Professional Photographer Interview: Ricky Kluge Of Chicago, Illinois
Q: Who are your influences?
A: Mainly Autumn de Wilde, but I don’t have anymore names off the top of my head. I try to not get too influenced from other photographers and would rather observe people and cultures to help produce a photograph. I feel it’s more pure that way.
Q: How do you describe your photographic style?
A: Organic and clean.
Q: Do you like to talk about yourself or your pictures? If yes, about what aspects of photography? If no, why?
A: I enjoy talking about ideas and the art and science of photography. I don’t really talk about photographs I’ve already taken unless I’m asked about them.
Q: How would you describe your attention span?
A: Good…if what is put in front of me truly interests me.
Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?
A: When I was 16 and decided I’d rather photograph keep working with graphic design.
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: It means a lot if you can cause someone to feel some kind of emotion from an image that’s created.
Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?
A: No, I’ve been constantly progressing as I’ve been photographing and my taste level has always been and still does.
Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?
A: Yes, I’ve had a high school class and I have one class to go before I get my Associate’s Degree for Applied Sciences of photography.
Q: How technical is your photography?
A: I use artificial light a lot and mix ambient with flash frequently, so it can get pretty technical.
Q: How do you feel about cropping?
A: I usually try to frame the image I want to capture in my viewfinder, but I can’t say that I never crop.
Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?
A: Starting out and trying to get into the commercial photography game I think that Chicago is a great place to start. But if I could go anywhere I’d go out to the west coast or even over to Europe.
Q: Define the word “beauty”!
A: Striking and pleasing to the eye.
Q: What is your most favorite and least favorite word in photography or life? How do they make you feel?
A: ‘Doing’ is the best, ‘trying’ is the worst. Having confidence and drive will never push you back.
Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?
A: I don’t think it does at all.
Q: How do you feel about missed shots which cannot be recreated?
A: I take what I missed into consideration for the next time I go out and photograph.
Q: Ever concerned about failure?
A: Failure happens all of the time in our lives, and we need to accept it and overcome it.
Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?
A: Trying to create something better than I did last time.
Q: What has been the single biggest obstacle against growing as a photographer in whole?
A: Getting into the commercial photograph world.
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: People and locations
Q: Do you ever have photographer’s block and if yes how do you deal with it?
A: I try and get inspiration in anyway possible. I hit them all the time and they can be really annoying, but I do anything from looking at other photographs to watching movies and documentaries.
Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?
A: I think so. Anyone who creates something for a meaning
Q: Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already?
A: Anything underwater.
Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?
A: Everyone needs to make money.
Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?
A: I don’t like to manipulate my photographs too much. I know I’m not extremely skilled at it…and when there’s poor photoshopping done to an image it causes the final outcome to look very amateur.
Connect with Ricky via his official photography site, Facebook and Flickr.