Rendezvous with Hellmuth Conz - An Interview

Hellmuth Conz, is a German photographer by nationality, but has been capturing the essence of India within his camera for the past 12 years. Pursuing photography as a passion and profession, Hellmuth teaches photography and is based in Bangalore. His work is unique and inspiring and has been on display in regular exhibitions. Hellmuth loves the environment, people and India. A short interview with this meister in photography revealed a lot more about his passion for pictures and some very useful advice. Read along!

Hellmuth Conz, is a German photographer by nationality, but has been capturing the essence of India within his camera for the past 12 years. Pursuing photography as a passion and profession, Hellmuth teaches photography and is based in Bangalore. His work is unique and inspiring and has been on display in regular exhibitions. Hellmuth loves the environment, people and India. A short interview with this meister in photography revealed a lot more about his passion for pictures and some very useful advice. Read along!

Your pictures capture an incredibly wide range of subjects, what’s your favorite subject for photography?

People- They’re my favorite because they’re so spectacularly interesting, they’re all so different, and it’s beautiful to analyze them. Sometimes you see a face that’s so beautiful before you, but when they’re captured on camera, they look so very ordinary! And sometimes an average person comes through as gorgeous and natural. People are wonderful, always with a different expression, mood and gesture. Two years ago, I had an exhibition which captured only the hands of different people doing different things, people appreciated it and it was a great experience! I also love architecture. It’s interesting because the way it looks keeps changing. A building never looks the same in the morning, and at peak afternoon, in the rains or at sunset, I love that part about them.

Were you a natural photographer, or did you go to training school?

Photography was always a passion, but I went to photography school as well. I started my training at the age of 14 for three years followed by a series of exams and an internship before graduating in 1973 from Hamburg, after which I was allowed to teach or start a photo shop. It’s important to learn the details of photography to go professional, even though you might be inherently passionate about it.

How did you decide to start teaching?

I wasn’t keen on opening a photo shop since I love being behind the camera at all times and not the desk. I did photography for clients and agencies for a long time- product, fashion, food and architectural photography without limiting to any one kind of assignments. But I like to have my freedom with photography without having to stick to specifications, and feeling like a copy machine. So after a while I decided to shift to teaching for a living. I still do assignments for people but only if I’m given their trust and left alone to do it my way.

Which is your most used or preferred camera?

I use the Nikon F80 and a manual Cannon camera mostly, but my dream camera would be the Nikon D300. It’s got some really high performance, including a high resolution zoom lens which fits my approach to photography; I have an eye for finer details without having too many things in a frame. The camera also has a great resolution, good exposure accuracy and a full frame sensor. It’s perfect!

Is there any equipment that you use to give your pictures a different look and feel? Any special effect tools?

I use a lot of simple stuff which is also very feasible for those who don’t have high budgets. I use stuff like old CDs, tea cups, the necks of water bottles or even ordinary cuttings of white paper, placed before the lens- without spending too much on special effects equipment as it is only a waste of money. A little bit of creativity used can save all that and give equally good or better results.

Which camera would you recommend to beginners and those who are interested in photography in terms of its use and functionality?

One thing I believe in and everyone must remember is that it is not about the camera, but the person behind the camera that counts. You can have the best equipment and still reproduce a horrible picture; while on the other hand, you can have a simple camera and come up with gorgeous pictures! One needs to have a good and discerning eye, great pictures can come from cell phones and regular cameras as well. Some good cameras (SLRs) I would recommend to beginners however are Nikon D40x and Canon 400D. They’re extremely functional, good to use and pretty feasible in terms of their price. But this is only my advice, there are plenty of great cameras out there it really depends on what you like; the way some like a Mercedes and some like a BMW - same with this. As you go further, you choose for yourself what you are comfortable with.

How is it that you’d still choose an analog SLR, to a digital?

I use digital SLRs as well but just as every photographer has his own comfort with his camera, I won’t give up using my manual SLR. I’ll have to maintain that buying an analog to a digital in today’s time isn’t wise. Digitals are a great progression, but the reason I stand by analogs is that you learn the most by using them. A manual SLR means relying on your own judgment and learning, especially for beginners- A digital camera leaves you to its LCD’s verdict; and yet again…. digitals are definitely more convenient, so they both have their own places.

How rich is photography as a profession?!

Oh, the money is great. Sometimes you manage to get up to a lakh for a single days work, (of course you don’t have work assignments in every day of the week at this rate) but it’s great anyway! And all the fields are pretty well paying - be it food, product or fashion photography. Although you definitely need to be a trained and practiced photographer for this, with the coming of digital cameras, everyone can have a camera in their hands and announce themselves as photographer, now that’s not going to work for this one.

Do you think photography a natural talent, or can it be acquired by training and practice?

Umm, you need a good eye that can see things differently. The technical aspects such as use of camera, methods etc can be learned and do help to a certain extent, but like I mentioned before it’s more about the person behind the camera. There is some amount of creativity that is necessary to make a good photographer. Just as you think of new ideas to present a story while writing, so must you think and experiment with new and innovative ways to present an object or whatever it is that you’re going to capture. Look for a different light, a different angle, a different perspective- a photographer needs to think different to be a good one, and that is something no camera will do for you.

What digital software or techniques do you use to enhance your pictures?

None! I’m against using such tools that allow you to change the entire look of your picture by using backgrounds, colors, crops, additional non existent objects etc. That in my opinion doesn’t count as photography, but is straight forwardly graphic design, which holds its own good place if that’s what you admit it is. I use photoshop solely for brightness, contrast and slight corrections. Many people look at my pictures and don’t believe it is not designed to look in that certain way, but everything is possible without using any such software; you just need to break your head on it a bit! As for techniques, I keep it simple mostly and like using good light; my favorite light is natural light or day light.

What would you say makes a good photographer?

If you want to get into the field, I would suggest relying on the judgment of the people around you. They’ll tell you what’s good and what’s not and that is what will work. Listen and be open to good feedback, criticisms, advice etc. But it is important to believe in your self as well, sometimes if you like a picture then stick by it no matter what people say. You always need to keep in mind what people can relate to, and capture in view of that if you want to reach out to them.

Lastly... Is there any photography tip or advice you’d like to give to aspiring photographers?

Yes, one important advice - Think simple and stand steady! Don’t put too many things into one frame while twisting your body in difficult positions to do so - this is no acrobatic act! Stand stable and go close. The closer you go the better.

Hellmuth Conz conducts regular photography courses across many colleges in Bangalore, and can be contacted for photography lessons by email, at bbblore58@yahoo.co.in or by phone at 91 9845642172.