An Interview with Tomas Nossek
By Anastasia Tsypkina
Tomas Nossek, Interview on Lens Magazine Issue 34
Tomas Nossek is the young photographer from Czech republic. A few months ago he went to Guatemala to take some photos and I managed to catch him on his exhibition and asked about his trip and photography on the whole.
Hello! Congratulations for your first serious exhibition. How do you feel about this exhibition?
T.N. Hi! It’s a huge step in my photography career and I’m very grateful that I could show my work to people. It was my first exhibition and I’d change a lot of things now. I have a motivation to improve it in the future at least!
Copyright to Tomas Nossek © All Rights Reserved
Tell us about the concept of the exhibition?
T.N. The idea was to show the work at the coffee farm, which is totally unknown for most coffee drinkers. I wanted to catch the whole process, it’s like a story!
Why have you chosen this place to travel to?
T.N. It was a spontaneous decision. The only thing I knew about Guatemala was the coffee industry. After we bought the flight tickets, we started to organize the trip.
What was the most emotional moment you’ve experienced there?
T.N. We came to the ruins of Mayan city during the sunset, we were the only two people in it, that was breathtaking! Another great experience was the sunrise in the middle of the jungle near to ancient city Tikal, you could really feel how nature wakes up! Also seeing the daily life in Guatemala was very emotional.
How you came up with an idea to be a photographer?
T.N. I’ve been riding a skateboard since I was young, which very close to photography! That was the main purpose at the beginning, to shoot my friends on a skate. Two years ago I got two cameras – the digital and the analog one. Today I’m trying to use both types. I can say that I like analog more because of the feeling when taking a photo.
Where do you get an inspiration for your photos?
T.N. I’m enjoying the light which goes around different shapes and creates shadows. I’m a passionate shadow-hunter! I’m also searching for pure situations of human’s life which we can find in the streets.
Have you got any guru photographer whom you’d love to follow or who might have been somehow a teacher for you?
T.N. At the time I started taking photos I lived with Gavin Smart in Edinburgh. He is such a wonderful photographer, he is the one who introduced the world of street and documentary photography to me. My heroes are Josef Koudelka, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Erich Hartmann or French Fred.
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How to create a successful photo?
T.N. Just keep your head on and eyes widely open. You can also study some great photos and use them as your inspiration.
Tomáš Nossek would never take pictures of…
T.N….something I wanna enjoy straight and not through the camera. Something like a music show or the waves of the sea.
Read the full interview on Lens Magazine Issue #34
Copyright to Tomas Nossek © All Rights Reserved
Copyright to Tomas Nossek © All Rights Reserved
