Interview With Professional Portugese Photographer José Borges
Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?
A: Azores in Portugal is my place, especially S. Miguel Island, because have all for nature photographers, Beautiful lakes, waterfalls, it has even a live volcano, so beautiful that is hard to describe, you have to be there, see it…
Q: Define the word “beauty”!
A: Beauty is relative, depends on the way you look at things…
Q: Do you like to talk about yourself or your pictures? If yes, about what aspects of photography? If no, why?
A: Well it’s difficult to talk about us, so i prefer to let others do that after seeing my work.
Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?
A: Since i remember i always liked photography but i really started when digital cameras become to be easy to buy.
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: Means everything, when i’m shooting i even forget i’m hungry…
Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?
A: It’s hard to recall that “one” i do recall all my friends saying that my work was great, and they keep saying that… ;-)
Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?
A: Just some workshops i attended to.
Q: How technical is your photography?
A: Technical enough, is more emotional, i like to feel the moment and sometimes i don’t have time to worry about it.
Q: How do you feel about cropping?
A: If necessary i do that, don’t think it’s wrong to do that.
Q: What is your most favorite and least favorite word in photography or life? How do they make you feel?
A: I do know i hate selfishness…
Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?
A: It doesn’t change, i’m always myself.
Q: How do you feel about missed shots which cannot be recreated?
A: I think as every photographer,feel very disappointed, it happened several times.
Q: Ever concerned about failure?
A: Most of the time.
Q: Who are your influences?
A: None in particular.
Q: What is your favorite image, either your own or someone else’s or both? Describe its creation or meaning to you?
A: Well i have several of my own, but the one i send here, reflexion of the plane on the water, it made me won a photo competition.
Q: Describe a day in your personal or professional life.
A: Well depends, sometimes exciting, others not that much.
Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?
A: Trying to do my job as best as i can.
Q: What has been the single biggest obstacle against growing as a photographer in whole?
A: The biggest one is that i live in a island and is very hard to grow in knowledge, to do that we have to go to main land in Portugal, Lisbon or so.
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: About everything, but i love to photograph rock groups.
Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot!
A: Have many, once to photograph a waterfall in a different angle i fall into a hole and almost broke my camera.
Q: Have you ever thought about or actually stopped doing photography? What were the circumstances?
A: Never thought about stopping to do something i love to do.
Q: Do you ever have photographer’s block and if yes how do you deal with it?
A: Happens sometimes, i just stop for a while and go for drink to relax…
Q: What types of assignments are you attracted most?
A: Musical Events were i have to think fast.
Q: Describe what black and white photography means to you?
A: Not my favorite but some photos works better on black and white for shure
Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?
A: Yes i can say i’m an artist, an artist creates beauty and every photographers do that one way or another.
Q: How do you describe your photographic style?
A: My style.
Q: What has been the most surprising or most predictable reaction to your photographs?
A: Well sometimes people say woww to photos i didn’t think were that good…
Q: Tell a little secret about yourself that no-one knows …
A: I’m very shy, i try to hide but…
Q: Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already?
A: Angelina Jolie, an impossible dream…
Q: What would you have done differently during your photography career so far and could this be an advice to others?
A: Some times we think about quit, never do that no mater what.
Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?
A: Don’t agree when they ruin peoples lives.
Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?
A: As long we don’t ruin the photo i think is ok to improve quality..
Q: What other thoughts would you like to share?
A: Be your self, never give up.
Connect with José via his Facebook profile.
