Interview with:
Mark Barzman
Where are you born and when?
Ukraine, 1966
Where do you live?
San Rafael, California, USA
When and how do you start your path in photography?
Ever since I was a little kid I loved the magic of the dark room. Spending time there with my dad was special. But I got more serious about it only after my college graduation.
Who were the three photographers that inspired you at the beginning and who are the three ones that inspire you now?
Please add links to the pages where the images are shown.
At the beginning:
Henri Cartier-Bresson and Richard Avedon. When it comes to fine art, it’s almost impossible not to mention Helmut Newton
Now:
Ruslan Lobanov https://www.ruslanlobanov.com/
Thomas Holm https://store.commandoart.com/
Pavel Kiselev http://www.photokiselev.ru/
Did you go to a school or are you a self-taught?
Self-taught: lots of books and practice
Do you make photography as a living?
It is a serious hobby and I intend to keep it that way.
What do you like in photography, what is your motivation?
Photography is a great way of self-expression. On top of that you get unique results even when you try to imitate somebody :)
Always try to learn something and improve. That motivates me.
What do you want to express or arouse in those who watch your images?
I’m trying to tell a story with my images and infuse emotion. I create my images to be a story, perhaps a fairytale or maybe a sculpture. Hopefully it will leave you impressed, amused or entertained after viewing it.
What are your preferred moment(s) in the creation process?
Getting to know the model and working on a concept.
What are your three most representative images, and why?
Please add links to the pages where the images are shown.
That’s a tough one. I’m all over the map and still experimenting. Below my links. Please see if you can tell me which ones make some trends/patterns.
https://barzman.smugmug.com/Studio
Playground at flicker:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbarzman/albums
Burning Man collection for fun:
https://barzman.smugmug.com/Burn
What equipment and/or techniques do you use?
It is not a matter of brands/lenses, it is mostly about analog/digital, preferred light (natural/flash), how much post-production, etc.
Canon 5d3 with 24-70 for fine art, 70-200 and 16-35 for landscapes.
Lightroom and PS for post-processing.
How and why your work as changed since you started?
While working with models I’m slower now and not trying to get as many photos as possible. I’m spending more time on the same setup paying attention to details without rushing.
I used to over-process many photos. I think I’m better now
What do you think about the fact that nowadays photography is mostly enjoyed on the Internet?
Internet is a great learning and exploring tool for photography. But I don’t think ’enjoyed’ is the right word. For the most part people just scan photos stopping for a fraction of time. Therefore, almost everybody I know is printing now. Printed art slows you down and allows you to really enjoy it.
Why did you decide to join the nudeartzine project?
Obviously, by selecting my photos nudeartzine has proved its good taste :)
Seriously though, having your photos selected validates your efforts and tells you are doing something right. I really appreciate the feedback. At the same time I see some incredible work here by great and much more experienced photographers. I really hope in success of this project!
Would you have an insight or advice to give to whomever is watching your work and wants to learn photography?
As a trained scientist I can tell you there is no shortcuts and miracles in photography. You have to practice it in order to improve.
Also, I highly recommend printing books. it is a great exercise to look at your pics critically and try to tell a story.
What are your plans in the future?
Working on several books now. Planning photoshoots with dancers. Constantly learning new technics.
On what page our readers can find more of your work?
https://barzman.smugmug.com
https://www.instagram.com/markbarzman/
Would you like to add something else?
Really enjoyed this interview. Have a great light!
Books by Mark Barzman
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