Chitchat: Ricardo Santos Meireles

May 19th, 2010

Your Full Name
Ricardo Santos Meireles

Tell us about you
Well there isn’t much to tell…I’m a 29 years old architect, photographer and I’m a dreamer. My education moved around art since I was a young guy. Normally I do like to mingle the architecture with photography inside a conceptual view.

Not long I have embarked on other fields of photography as dark / horror, landscapes, beauty, fashion, nude art, conceptual, places I visited and of course architectural spaces.

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great photographer?
I can say that there are several types of ingredients that can origin someone to become a great photographer. It is part of the formation of any photographer know how to use the equipment and the better you know it’ll get more out of it, but for me the main essence of any great photographer is someone that could be able to see the atmosphere and so fundamental to explore what to capture. Know how to be in the right time, in the right moment. A picture worth a thousand words!

Where are you located?
Lisbon, Portugal

What is the most fascinating part of being a photographer?
The most fascinating part for me in the role of a photographer is when I do that click and think; here is a single shot of my life that can tell a story, a memory registered in a bidimensional support. And when you really look at it you see the essence of what was evolving that split second.

Where do you get inspirations from?
My inspiration is something widespread … may arise from anything, it depends very much on time, place… is not something I can say, is this!

Do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work? If so, how?
Well mostly I promote myself by internet in several url of photography and related…or other public media like art magazines, did some photo exhibition in some places, even so I also pass the word, people my friends do it also…or someone o see my work and spread the name. About selling my work, well is kind’ a hard… I get some attached by an emotional feeling of my work, but of course I do it, and am good to know people like it at that point to buy. About showcase of my work, I can include it in the promote section.

set_photographer_ricardomeireles01

If you have a long range goals in your life. What is it?
I got some, like become a great architect and photographer, design my dream house, love and be loved…simple things of life and to be recognized as someone who did great things during my life!!

What types of assignment/ project are you attracted the most? Why so?
Normally the projects that attract me the most are those which give me the freedom and opportunity to do what I want. They end up as personal projects in general. Despite seeing a wide range of work in different areas of photography, I’ve obvious more into conceptual photography on the concept of subversion of reality.

Who is a photographer that you look up to? Why so?
ManRay! For me is one of the great photographers who had large influence on me during my apprenticeship, was part of the movement by which I identify myself that is surrealism. Is vision in art in general and particularly in the relationship between painting and photography, is simply brilliant, and I quote: “I paint what cannot be photographed, that which comes from the imagination or from dreams, or from an unconscious drive. I photograph the things that I do not wish to paint, the things which already have an existence.” (Undated interview, circa 1970s; published in Man Ray: Photographer, 1981.)

set_photographer_ricardomeireles02

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
I’ll try do explain it in general. I often find myself with a common problem that is: I got an idea thought out plus studied, and sometimes the difficulty is in the practice like, finding the right place; when it involves people, having people who fit the scheme; accessories…Basically is to have the means to!
The way that I come up to find to overcome, always depends on case to case but in general I try to find other alternatives that result in the same concept.

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting our lifestyle?
Internet is a great way to develop in terms of globalization; we know what has being done across the globe in real time. It gave me the opportunity to meet new artists; photographers; architects with great works and it surely deserves all the credit. I believe that without a vehicle like the Internet, everything would be much more difficult and obviously I’m thankful and I try to make the most of it!

If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
Perhaps the answer would be yes, but I think that if I had the opportunity, I could change a little at times in the given times, but in particular I’m not sure I change my life strategy..

set_photographer_ricardomeireles03

How do you keep your work fresh? Do you need to consciously adapt your style or does it progress naturally?
As I like to diversify…my work is almost the times different, I mean, I don’t get bored with it and is good to adapt myself in any work I got to do. I see it as a challenge and is affirmative that is being done consciously.

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.

Wallpaper Magazine
ElCroquis
DpMag

What is your life motto?
if life is to remember, it is better to remember a lot that very little, something like this!

In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?
No matter what the environment, love to walk through the city, the countryside and index small moments, those fleeting moments that I mentioned earlier, in the sense that when I let the time flow and shoot without worries. When there is a specific work, despite shooting in indoor and do like to explore technical terms of lighting, I prefer to work with the outdoor with the environment; urban; rural.., it is a complete and different adrenaline.

set_photographer_ricardomeireles04

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
I love being near the sea, to sit and listen the wind blowing gentle and the waves hitting the rocks, to see and ear the seagulls flying over the skyline and feel the smell of ocean salt water. Is medicinal and it gives me tranquility and peace.

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?