I had the amazing privilege to interview Carlos H. Reinesch, a photographer from Brazil who focuses on abstract and conceptual photography. He has produced some stunning images and concepts with beautiful colours and is certainly going to go far in the not to distant future. Be sure to check his work out at the links at the bottom of the page.
Tell me how much your passion extends for photography?
I love photography and everything related to it, as it has become a huge part of my life after I started shooting. I want to be able to transmit the passion and to express my thoughts with the help of my images, and create an identity that can be easily recognizable by anybody.
What would you say your artwork specialises in?
My work has a wide range of subject matter, varying from several different genres, but I would say that my conceptual body of work is the most distinctive and the one I think represents my vision the most. Being a conceptual photographer is all about visual language and translating concepts and ideas into images, and to think of communicating a concept using the universal language of images is exciting and thrilling. Another major characteristic of my work that I keep hearing things about is the colours. I like working with vivid, bright colour schemes and to make colourful pieces to achieve the desired impact. Put these two elements together and that is what I would say that my work is specialized in.
What are the highlights in your work, or the pieces you are most satisfied with?
I like my conceptual series called “Soul”, because it is a concept that I have been working in for a long time and it was amazing that I could find a way to depict it in images. They were literally taken at my backyard, and when I saw the series being short listed in the Sony World Photography awards 2011 in the Professional, Fine arts/Conceptual category was the proof that I didn’t need to go very far to make great images. Conceptual work is mainly in the field of ideas, and just after having everything thought out is that I take the camera and go shooting.
Do you feel it’s necessary to sustain a financially stable career in photography?
I do because I want to have an excellence in my photography that goes beyond everything, and to succeed in that craft I do think I need to dedicate full time to the job, so I would always be taking photographs and studying photography. That being said, I would need a way to sustain myself and this way would be then the mean itself, doing photography.
Is it more important to be a successful commercial photographer rather than a fine art photographer?
This is a tricky question because of various things. First of all, one has to consider that, apart from being very technically good and have a flawless body of work, the fine art photographer has also to have a name in the market, being known and respected so that the collectors and the art buyers start to rise an interest in the work of the person. These people don’t often worry about what they are buying, they rather focus on who has done the piece of art. In the commercial field, the photographs are often tied up with the commissioner, and the photographer do not always have the freedom to create. This can be frustrating to some, though I consider it a market that’s easier to get into, the photographer being more a person who is hired to do a service rather than the artist that holds exhibitions and makes everything on its own. I don’t think there is a more important field to work in actually, just the one that fits better to the style of each.
Do you think that advancements in technology will help or hinder photographers from a business standpoint?
Technology will make photography easier to do, with cameras doing most of the job, like avoiding camera shake with advanced shaking reduction hardware and software, more and more the cameras will be able to capture details and avoid noise in low light conditions, the sensors will become very good even in very contrasted areas and stuff like these. I think that it will be then easier to the ordinary people to have cameras and to have good quality in their daily snapshots, and this can diminish the demand for photographers. On the other hand, the specialized and very differentiated photographer can be beneficial, as this person will have an unique technique and vision that would make the work stand out. This stimulates photographers to get better and better, though ratifying the good service and making it more exclusive. This can be just one point and the discussion can be massive, but I do think that technology will refine photography in a broader way, making the photographers grow and surpass the ordinary.
What would you consider to be your biggest mistake?
I don’t think I have a big mistake regarding to photography that I would remember.
What would you consider to be your favourite quote/saying?
I have two quotations that I always have in mind, which are:
“Art evokes the mistery without which the world would not exist.” ~ René Magritte, Belgian surrealist painter.
“Photography is nothing, it is life what interests me.” ~ Henri Cartier Bresson, French photographer.
What’s the most important advice you have to give for upcoming photographers?
When asked about that, I always keep saying the same thing, which is to practice. It is extremely important to go and do photography yourself, to read and to study is important but the main thing of being a photographer is to train the vision and to develop a personal way of seeing the world. With that, it is possible to create, to evolve and to express yourself, as the photographer needs to have the soul of an artist. Studying arts, going to museums, watching movies, reading and everything related to culture and arts can help a lot in the process of self expression and to become an artist too.
And finally, what is the next step for you regarding photography?
I want to keep doing what I am doing and to pursue new and innovative ways of doing photography. Apart from that, being more specific, I want to specialize in fine art photography and dedicate myself to making new photography to have them hung up on people’s walls.
Check out Carlos’ phenomenal work right here:
Gerry Burton - Photography 