访谈四〇期 / InterView vol.40
Andrés Medina生于1978年的西班牙马德里，现在是当地一家广告公司的创意总监。他的摄影都是胶片作品，大多数是用中画幅拍摄。Andrés自学摄影，有时也会问摄影师朋友，也在书中和网上寻找牛逼的摄影师。他喜欢捕捉生活中的瞬间，并让它们存活、安放在摄影的记忆中，并试图在每一张照片中融入自己的情感。他经常找到一些平时人们不会去的地方拍摄。他的作品大多为空镜头，假杂志想要重点推荐的是他的“夜景”作品。本文选取他的两个系列作品。
Andrés Medina was born in Madrid in 1978. He works as art director at an advertising agency in Madrid, Spain. In his work he only uses analog cameras, mostly medium format. Andrés taught himself to use these cameras and measure the light, asking other photographers and seeing the work of the ‘great photographers’ in books and internet. He likes to capture special moments in his life and his aim is to keep them alive and safe in his photographic memory. He tries to convey a sense of emotion within every photograph he makes. In general he seeks out places which you wouldn’t usually expect to be photographed. Most of his works are empty lens, and what we want to recommend is his night landscape works. In this interview, we choose two series from him.
Ⅰ、城市夜景 City Night
Ⅱ、湮没的精神 Spirit of oblivion
When did you first get interested in photography? Do you stillremember how you started?
Well, I always had a camera close to me. When I was 7, I got a Kodak 150 with cartridges as a present, it was my first contact, nothing important. With my first salary I bought a compact digital camera and started experimenting. About two years ago I discovered my attraction to analog photography. First was a Lomographic camera, the Diana+, but soon learned more about medium format cameras and I got a small collection.
What does PHOTOGRAPHY means to you?
Is a medium for showing what I feel and see. Now is an important element of my life, thanks to it I seek doing something new everyday. I’m more awake with my eyes wide open to what surrounds me.
Speaking of “master”, who will you instantly think of? Please talk about him / her in your own words.
To be honest, I haven’t had the opportunity to learn directly from anybody, I have been self taught and I like to watch others work. Trying to keep the things I like and learn from that. I have many references and influences, like some Stanley Kubrick films or some photographers with whom I have a strong connection, like Todd Hido, Robert Adams, Peter Bialobrzeski, Michael Wolf and Peter Hujar among others. Flickr has also been crucial with my progression in photography, seeing the kind of photography I like and discover other photography talent.
Your works always have a good construction, could you talk about your consideration before you shot a image?
Well is possible that is related to my profession, I’m graphic designer. Also that I see a lot of photographic material everyday. Two important aspects that influences my way of seeing and ordering what I see. I enjoy discovering new photographers and revise the work of those I follow, this helps my visual culture.
And it seems you like to shot in night, why?
This kind of photography involves thinking each photog carefully, visualize how the photo is going to be. I meter incidental light with a lightmeter, but also I go out without it. I try to apply my experience to this kind of photos and usually I get the desired results.
Personally, going out at night to photograph is something very especial. It takes me away from all the tensions of the day and I feel really comfortable. I consider it something really romantic, because of the search of lonely and empty places.
The reason for choosing film, is a challenge. Is a fight with yourself, trying to overcome yourself. Also is something very especial, waiting since you take the photo till you develop it. See the final result is a great experience.
I found SEEKING Magazine from the links in your mail, Could you talk about the original ideas to set up the blog magazine SEEKING? Do you have any further plan?
Seeking Magazine is a personal project which I started at the end of 2009. The original idea was to create a photography blog to show the work of new unknown photographers from the Spanish and worldwide scene. I mainting it with the help of my two friends, Alvaro Muñoz-Aycuens and Samuel Hervás which are also photographers. For the time being I have concentrated the efforts on publishing interviews to get to know the photographers better.
摄影对你的意义是什么？
是一个能呈现出我感觉到和我看到的东西的媒介。现在是我生活中的重要部分，多亏有了它我每天都想要做些新鲜的事情。我更加清醒地张大眼睛关注着周遭发生的一切。
你什么时候开始对摄影感兴趣的?是如何开始的?
从小我就开始和相机有亲密接触了。7岁的时候我得到一个礼物，是柯达150相机和胶卷。那是我第一次接触到相机，虽然对我影响不大。我拿到第一份工资后去买了一部小型数码相机，那之后才开始尝试拍照。大概两年前我发现我对胶片摄影很感兴趣，先是买了个LOMO相机，Diana+，之后很快又喜欢上了中画幅相机，现在我收集了一小部分相机了。
说到“大师”，你会马上想到谁？请谈谈你对他/她的看法。
老实说我还没什么机会直接师承他人，一直以来我都是自学，看别人如何摄影，或是收藏喜欢的东西并学习。我有许多参照和影响的对象，比如斯坦利·库布里克的一些电影，还有一些和我经常联系的摄影师，比如 Todd Hido 、 Robert Adams 、 Peter Bialobrzeski 、 Michael Wolf 还有 Peter Hujar 。Flickr 在我的摄影中有着很关键的作用，在上面我可以欣赏自己喜欢的摄影，以及发现其他的摄影天才。
你的作品构图很好，能谈谈你在拍照前是如何考虑的吗？
那可能与我是个平面设计师有关，加上每天我会看许多摄影资料。这两个因素影响着我如何观看和排列我看到的东西。我喜欢发现新的摄影师，修改我喜欢的摄影师的作品，这有利于提升我的视觉文化造诣。
你似乎喜欢在夜里拍照，为什么？
夜景照会让观者去细细思考每一张照片，去想象一张照片是怎样拍成的。我用光度计测量微弱的光线，不过有时出门也不会带。我将平常的经验用到夜景拍摄中，通常都会得到我想要的效果。
就个人来说，晚上出去拍照是很特别的体验。它带我远离白天的紧张，让我感觉很自在。在寻找孤独空荡的场所时是很浪漫的。
选择胶片摄影是因为它具备挑战性。你得与你自己作战，得克服你自己。并且从你拍照到你将照片冲洗出来的等待过程是很奇妙的。看到最后的成果时，那感觉简直太棒了。
在你给我的邮件中我发现 SEEKING 的链接，能谈谈创立在线杂志 SEEKING 的初衷吗？还有什么更远的计划？
Seeking 杂志是我在2009年底开始做的一个个人项目。最初是想介绍一些新的不知名的来自西班牙以及世界各地的摄影师。 网站的维护全靠我两个朋友的帮忙，Alvaro Muñoz-Aycuens 和 Samuel Hervás，他们也都是摄影师。目前我集中精力准备出版一本访谈集，以更深入地了解被访者。
访谈：言由 / 假杂志版权所有，转载请超链接本文网址
Interviewed by Yuan Di / all images © Andrés Medina; Please link Jia Za Zhi, if you want to use any part of this aritcle