Interview with my Flickr friend Toni (Don Gato)

1. How did you first get interested in photography? And are you self taught?

I did my first photographies in 1984, with a Konica of my father, but leave the photography because not have time. The photography return years later with one Canon Eos 650 analogical, though I not dedicate time either, it was not until the year 2004 that I enter into the photography with more interest, and last year when I buy my Canon 350D really I was interested so, and learning of self-taught form, with the former method of trying and failing.

2. Do you have a favorite walk around lens? If so, what is it?

Sincerely, not too much, I try to photograph everything what is called me the attention, flowers, landscapes, portraits and for comfort I use habitually my 18-55 mm that there allows me to realize the majority of my shots without too many problems

3. What equipment and software do you use?

Since I use equipment basically 18-55, though also I have 55-70mm and 100-300 mm that it them buys for my former analogical camera, also I have a professional directional flash, and a tripod, and some filters as the Raynox for the macros.

The Software that I use principally is Picasa, though in enough occasions, I am daring to use photoshop with more frequency, or Adobe lightroom for portraits.

4. Which one item of equipment is the most important for you?

I do not have a preference to any piece of my equipment especially, in these moments I have everything what I need, I am amateur, who enjoys the photography, and though in some moment I would to have some better lens, I feel satisfied what I have.

5. How do you decide on locations and subjects?

Always I take my camera with me everywhere, some times I see a landscape and stop my car to take a few photos, or go for the street and take my camera for the same thing, only when I had occasion to have someone as model, have thought more in them pose and in that photos to take, even like that, I leave a lot of freedom the person to move of natural form and to be herself, while I take my photographies

6. What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

In the last months, my favorite subject they are the flowers, I enjoy when I’m taking macros and exploring in his intimacy in search of forms and colors that call the attention

7. What continues to inspire you as a photographic artist?

The nature, it is what more me inspires, the plants, the forests, when I am in the middle of the nature, I want to photograph it, and also the city, am lucky to live in a small city, with a medieval wonderful neighborhood, and I much likes to walk with my camera along these streets taking photos.
By the way, when I see photographs of my friends on flickr, I’m inspired lots of times, and I learn so much of all of them.

8. What is the one thing that you have not captured on camera you feel you need to express?

A night storm, with lightnings and intense rain, I am really anxious, and also I want to be able to realize photographies of my city covered by the snow, this it seems will be complicated enough.

9. What other artists have influenced your work?
I love the photography and I enjoy contemplating the works of famous photographers, personally I Like Cappa's work, but who really have inspired me, they are all in flickr, and I am lucky to take them as friends, do not want to give names, because they are so many people that could forget me of anyone of them, but yes, lots of flickr friends are who really have inspired me

10. What other talents do you possess besides photography? And is there another area of talent you would like to explore?

Well, I'm a writer, I write poems, and erotic tales, I like a lot and I have a few blogs about poetry or tales. I'm happy when I Imagine a story or I'm inspired to write a poem, and photography are very near to poetry for me!!


11. Have you met other flick rites in person, and how was the experience?

I have known many persons in flickr, virtual friends, who finally have turned into real friends, and with that I feel happily and satisfied, all the experiences have been really incredible and wonderful, personally, I recommend to the whole world that should have meetings not only to interchange experiences but also to create a strong friendship


12. Any words of advice for those who would like to dig deeper into photography?

It is complicated to give advices but would dare to say that to be advancing in the photography, the best thing is to see many photographies, of all the styles and types, to be able to see the world with photographer's eyes. when we seeing the world across the eyes of other people, helps us to discover very much our own way of seeing the same world
13. Of all the photos you've taken, what is your favorite and why?

My favourite photo is one of my son called floating www.flickr.com/photos/quiero-un-pantano/290756192/in/set-72157600055797378/, the reason? Because I think this photo was a big step to a change on my photos, and too because this shot was my first #1 at Explore on Flickr

14. If you could change anything on flickr, what would it be?

This it is a difficult question, I believe that I only would change a thing, and i would be that the own photographers could moderate your images, and that the freedom of expression was total at the moment of showing photographies, but it is very complicated, because for many people, the freedom of expression is all, and really, it is not this way, in a public place, we must respect the others, and to have the enough aptitude to decide if an image coild to be offensive to other persons, and unfortunately not all the members of flickr thinking that.

These are the photos that Don Gato want to show us in this interview

1)Purple Light



2)Skate board uh ah ah



3)Cadena / Chain



Thanks to Toni for show us what tick inside the Gato's head ;-)

Angie_real aka Angela Lobefaro