Today I have the pleasure to interview my friend Stefan Varga who is the owner and photographer at Focus by Mr.V. I had also the pleasure in the past to act as a second shooter with Stefan and what struck me most was his style of ‘being’ during the wedding day. Thank you Stefan for finding the time to talk with us today.
So Stefan could you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into photography.. and specifically into wedding photography?
I have started with photography when I lived back in the UK and realised that I enjoy taking photos and maybe I should invest into a better camera to have better creative possibilities. That is when I bought my first DSLR and started taking photos for family and friends at first. I always liked the prospect of photographing weddings as I was inspired by lots of UK wedding photographers with amazing wedding portfolio. I have mainly started with corporate events for companies such as Facebook and law firms in London, but I soon realised that there isn’t as much excitement and intimacy compared to weddings. I have photographed my first wedding in 2013 with practically zero knowledge and expectations, but I really hoped that one day I can improve as much as to be fully booked for the entire year and do this for living.
Did you always want to be a photographer from an early age? How did your studies and experiences help you in the photography world?
From an early age I was very artistic. I always wanted to be an actor or a singer and since the first never worked out (and I frankly didn’t really pursued it as hard as I should have) I just gave up and assumed that I’ll spend my adult life working in an office 9-5. When I started with photography more intently I realised this could actually be a full time job one day. When it comes to photography I’m self taught with the exception of couple of beginners courses back in the UK.
How would you define your artistic vision in your wedding photography? (maybe you can include some examples of photos which illustrate this point)
My photography style is natural, documentary but I also focus on classic portrait with well lit subjects. My speciality are black & white and veil shots which I really love taking. The longer the veil the better :)
What books / resources did you find more useful at the beginning of your photographic career that helped you prepare for today?
I find that a very basic DSLR course on how to use my camera was extremely beneficial. Certain parts of photography I believe can’t be thought. You either have a vision for great composition or you don’t. I am very inspired by the work of Annie Leibovitz.
We all agree that photography is not about equipment, though professional equipment helps. Can you tell us what is currently in your photography bag when preparing for a wedding (flashes, triggers, tripods, other useful accessories)? Do you have different setups for different occasions or do you always shoot with the same set of cameras and lenses?
I only ever carry one bag with me, which has 2-3 Nikon Bodies, 35, 85mm 1.4, 12-24mm, 70-200mm, couple of flashes and a remote trigger. I usually shoot the ceremony with three cameras but the rest of the day I’m with my “bread & butter” of 35 & 85mm 1.4 :)
If your whole photographic collection was burning, and you could save just one photo you took, which one would it be and why? (include photo for inclusion)
It would be the only and final family photo I took few years before my father passed away. Back then I wasn’t as experienced but, sometimes it’s memories and not how they are taken that matter.
Which is the photo which took you the most time and effort to take?
It didn’t take me as much time to take, but shooting 3000m above sea level with a very low level of oxygen, with snow above my knees and 10 meter long shadows made it extremely difficult to photograph the couple at the top of a St Petersgrad Glacier in Switzerland.
What are your thoughts on the next evolutionary steps in photography for the future?
I would greatly appreciate software that edits for us and saves us time and effort :D Although there are some AI softwares out there already, nothing so far managed to replace us humans. Thankfully.
Recently during the pandemic, you have shown us a hidden side of yourself as a singer and performer... how much does your personality influence your way of shooting weddings?
During the wedding I’m this basic photographer person, dressed in low key clothes. I’m there to make the couple feel that they are the main stars of the day with spotlight directed at them. I want to ensure every single couple feels special and amazing on their wedding day. When I’m on the stage, or performing it’s all eyes on me. This way you get the best of both worlds. As a photographer I prefer to be quietly unnoticed in the background.
How much does post-production play a role in your photography?
As you know, post-production takes up most time of our year. It’s also my least favourite part of the job as it’s so time consuming. But I genuinely love giving final product to each and every couple.
What are the typical challenges you find as a wedding photographer? How is your full-time work as a photographer gong? Are you happy with your choice of going on a full-time career?
The main challenges are things running late, people getting in the way or not listening when you are speaking. There is lots of time wasted at the weddings which could be spent taking amazing portraits. Very often the couple doesn’t realise that there is no way to re-take the wedding day photos and when they do it’s too late. I am enjoying shooting weddings for now, but I’m excited to see what does the future hold for me. Hopefully music will be a larger part of it that it currently is.
What advice would you give to new photographers to improve quickly and effectively? What advice would you give to the more experienced ones?
Any new photographers wanting to shoot weddings: do work as a second shooter for a year or two, it will tremendously help you to improve your style with much less pressure on you than having your own clients. Nothing can be done quickly, any artists know that their work is never done. It keeps improving and grows with our experience and age.
What are your future goals as a photographer? Do you have any long term plans?
I would love to shoot more weddings abroad and see the world, especially the countries I have never visited before. I am photographing a wedding in Romania this year for which I’m very excited. I’d love to shoot a wedding in Australia, Canada & Disney World one day.