Arhaic by Stefan Neagu

I was born in December 30th, 1978 in Onesti, Romania, and, without even asking me, they registered me on the the 1st of January 1979, although I felt comfortable with my natural birth date.

My parents have given me the first lessons of culture and they made my approach to it, by starting taking piano lessons since I was still a little boy. With a library full of painting and photo albums, and with my dad also passionate about the visual arts, access was very easy, the only effort being to stretch out my hand, grab an album and start browsing. With photo cameras was harder, the only device that I was allowed to use being a “Smena”, lomo version. Better than nothing. I think that from here started my visual education. Nothing forced, I’d even say natural.

The more intense study of technical and compositional details occurred relatively recently, photography giving me a balance between who I am in everyday life, a dentist, a husbant, a father, and “my moments” as I like to call them. The desire to learn „by the book” made me study at New York Institute of Photography, layering an information contained otherwise chaotic in my mind. The study, however, I think will never end…
I think that photography can be considered the simplest form of expression, of communication. Sometimes it does not need words, description. Not even a title. Everything is in the frame. It gives you, the viewer, the freedom to see it in your own way and even give your own title. It lets you interpret it the way you want, to choose your own story. It may happen to be the same story as with the author’s, sometimes not, but is the story that’s clear in your mind, it’s the one that makes you resonate. One’s photographs „betray” his fascinations, passions, anxieties or unrest. It’s the same with the viewer.

I never liked to tell anyone what to see in my photos. But I liked to listen to what others have seen in them, often issues that “escaped” me, maybe things that I have not given enough importance.
I do not know to be something new to discover about photography. But everyone has the freedom to discover Photography.

On the tehnical side, since 2013 I’ve been using the Fujifilm X system, wich seems to help me express my thoughts and feelings in the best way. My photographic kit consists of Fuji X-E1, Fuji X-T10 and Fuji X-T1 bodies and 23mm 1.4, 27mm 2.8, 35mm1.4, 56mm 1.2, 90mm 2, 18-55mm and 55-200mm Fujinon lenses, along with an “80 Zenith and my grandfather’s ’57 Zorki film cameras. [Official Website]