Five minutes with Francisco Arteaga

I just focus on the subject, the situation and try to frame following technic and personal criteria.

Magazine

Our printed editions, circulating throughout various galleries, festivals and agencies are dipped in creativity.

The spirit of DODHO’s printed edition is first and foremost an opportunity to connect with a photographic audience that values the beauty of print and those photographers exhibited within the pages of this magazine.

We invite professional and amateur photographers from all around the world to share their work in our printed edition.

https://www.dodho.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/ban30.jpg

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m forty-two. I’m a Primary English teacher and a part time photographer in Tenerife, Canary Islands where I was born and I live.

portrait

How did you get interested in photography?

Photography has trapped me around ten years ago. Thinking of showing others the world as I could see it was something that really hooked me up very deep. Since that, I’ve been a self-taught person, studying and learning from the most inspiring photographers and sharing technics and concepts with my photography colleges.

Have any artist/photographer inspired your art?

Yes, definitely… My real good inspiration comes from photographers like Vivian Maier, Cartier Bresson, Robert Dosnieau, Anna Delany, Tom Ryaboi, Eric Kim… but I do not miss the chance of learning from any other that catches my attention. I think life is continuously offering opportunities to learn from others and this is a great thing because it allows you to improve and get better in every discipline and also in life itself.

Could you please tell us anything about your technique and creating process?

Well, I really like spending my free time with my camera in my hands and watching street life. I take pictures of people I don´t know and I will never meet but once they are in my frame, they are part of me, they come home with me and they show me who they are, how and what they feel, what they dream… it makes me happy and I love it. I always shoot B&W because it shows people’s souls and dreams…it’s like taking the skin off and seeing inside.

_DSC0845

Describe your ideal photographic situation

There’s no ideal situation in street photography, there are always thousands of them in the streets. It’s up to you to see it and capture it. It’s not about being lucky; it’s about being patient, analyzing and seeing. Most of the times you go home with nothing and sometimes you just can´t believe you captured that moment, that feeling, that situation.

How much preparation do you put into taking a photograph?

I just focus on the subject, the situation and try to frame following technic and personal criteria.

What it really takes is time… in street photography you have to wait, that is something you have to take with you when walking the streets.

What’s your useable-to-unusable ratio when you review images from a shoot?

Well, sometimes I get home and when I download my pics there’s nothing worth and I get really mad and frustrated because I just lost the moment which won´t be ever repeated. Many others, I´m feeling great of what I am just looking at… As I said, everything depends on you out there but never stop shooting.

_DSC0991

What quick advice do you have for someone who wants to improve his or her photography skills?

The best thing someone can do to improve his or her photography skills is to shoot. The more you shoot, the more you learn, realize of mistakes, progress and develop yourself. But shoot, shoot, shoot…

From time to time many photographers find themselves in a creative rut or uninspired to shoot. Does this ever happen to you and if so how do you overcome these phases?

Truly true… right now, I’m having one of them…it’s hard how to tell the way you may overcome these periods where you are not doing right. In my case, my job absorbs most of the time and sometimes not having a break to focus on makes me feel a bit down. What I do is to read the best photographers in History ever…that kicks my enthusiasm out of me and helps me to go out in the streets.

What future plans do you have? What projects would you like to accomplish?

Well, one of my projects is having more time to photograph, to be able to publish more often and my own street photography exhibition. The rest, to improve and get better as a self-challenge…just keep growing. [Official Website]
 

_DSC0971

4 comments

  • Zena MD

    Jun 10, 2014 at 14:41

    Really talented, you’re doing such a great Job! As you say, keep on shooting! 😉

  • Danielle

    Jun 10, 2014 at 15:51

    Nice interview…streets are difficult as mentioned. “The more you shoot, the more you learn…”…completely right

  • AFM

    Jun 11, 2014 at 10:27

    Bravo!

  • Susane Moore

    Jun 26, 2014 at 14:18

    Nice interview, great job.

Comments are closed.

Other Stories

stay in touch
Join our mailing list and we'll keep you up to date with all the latest stories, opportunities, calls and more.
We use Sendinblue as our marketing platform. By Clicking below to submit this form, you acknowledge that the information you provided will be transferred to Sendinblue for processing in accordance with their terms of use
We’d love to
Thank you for subscribing!
Submission
Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted.
- Between 10/30 images of your best images, in case your project contains a greater number of images which are part of the same indivisible body of work will also be accepted. You must send the images in jpg format to 1200px and 72dpi and quality 9. (No borders or watermarks)
- A short biography along with your photograph. (It must be written in the third person)
- Title and full text of the project with a minimum length of 300 words. (Texts with lesser number of words will not be accepted)
This is the information you need to start preparing your project for its presentation
To send it, you must compress the folder in .ZIP format and use our Wetransfer channel specially dedicated to the reception of works. Links or projects in PDF format will not be accepted. All presentations are carefully reviewed based on their content and final quality of the project or portfolio. If your work is selected for publication in the online version, it will be communicated to you via email and subsequently it will be published.
Contact
How can we help? Got an idea or something you'd like share? Please use the adjacent form, or contact [email protected]
Thank You. We will contact you as soon as possible.
Submission
Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted. This is the information you need to start preparing your project for its presentation.
To send it, you must compress the folder in .ZIP format and use our Wetransfer channel specially dedicated to the reception of works. Links or projects in PDF format will not be accepted. All presentations are carefully reviewed based on their content and final quality of the project or portfolio. If your work is selected for publication in the online version, it will be communicated to you via email and subsequently it will be published.
Get in Touch
How can we help? Do you have an idea or something you'd like to share? Please use the form provided, or contact us at [email protected]
Thank You. We will contact you as soon as possible.
WE WANT YOU TO SHOW US YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS SO WE CAN SHOW IT TO THE WORLD
AN AMAZING PROMOTIONAL TOOL DESIGNED TO EXPOSE YOUR WORK WORLDWIDE