashion shoot of the 24 finalists is something special.

What would you tell a newcomer who asks for your advice on how to start?
Ask different persons for their experience about their own gear. Don’t buy too many gear in the beginning, so you can learn from the basic on with only body, one or two lenses and a flash, maybe a reflector to play with.

If it is for buying the first gear, I would recommend to try renting or at least hold some different brands and types. Nothing is more frustrating than a body or lens that is not fitting your hands or use.

I would tell the starters in photography that they need to find their own style in photography. It is difficult to do, but at the end I find it the most rewarding to have an own style of shooting and editing.

Don’t try to do to many different styles or kinds of photography in the first place. Do one thing that you like and try afterwards something else to see if it is something that is more in your style.