Kbtfoto Arts (Lighted Life Photography) (Canada)

Can you tell us a little about you?

Though I worked in the banking industry for more than three decades as a security manager, my passion has always been in arts and photography.

How and when did you get into photography?

Coming from a family legacy of studio owner and war correspondent photographer, I got to experience photography firsthand at a very young age. I was working alongside my uncle and father from the portrait studio when the live humans smiling, hoping to capture some precious moments of important life events, to the dark room, when we developed these negatives into photographs. This process makes me feel I am a part of these interesting lives, and it fuels my connections with other souls in a strangely comforting way.

What does photography mean to you?

Photography is a testament to truths and the preservation of human emotions. It is beauty preserved and past moments with a built-in rewind button. It's a time-travel machine, where you can go back to any happy moment at any time.

Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers.

I am particularly intrigued by elements of nostalgia from the past, perhaps due to my war-torn experience as an immigrant. I like street scenes, candid photography, portraits, wildlife, and landscapes. I like anything that exudes life, really! Life is my "style".

Where do you get inspiration from?

From the past, from dreams of places and images, from my longing to turn the clock backward, from the beauty of people and scenes around me.

Do you think in advance what you want in the picture?

I don't think in advance, but I think I visualize a photo long before I click the shutter button. I feel that the photo is alive even before focusing on the subject. Thinking in arts is counterintuitive, I think, another way to put it is, do I feel in advance, yes, I feel multiple emotions in advance and almost a tiny sense of disappointment when I have taken the image.

Studio, on location or both?

Both have a certain kind of allure. In the studio, the lighting is almost entirely manipulable, which allows you to accomplish so much more. On location, you are at the mercy of the light source, which calls for a spirit of spontaneity. I like both.

Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?

Though I do work for paid sessions, I consider myself a life-long hobbyist. This mentality keeps me sharp and creatively engaged.

What has been your most memorable session and why?

Every session has to inspire you in some way for you to even being able to complete it, and when you are inspired, it's hard to choose from those unforgettable moments. This question beckons a more private reflection which I am not ready to divulge at the moment.

Nikon or Canon? Favorite lens?

I own Nikon, Canon and Leica lens, and I select which to use depending on the type of photography and my current moods. It is as if you are asking me if I like the comfort of a white T-shirt, or the elegance of a white dress-shirt, and would like to say that it depends on the appropriate occasion.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to start their own business?

My advice is not to listen to anyone's advice when starting. Learn from your own experience. Explore what you need, what you want to learn, and what you have to offer the world, and yourself. Photography should never be a "business", and while, I believe photographers should be rightly financially compensated for their endless hours and investments in equipment, the practice of photography is arts, and hence, it should be considered a "studio" where a photographer is commissioned to create an image, and not a "business" where a photographer is hired to take a picture.

What do you think of our new magazine?

I think with the demise of many print photography magazines, online magazines are the anchor of the preservation of arts. I am elated to be acquainted with Modellenland Magazine and I hope that you will continue to elevate the visual arts.

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