A few weeks ago Michal Fanta was contacting me for an interview for his photography blog odcloneno.com. Michal is an active member on flickr and he decided to give something back to the community by giving great and creative photographers extra exposure on his blog. The blog is targeted at the Czech people, check out the interview!
You can read the english version below:
He travels the world and photographs classics like Volkswagens and Vespa scooters is one of the many sentences describing today`s photographer. So without further ado, lets start with the interview:
Carlo Vingerling is 27 year old photographer living in the South of the Netherlands. He started to take photographs in 2005 during attending Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam where he studied Communication and Multimedia Design. He specializes in cinematic and vintage photography because of his fascination with the classics plus he loves to travel. With an eye for detail Carlo tries to tell strong stories in the simplest way possible.
What inspired you to become a photographer?
I started with photography in 2005 (That’s also the name of my website ‘zerofive’) during my study Communication & Multimedia design at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. The first task I had was to photograph an ‘urban’ alphabet out of interesting lettering that we see around us in the city. For this project, I had to look at urban textures, lines and parts of objects. I realized at that moment that photographing is a great way to express yourself and a good way to look different to everyday objects.
Who or what are your influences?
I’m a big fan of ‘cool classics’ like Volkswagens and Vespa scooters. My cinematic & vintage style has been influenced by classic car ads. I think the classic Vespa ads are my favorite, because they are
timeless. But I find also inspiration in simple things. I like shooting streets & object because streets are the life of the city! I appreciate the beauty of the things around me, it does not really have to be anything special because you can always make simple things look beautiful.
Do you have a formal training in photography or are you self-taught?
Both, I picked up a camera when I started studying at the Willem de Kooning Academy. I took a few photo classes for learning the basics of photography. The skill to operate a camera and take quality photographs takes a lot of training. I have developed the most skills through self-teaching, by learning the fundamental skills through books, playing around with the equipment, and learning through experimentation. But I think a formal training is still regarded as necessary to achieve professional success as a photographer.
What is the best and the most difficult “thing” for a travel photographer?
The greatest thing about traveling is seeing how different the world can be. It’s great to explore new places and meet local people. I always try to tell a powerful story in the simplest way. A photograph
has the ability to convey emotions or a specific mood all of which are important elements of storytelling. The most difficult part of travel photography is you never know what to expect when you’re on a specific location. I always try to find the perfect lighting, and anticipate during a great moment. It’s very important to get your thoughts together and consider what you actually want to say and communicate from within the frame of a photograph and how to do it in the best possible way.
I love the cinematic style of your photographs, is it something you
developed consciously?
Yes, this typical cinematic & vintage style is influenced and inspired by these classic ads where I told about. I try to process my photos with a consistent and personal style. When I pick a photo from the
library I start processing. Depending on the photo, I use my own vintage presets but when it doesn’t ‘fit’ I always experiment with new processing techniques.
Has the flickr community helped your photography?
That’s for sure! The Flickr community has helped me to become a better photographer and constantly pushes me to get better. Flickr has also shown me how many talented people there are. They inspire me also to become better photographer because I think that’s what Flickr is really all about, looking at each other photos, chatting to photographers and using their advice to get better and better every day.
What is more important when taking photos: your gear or your talent?
Lately is I saw this quote on the internet: “Cameras don’t take pictures, photographers do“ . Talent and skills are always important for successful photography. I think better gear just makes things easier. You can improve the quality of the photos with better gear. If you are not talented, your work will be uninspired. So, having the right tools does certainly help, but the right photographer helps a little more…
Thanks to Michal Fanta!
