Interview with my Flickr friend Benquerencia (José Luis Mieza)

1.How did you first get interested in photography? And are you self taught?
Is a long history. Started in 1961 with a Retinette Kodak, after I have had many cameras. I am self-taught, but I learned a lot from the great masters

2.Do you have a favourite walk around lens? If so, what is it?
Summicrom f / 2 50 mm LEICA. His perfection is beyond rules. With him I have done almost all my photos

3. What equipment and software do you use?
I have much equipment, due to many years ago that I take photos
Analog
Minolta Dinax 7 and Minolta 9000 with 7 lenses
Contax RTS III with a lens
Nikon F5 with two lenses
Leicas R4s and R7 with two lenses
Digital
Canon 30d and 400d with three lenses
Epson scanner plane
Minolta scan slides
4 Tripods: Manfrotto, Bílora, Cullmann, Leica
1 Unipode Gitzo
Photometer Gossen

Software Photoshop CS3, Photoshop Lightroom, Neat Image, Photomatix

4 Which one item of equipment is the most important for you?
Analogique, my lens Summicrom and digital batteries and cards

5.How do you decide on locations and subjects?
Always I travel with my equipment. When I see something I like what captured

6.What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
Landscapes, urban scenes, architecture, nature

7.What continues to inspire you as a photographic artist?
What I look for is what I am seeing in the eye of my mind. When I see a landscape or a flower I have them in my imagination. The following challenge is to transfer them to a photo better than the reality. Creativity is the recognition and accomplishment later in the photo one of our own curiosity. First that we must have VISION. When contemplating the causes these things in us feelings in our IMAGINATION Finally to be able to develop PASSION to the VISION and the IMAGINATION Those are the components of our creativity. The creativity needs to destroy it labels that sometimes we have formed on the things. Does Because the grass is green or the sky is blue?. In fact the skies constantly change color because of the same nature is creative. If we contemplated that sky to traverse of autumn leaves it changes the color not to mention the changes that occurs in that grass and sky that the different stations from the year, or rain, the snow, the dusk the dawn. It is not necessary to ask itself As it is the reality? That wakes up feelings but this to me that I see? The creative photography is not for catching the reality, for that is the reportage. The creative photography is for reflecting those that we see with the eyes of the mind. Many people say "those colors to me or that sky is not real" and I ask him to simply "But The photo Is pretty." The beauty of the result is the only important thing. It is something unreal but that the photo in BW and nevertheless all we accepted that there are many beautiful photos in BW. That sometimes in BW we can express an idea or a feeling that better in color. The telephoto lenses also deform the reality? And nevertheless it would be inconceivable without them the photography, or the macro. Cartier-Bresson was so obsessed with transmitting the reality that when positivar its negatives towards positivando until the perforations of the film. But never occurred account of which its reality was monochrome. The colors can be harmonious causing a sensation of peace or that they resisted enormously cause vrillantes or exciting sensations. Sometimes our mind will request to us that we saturate an image and in other than the desaturate. Creativity is the recognition and accomplishment later in the photo one of our own curiosity.

8.What is the one thing that you have not captured on camera you feel you need to express?
I would capture everyday scenes like Cartier-Bresson

9.What other artists have influenced your work?
First Ernst Haas, but now there are many wonderful photographers in Flickr that inspire me every day

10.What other talents do you possess besides photography? And is there another area of talent you would like to explore?
I can not live without classical music

11. Have you met other flick rites in person, and how was the experience?
No, but I would like

12. Any words of advice for those who would like to dig deeper into photography?
Do not worry too much of the technique, which focus on creativity and transferring to the photo what they see in their imagination


13.Of all the photos you've taken, what is your favorite and why?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlmieza/1955727533/


This photo was very vulgar. I was make a treatment in Ps to achieve a dramatic effect. I think what I got is good

14. If you could change anything on flickr, what would it be?
Change "algorithm" Explore. There are wonderful photographers in Flickr that NEVER going to explore. The other things I can not change; belong to the way of being humane. There are people who believe in Flickr gods, lack humility

These are the photos that Benquerencia want to show us in this interview:







Thanks Jose for your kindness and for showing us the the third eye is the much important in photography.

go visit him, he deserve it for sure!
www.flickr.com/photos/jlmieza/

Angela Lobefaro aka angie_real