Interview With Professional Wedding Photographer Dmitri Markine
Q: Do you like to talk about yourself or your pictures? If yes, about what aspects of photography? If no, why?
A: I can talk about photography and especially wedding photography for hours and hours. I suppose this is why I started teaching and hosting workshops a while back.
Q: How would you describe your attention span?
A: I’d say it is better than average. I’ve done some journalistic works and sometime it takes hours of waiting, before you can get that perfect shot!
Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?
A: About 10 years ago, but in waited until about 2003.
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: It’s not my job or a hobby. It’s a way of life and I try to show that in my images.
Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?
A: It was a photo of a cat. It sounds plane, but it’s still a good photo :)
Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?
A: I’ve graduated an art school, but I’ve been photographing for many years. I believe photography and being an artist are not something any school can teach you. Pressing the shutter and adjusting the settings are the easiest things to learn in photography. To see something that others don’t- that’s the hard part.
Q: How do you feel about cropping?
A: With wedding photography, it’s not always easy to get a perfect shot and fixing tilts and adjusting crops is just a part of it.
Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?
A: I live in Toronto and it’s an amazing and multicultural city. I’ve worked in Asia and the Caribbean and those are quite amazing places to work in.
Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?
A: I don’t think it changes me. I try to bring my personality and vision into my work!
Q: Ever concerned about failure?
A: It’s not an option. Those who work hard will never fail!!!
Q: What is your favorite image, either your own or someone else’s or both?Describe its creation or meaning to you?
A: I have just too many favourites. When I am bored, I just visit my galleries and browse through them. Many of my wedding images will make me smile in a heartbeat.
Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?
A: Delivering unique and creative images. I like to create images that nobody ever had before. I do get copied a lot, but being first is all I am after!
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: People!!! Trees and walls just can’t make me laugh (I tried, but didn’t work) :)
Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot!
A: All day wedding outside at -11C +wind. Felt like -20, but I’ll do anything to get great images…ANYTHING!
Q: Do you ever have photographer’s block and if yes how do you deal with it?
A: I prepare for each photoshoot. I know most wedding photographers just go in and do their thing. I just can’t do it. I have to think about each wedding and client, to make sure I get the shots that they want, I want and get some shots that nobody else has. It’s a challenge.
Q: What types of assignments are you attracted most?
A: Weddings.
Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?
A: Yes, I definitely see myself as an artist first and I just use a camera to bring it out to the world.
Q: How do you describe your photographic style?
A: Artistic, unique, creative, fun.
Q: Tell a little secret about yourself that no-one knows …
A: I like having images taken with other animals. My collection includes tigers, cheetahs, etc… :)
Q: What would you have done differently during your photography career so far and could this be an advice to others?
A: I think delivering the best possible work is the only thing that photographers should be concern about. Experience certainly helps. Having supportive friends and networking with other fellow photographers is very important to me.
Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?
A: Where do I sign up!? :)
Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?
A: I edit all of my images. It is a part of photography and being an artist.
Visit Dmitri’s wedding photography homepage!