Fotograaf Eric Draht

—Bent u fotogeniek?

—Well, as a guy, I don't think I am. There's a few times where I've been caught at just the right angle, I suppose, and the photo looks passable. I really do prefer to be behind the camera.
The except is on my birthday, the one day I take a birthday selfie.

—Hoe bent u beland in de fotografie-industrie?

—I use to work at a camera store on the weekdays – generally monday to friday. This gave me a decent discount on a lot of very high end gear. I soon learned the limitation of gear – and then I became obsessed with color technique and theory.

—Wat zijn volgens u de belangrijkste elementen van een goede foto?

—Be imaginative.
Don't stick your subject(s) in a meadow, take some photos, and call it a day. Experiment with aperture. Get them wet in the mud. Go out into the rain. Get a smoke bomb. Climb up a tree and take the photos from above. Find your limits, and stretch them.

—Houdt u van reizen?

—Travelling is one of the best parts about my profession! That's why I don't charge travel cost – it's a vacation for me! I make some new friends, meet some awesome people, and get the photos of a lifetime!
If there's one thing I'd like for 2016 – more weddings in crazy, offbeat locations! Places I've never been.

—Wat vindt u het leukst aan uw beroep?

—The travel.
The ability to be appreciated is huge as well. Don't get me wrong – if everyone hated wedding photos, I'd still do it. If I had to pay to do it, I'd still do it. I love being part of weddings that much. I actually a little perturbed if I see a wedding in progress, and I'm not the one photographing it!

—Wat vindt u het minst leuk aan uw beroep?

—The add-on's.
All my prices include tax. You get the maximum amount of images. Everyone can download the images for free. I'm not trying to make extra money, because tacking on extra charges in any profession is just a pet peeve for me.

—Wat ziet u de toekomst van fotografie?

—Wishful thinking – more rule-based photography. Better color theory. Gestalt theory. Rules of composition. Rules of depth.Or it could be a bunch of photographers who don't understand any kind of theory saturating the market. Who knows.

—Wat is er bijzonder aan het fotografiegenre waarin u zich specialiseert?

—The focus is on the bride and groom. Of course it is. But a lot of the focus is on the photographer too – we're with you two all day and all night! I think that's why it's so important to work on interpersonal skills. We have to be the most fun part of the wedding!