11/10/2018
Interview of a Street Photographer - with Joao Morais
Each week we will feature one of our members from the Street Photographers Community, ask them 10 questions, share their images and their insights.
This week we have the great pleasure to interview Joao Morais, he is originally from Lisbon but has spent the past 20 years in Hamburg.
See more of his work in his Street Collection on G+
https://plus.google.com/collection/0qHoME
Interview by teresa pilcher
1.How long have you been shooting Street Photography?
I started shooting Street last year.
2. Do you have a camera or lens of choice?
My main camera is a Pentax K-1. I love it because of its robustness, haptics and full frame sensor. Unfortunately it is quite obtrusive due to its size. Therefore I use an Olympus PEN-F as well if I want to shoot in “stealth-mode” and carry lightweight gear.
Basically I always prefer to use prime lenses. My standard focal lengths for full frame are 35mm, 55mm and 100mm. For the PEN-F I use 17mm and 45mm.
3. How often do you shoot at Street?
I’m afraid not as frequently as I would like to. Time is a constraint 😞
So I try to shoot at least every weekend. I also decided to take the PEN-F as a permanent companion during business trips. On vacation I also like to travel and then I shoot very intensively.
4. Do you shoot any other genres?
Since my youth I shoot Landscape, Product and Architecture Photography. Especially Architecture is a genre I really like and continue shooting. This is reflected on my “solids” collection, here on G+. I’m also trying to do first steps in Minimal Photography too. But again: time is a constraint.
5. Are there any photographers who have inspired you?
There are many photographers I admire. Some of them are well-known. Old masters like Saul Leiter, Vivian Maier, Man Ray and Robert Doisneau. Contemporary photographers like Sarah Moon, Ragnar Axelsson and Sebastião Salgado. And many fellow photographers here on G+ with really remarkable works. It is often a joy to see so much dedication and talent in the non-professional field.
6. When you process your images, do you have a preferred editing system?
I like to use Lightroom / Photoshop for post processing.
7. Is there any advice you would give to beginner Street Photographers?
- Don’t move too fast. Stop and observe your environment.
- Visit places in different times of the day and night. Locations change over day.
- Ensure you know your gear well. Often you have to be quick while shooting street.
- Don’t discourage if you come home from shooting and realise that you must scrap the whole content of your memory card because the results are not good enough. This is normal from time to time (for me at least…)
- Learn to be patient. Street photography is perfect for that.
8. Are you formally trained or self-taught?
I am self-taught.
9. Why do you shoot Street?
Street Photography is a funny game where you try to stage a scene with actors who don’t know they are part of the scene. You cannot tell your “actors” what they shall do but you can try to predict certain situations and constellations, search the ideal shooting position, wait and hope that the right moment comes. Or you discover suddenly great opportunities and must react fast but precise to get your shot. This makes it really interesting.
I guess I could already observe before I started shooting Street. But since I shoot Street I can observe faster and my photographic instinct gets better.
Finally, I like the aesthetics of the human interaction with its environment.
10. Three words that best describes your style....
Monochromatic geometric simplicity.
