Dreams. They can be happy, fluffy and vivid. They can also be more gloomy, rainier and darker. Both of them are a mix of reality and magic. Rafa Macias, also known as Oroyplata, shares his dreams - his reality with magic - with us. Macias is based in Valencia, Spain, but he takes his viewers on a journey to a land far away, in dark, bewitched forests with magnificent creatures. Enjoy our conversation!
What inspired you to be a photographer?
My photography career started by accident, my wife gave me my first reflex camera a few years ago, it was then that I discovered a new and unknown world and fell in love with photography.
What was your first camera and what do you shoot with today?
My first camera was a Nikon D3100 - it’s also the same one I shoot with today!
When someone looks at your photos, what do you want them to take away from it, what are you trying to communicate?
I try to create an image in which you can feel identified with and bring a concept across, at the same time looking for harmony and beauty
What is it that you love about photography?
I love the beauty, the unreal, the different concepts, the harmony and the darkness it can make you see and feel. I’m just in love with photography!
What has photography done for you?
It helped me admire beauty where there isn´t any. It also helped me to meet new people and to grow as an artist.
Do you try to be conceptual or do you prefer to show the feeling behind a photo?
Personally, I opt for conceptual photography, although I love to achieve both things in the same image.
How do you describe your style?
What I try to do is to transmit a concept with an image and to do so I use a very careful editing process. In my style I take on the conceptual looking for the unreal.
If you had to choose one lens which one would it be and why?
50mm, f/1.8, definitively. I´m in love with that lens.
What are your 3 tips for others who want to become better photographers?
1. Look at a lot of other photographs for inspiration and learning.
2. You should always work around your light. Your light is the main element.
3. Never neglect the importance of post processing part.
Have you received negative feedback from your work? What did you do about it?
Yes, and it helped me grow as an artist.
Where did you learn to take photos?
I´m self taught - mostly I’ve got help from my friends.
Raw vs jpg and why?
Definitively, RAW. You get the absolute control you need to do what ever with your photo later on.
What do you carry in your camera bag?
I carry my Nikon D3100, lens 18-55 f/3.5, 50mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/1.8. Also, a tripod and remote control.
If you could have the gift of a great photographer who would it be and why?
I would choose Erik Johansson´s talent for his technical control and Joel Robinson for his magic and way of transmitting in his photographs.
What is the most common mistake you see people making when shooting these days?
They start shooting without an idea, a vision.
What is your dream location to shoot?
Fog, forests, and mountains.
How do you decide on where to shoot a photo?
It depends on the idea I have in mind.
What is next for you? Any planned adventures with your camera?
I have planned a lot of fun adventures. One of them is to go to a spectacular place outside of Spain.
What is your goal with your photography?
My main goal is to always enjoy it and to meet new people and in someway connect with hem through my photos.
For more fascinating photos from Macias, visit his profile and Facebook page.
