Hi Armend, please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into photography.

My name’s Armend Muqkurtaj. I’m a 22yo guy from Sweden almost done with my 4th semester studying Advertising, Graphic Design and Visual Communication at the University of Kalmar.

I’ve always been fascinated with colors and shapes which is what drew me into the world of Art and all it’s depth, including photography. Taking photos has always been a fun thing to do, but never really got into it or explored the possibilities photography had to offer until I got my first real digital camera, which was on my 17th birthday. That’s when it all started, when my passion for photography was lit.

What kind of camera do you use, and do you use any additional gear when shooting?

I started out with a Canon EOS 300D which was a great “professional” camera for beginners. You weren’t limited to the possibilities of taking amazing photos by your hardware.

Today, not many years later I’m still a loyal Canon user. Unfortunately due to my living situation, being a broke-ass student most of the time, I’m limited to sticking with reasonable cameras and equipment in my price range, meaning a Canon EOS 400D. Other gear in my backpack other than the 400D house and 18-55mm kit-lens are my Sigma 55-200mmD 1:4-5:6 DC, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, an Canon RC-1 remote controller and a Hama Star 62 tripod.

Have you had any professional training as a photographer?

None. I’m a self-taught amateur photographer. Google really is a great friend! There are endless help-sites, tutorials and inspirational sources out there to help you grow and inspire you for photo ideas.

Being a graphic designer, how does that influence the outcome of your photos?

Having a background into graphics, it’s allowed me to view things differently through my viewfinder when it comes to form, colors and especially composition. Being able to set up an image in my head and going a step further in thinking as to where and what possibilities the photo has of being used and applied on to print, websites etc. Also being able to compose a photo with a message, a way of communicating with the receiver on the viewing end, without really saying anything “The medium is the message”.

This doesn’t mean I sometimes don’t simply see something nice and have to capture it because it’s pretty, but mostly there’s a process of thought behind it, or so I’d like to think!

Do you have any hobbies apart from photography?

I’m a huge music fan, which is also a major source of inspiration for me, as well as movies. I’m also a web designer/webmaster maintaining a few websites online on my spare time. Other than that my responsibilities don’t leave much room for other stuff to do so I try to spend what little time I have with friends, family and at the gym.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m currently applying for a transfer to study Graphic Design in Melbourne, Australia, which is also something I’d like to do once I’m done with my education. That is move to the United States, UK, or Australia maybe? Somewhere interesting to work as a graphic/web designer with photography on the side where I can do some more personal and creative projects.

Have you done anything silly lately, a funny story perhaps?

Usually crazy and funny things seem to follow wherever I go (I wonder why!), but lately not much has happened. Other than accidentally peeing on my cat (crazy cat jumped up on the toilet seat), and watching my friend being forced to eat a pizza slice in Denmark due to a similar-language misunderstanding (she was saying 18kr (SEK) but it sounded like ‘Ät den’ (eat it) and well… he started force-feeding himself).

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, it’s a pleasure to have you as a photographer here at stockvault.net

Thank you for a wonderful site. I know myself and my classmates have used it’s content during assignments and projects we’ve had.

Hi Homero, please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you  got into photography.

Well, my name is Homero Nuñez Chapa and I’m from Mexico (This is my city). I am 38 years old,  I am a freelance seller in a print shop and I do some graphic designs as well.

I started to take photos 1 year ago when I met a girl that takes photos and she takes beautiful photos with her compact camera, and she encouraged me to start taking photos.

What kind of camera do you use, and do you use any additional gear when shooting?

My new camera is a Kodak Easyshare z8612is, but I used to take photos with a Samsung 815 pro, but it is broken now (some kind of an accident). No, I don’t have any extra equipment, only my camera and my home made DIY light box, something like this.

Have you had any professional training as a photographer?

I don’t have any professional training as a photographer, but i learn a lot by reading articles on the web.

Most of your photos at stockvault are of objects and mostly isolated on a white background. Can you guide us a little bit through the process when you are shooting?

I take that kind of photos, because I hope someday to take better photos and sell them on Micro-stock sites, I try to take photos every day and practice more.

The process of taking this kind of photos is very simple.  I take the photo in my DIY light box,  I usually shoot at night to achieve whiter backgrounds and then, if it’s necessary I adjust the levels with Gimp (Photo editing application), and that’s all there is to it.

Do you have any hobbies apart from photography?

My hobbies… I read a lot (Jose Saramago, Gabriel García Márquez, José Rubén Romero, Roberto Fontanarrosa, Jorge Ibargüengoitia, etc), I also read some blogs,
and I like the web. I’m learning web design (I am an self-taught person) and I like to travel. 3 years ago I visited Buenos Aires and Santa fe, Argentina ( it’s funny, in that time, I did not have any interest in photography and the photos of my travels are really bad).  I have traveled a lot in my own country and now I’m saving up some money because I want to travel to Europe.

Have you done anything silly lately, a funny story perhaps?

Everyday I have funny moments, the people I know say that I have the capacity of laughing at any trouble. I don’t know really… well just a few days ago, I was driving my old car at night (my city is a “tough city”), then a vehicular transit officer in patrol stopped me because the lights of my car were broken. He wanted to give me a ticket (usually the officers want some money to avoid the ticket), I refused to take the ticket, and he asked for money, I said no. Well, he said, then give me the “Montblanc pen” in your pocket because the ink in mine ran out. And I gave him the 12 pesos bic pen in my pocket and he let me go.

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, it’s a pleasure to have you as a photographer here at stockvault.net – Is there anything you’d like to add?

I think Stockvault.net is great, thanks for the site, and thanks to the photographers for sharing!