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DAMIAN DE LA FERRA
contemplative and street photography / portraits, events, performances,
artistic projects
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Hi!
I don't really know what to say about myself, I'd much rather prefer that the PHOTOS you see on the pages of my website do the talking.
I just like to pick up my CAMERA from time to time and try to capture something in the world around me that's BEAUTIFUL, UNIQUE, MYSTERIOUS.
For a long time it was just a hobby, and there have been years when I haven't even touched the camera because other things seemed much more
important or interesting. PSYCHOLOGY for example, which I have studied for quite many years and which finally led me to work as a counsellor
for couple of years. But somehow I've always come back to PHOTOGRAPHY and found capturing a good photo much more FULFILLING than anything else
I've been doing at that time, so a year ago I decided to make a big CHANGE in my life and finally dedicate myself mainly to photography.
I bought myself a good camera, went out to take PHOTOS OF PEOPLE on the streets of Central London the next day … and felt HAPPY.
Now, a year later, I can call myself a semi-professional PHOTOGRAPHER I guess - I have made some money with my photos and have had some of them
published here and there, in a Dutch schoolbook for example. But it's still all LEARNING, and also wanting to do much more and much better PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
- a type of photography that I find absolutely most INTERESTING, and also most CHALLENGING. People are just so fascinating - it does not happen very often that I take a photo with no people in it. I did recently a course in JOURNALISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY
which I really enjoyed, although I'm certainly much more PASSIONATE about showing beauty and mystery through my photos than showing that something has happened
or someone has done something somewhere at certain time. I also love doing STREET PHOTOGRAPHY, and I do it much more than I show on my photo pages, but I just
think there are some ETHICAL issues involved in taking pictures of strangers on the street without them knowing or consenting to this -
especially now when photography is so ACCESSIBLE and street photography so increasingly POPULAR. So I do it because I LOVE doing it but I only show or
publish something when I believe that the QUALITY of the photo clearly outweighs the ethical considerations … and very often it doesn't.
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• Damian De La Ferra is my artist name which I use for my photography work - my real name is Kaarel Damian Tamre, you are welcome to use whichever you like more … or just Damian.
• I'm 42 years old and I come from Tallinn, Estonia, although for last 7 years I have been living in London, UK.
• I have also worked for over 10 years as an infographics designer and editor for some Estonian science and nature magazines.
• I like reading and thinking, noticing what's beneath the surfaces and appearances of life, practicing mindfulness meditation (not very regularly though), and for last
3 years I have been absolutely addicted to a wonderful
movement practice called 5 Rhythms dance.
• Some of my favourite photographers and biggest influences are Sally Mann, Kathy Grannan, Nan Goldin and Duncan Raban, but there are also lots and lots
of other more or less well-known photographers whose beautiful work I love and admire.
• Some of the clients who have used my photography so far: Chantraine Dance School (London), The Hay Hill Gallery (London), Malmberg Educational Publishers( Holland), Rhodes Hotel (London),
The Upcoming magazine (London), Loodus magazine (Estonia),
London New Year's Day Parade, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (London),
30 Day Gratitude Challenge (Australia).
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