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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/282
152 MacDirectory FEATURE company with its own book. And now we're approaching new clients, and we're doing well. It is a trend today to have companies that can handle everything. MD > Beside what we've already talked about, in what other ways do you think technology has impacted photography? CL > A few years ago people were having trouble switching and going digital, but now that's not a problem. So now you have to go beyond that, you have to shoot digital, and do your own post-production. The word photographer is losing its significance. We're more than that, we're image makers. The job of a photographer is to tell a story without words. They say the average person stares at an image for three seconds, so if you make them stare it for 10 seconds, your job is done. Something safe and predicable doesn't get anybody's attention. MD > Why is doing your own post- production work so important? CL > It's just very important to be in on the whole process when you're shooting. We spend a lot of time prepping, what we shoot is very well thought out – that's not to say we won't come up at the end with something totally different, but there's always a detail by detail plan A. It's always good to start with what the client wants, to improve his vision. I believe if you shoot something, that is, after you have a briefing from the client and the agency, you have an idea, you have to finish the work. I think if you hand over something that's not done, you haven't done your job. MD > Do you feel technology has had any negative impacts on photography? CL > The whole thing is, I try not to rely on the tools and I try and teach my assistants not to rely on the tools. Yes, it's easier, but at the same time it becomes a little obvious and I don't want all my work done in the system. Even before Photoshop and computers and digital, a lot of photographers, especially me, were always looking for ways to shoot that are unique and different. The tools make that easier, but the one thing I try not to do is – I want you to not be sure whether or not it was Photoshopped – so when I get a shoot, the client comes in and we talk and we try to put it together, and it's only if it's not something we can do or create ourselves (that) we use the software. A lot of people, will create something (digitally), save it, and come back to that a month from now – so anybody can get lazy and save it and just have a stock they go back to. We don't let anybody save backgrounds. I always want to be involved and solve a problem in a unique way – not just keep going back to a file. MD > Along with launching Pixelpasta you have also started blogging. What prompted this? CL > My BA is in advertising. I became a photographer because I always had trouble getting the images I was looking for. The understanding of what photography is, how retouching is done, and knowing the technical part has helped me with shooting and communicating with the client. So I always had this awareness and anything that catches my eye I'll take it out and study it and try to figure out how it was done. So I'd go through many, many blogs that showed advertising, design, pictures – before it was easy to rip a page, but these days most of this stuff is on the computer, so I started going through and gathering stuff, and I thought if I make a blog online, I can go back, collect stuff, and store it. Even if I don't get any hits it doesn't matter, it will just be for me. MD > And then what happened? CL > In the last year we've doubled in hits and we've gotten hits from all over the world. It's very personal, it's what I like, and I gathered a lot of people who see things in the same way. It's the same as what I always did but I just decided to put it together in a digital way…and you can do that through beauty or something else. So whether you're looking for art with an edge, or just want to be amazed, spend some time at CaesarLima.com.