Interview to Vera Radosevic

 

What do you do in life and why do you like to photograph?

I am living my life with full strength, searching for the beauty and primordial in everything around me. My passion for photography comes from that attitude. Enjoying photographing cultures in the world which are being often marginalized and rapidly homogenized into an increasingly globalized world.

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How long have you been photographing?

I have always been attracted to photography, but one might say that I have actively started photographing and documenting the world around me only after I discovered Africa four years ago. You could say that it has been an “eye opener”.

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How long does post-production take up in your photography?

I take post-production seriously and it is a working progress for me. Sometimes it takes up whole day for me to get a single photograph to a level that I want it to be.

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What do you like less about your camera and what stands out in more?

I like every single bit about my camera. Only thing that annoys me is when I do not have it with me when I see something beautiful or a interesting moment to catch. I wish if it were not so heavy so that I can carry it always around my neck.

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Black and white or color? When is it indispensable one and when the other?

I do not shy away from colors. Most of my photography is based on colors as they bring up joy of life, however black and white comes in handy when you want to capture something dramatic. It can be an intense emotion, facial expression. On the other hand black and white can also emphasize on depth of texture or cleanness or even brutality of architecture.

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Is there a picture of you that you are particularly fond of? And why?

During my stay in Angola I have spent some time volunteering in an orphanage in Luanda. There, I have met a lot of kids with their own distinctive and striking personal life stories. What strike me the most is the optimism which all of them had. One specific group of boys had formed a “secret” martial art society called Chandorocan. Watching them perform resulted in a series of photographs which I am particularly fond of.

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A photographer who is inspired by?

Steve Mccurry

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Travel and reportage photographer. When and how did you start?

It is always Africa. I followed my husband to Angola and as we took one day to the beach, the first and irresistible scene was one village of fishermen. Watching those man and women going about their business, their colorful boats and nets, and their beautiful children playing in the send ,made me realize that wanted to document all that before it is lost to the world of globalization.

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You have traveled a lot, explored and visited countless places. What gave you this lifestyle?

Opportunity to travel came up from expat style of living which is connected with my husband nature of job, that gave us the chance not just to travel but also to live in foreign countries and their cultures.

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Is it a way of acting that is refined over time?

Yes, I believe so. Developing and having common interests with your family also helps stir your vacations in direction of places which are simulative to your work.

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Black and white or color? Wide-angle or telephoto?

Each of them has its own purpose in a different occasions. It mostly depends on the personal style and sensibility of the artist.

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What is the most common mistake among photo-retreats?

I believe that the most common mistake is that everybody basically take the same pictures in the same location and regardless how original you are in your real work, the photograph you take there looks like a copycat.

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Is there a place on Earth that can thrill you more than others?

Africa. The source of life and ancient spirit are there.

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And a place you would not come back to?

Until now in my life, there is no place that I would not come back to. It seems to me that I could find a new angle to shoot in every place that I have already photographed.

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Is a new trip scheduled? What will you go to photograph?

I have just come back from Mexico which was a place that had been scheduled and planned since long time ago. I was inspired by culture, people and colors of that great both Latin and indigenous culture. The next big trip to plan and look forward to is Ethiopia and its rich culture, history and many different tribes from Omo Valley.

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What does it mean to know how to adapt during a photographic journey?

The most important thing is to know how to communicate with people from different cultures and to respect and adapt to their customs. Us, photographers must always keep in mind that the portraits we take are not just objects, but real people to which we need to get through, connect on personal level, so that they can show us their true selves.

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With which camera did you photograph during your last trip?

Canon EOS 600 D

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What are your favorite lenses?

Canon EF 85mm f-1.8

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Have you ever found yourself in trouble?

It happened to me that I wanted to take shortcut to my rule of taking the time to adapt to a situation and failed to establish a proper communication with a group of people that I wanted to photograph. This led to unpleasant experience where they did not appreciate my taking liberties in taking a photograph without their permission and they got agitated which made me feel uncomfortable.

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How do you combine this insatiable desire for discovery and travel with the "normal" daily life?

Developing and having common interests with your family helps stir your vacations in direction of places which are simulative to your work.

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Do you always go out with your camera in your bag?

I cannot always take my camera with me, even though I would wish to. It is not always practical.

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Are you going to stop sooner or later?

No, it is my life passion.

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The most beautiful country in the world?

I have to decide. I have not seen the whole world yet.

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My camera / equipment.

Canon EOS 600 D

 

 

www.artprimitivegallery.com