About thebeholder
Young, polyglot, open-minded, adventure-seeker
Passion: photography & travel
When I was a kid we had a Konica Revio, my parents would give me a reel every couple of months, which I learnt to make last over time, back when they had 27-35 photos each. I learnt to only press the button when it was worth it, a great leasson that's come in handy in the digital era! I remember after giving the film, I would check daily after school the little box M-L at the Schlecker, where they put the envelope with the developed pictures. The feeling when it was there, and I opened it was like opening a chocolate bar. I even won a young talent photography prize for "The leaf carpet" once. Later, around 15-16, I became interested in camera machines, how they worked, the optics and mechanics, and practised a lot, then with a digital Sony DSC-H5. I began to work with manual exposure, shutter speed, aperture, ISO... and was mainly interested in portrait. I dreamed of having a reflex one day, and for my 18th birthday my family got me a Canon 40D, my great partner still today. At that point I began my lens collection and took photography courses. Now I'm eager to learn to develop analogically, but that's a pricy one!
I defend conceptual photography over being a master of technique. A photo that's not a poem, that doesn't transmit anything, is not interesting. Technical perfection is an ambition, but my ultimate goal is the message.
I became a travel junkie after the first time I ever went abroad. I was 12 and travelled to Ireland. The powerful green, the fog and the solemnity of the black crows fascinated me. It bored the locals, but amazed me. Travelling offers the possibility to see the world as a newborn through your eyes, then learn how locals see through their eyes. There is a learning process that's enriching in every possible way. From the synergy between both views emerges the beauty of good travel photography, the freshness of the 'new' with the meaning it has in its place, within its context.
My Travel Map:
