A dormant passion for photography crossed the barriers of intimacy and he started a sparkling career characterized by photographic reflection, in contrast with the author’s restless nature. In less than a year García de Marina gave in to a devotion for photography, unveiled his unusual photographic gaze in social networking sites, and presented his work in various exhibitions.
Since 2011 he uses objects as a means of expression. He is interested in their symbolism, that random connection of elements that a priori lack of relation, condensation or essentiality, in order to translate them into an emotional burden. His work revolves around intuition and ideas, surrealism, and the world of the subconscious and dreams.His work is deeply irreverent with reality, seeking to transform and stamp objects with new identities, challenging the obvious, and paying attention to the greatness of everyday life. The bareness of his photography endows objects with a leading role, while they are stripped of their essence to be reinvented. He seeks to give emotion to a piece of cutlery, to a match, or to tell a story, his own story, with an eggshell.
The artist never gives his works a title, leaving them in a free interpretation, thus provoking a dialogue between his work and the spectator, and let the idea or story end in the mind of the observer; neither does he perform any photographic manipulation on the images. Instead, he transforms the objects creating scenes and looks for the best perspective to photograph them. His unusual creativity has not gone unnoticed by the media, both Spanish and foreign. Individual, group exhibitions and art fairs have allowed him to show his works in different countries around the world. From the minimalism and creativity of his gaze, García de Marina pursues another reality.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
My author name is García de Marina. I was born in Spain in 1975. Photography is a hobby for me now. Myself known through social networks in 2012 when I created my Facebook page.
How did you get interested in photography?
I bought my first camera three years ago. I met people who had a camera and I found very interesting to be able of immortalizing an unrepeatable moment. From the very beginning I tried to make a different photograph, playing with perspectives, frames … To capture the viewer’s attention and to get surprise them, definitely.
Do you artist/photographer inspired your art?
At first I liked the advertising photography as how an image can convey a message. I also drew attention to the phrases with double meanings. When I began to go deeply into the world of the subject, I discovered the work of other authors, illustrators, painters, designers, etc, who used the object as a means of expression.
Could you please tell us anything about your technique and creating process?
The creation process may come from very different places or things, a conversation, reading a text, watching a movie, the details of an object …. any time can be key to start the process.
When I get the idea, I shape it in a drawing and try to remove all items that are not needed. I use the light coming through a window and a wooden board too where I put the objects to be photographed.
I use a Nikon D800 camera and a Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens.
Describe your ideal photographic situation
The ideal situation is when I make a photograph, the viewer observe it and I see that someone is surprised or got a smile. In that time I know that I have reached the goal.
How much preparation do you put into taking a photograph?
All what is required. The placement of objects can take from minutes to even hours. I don´t use photo editor. If I check on the computer that a photograph is not correct, I repeat it to get it.
What’s your useable-to-unusable ratio when you review images from a shoot?
Using static elements I try that everything is in place before photographing it.
Sometimes I need only one shot and in other ocassions dozens of them to get the picture of an object.
What quick advice do you have for someone who wants to improve his or her photography skills?
Practice and try to improve every day a little more. I learned photography through books and internet. Photography is a fascinating world.
From time to time many photographers find themselves in a creative rut or uninspired to shoot. Does this ever happen to you and if so how do you overcome these phases?
In my case I have not had that problem so far. There are times when I am more receptive and others that the process goes a little slower, I think it may be due to the mood.
What future plans do you have? What projects would you like to accomplish?
I want to continue photographing objects, I have many ideas to capture. I wish I could show my work in the rest of Spain and even to take them abroad. Step by step… [Official Website][dodho magazine]
