Interviews Interview with Mario Moreno
Mario Moreno spent his childhood in South Africa until the age of 12, after which his parents shifted to Spain. His interest in photography began at the age of 18. Mario’s wildlife and landscape works have been internationally awarded over the last three years. Several images have also been selected as finalists in the prestigious BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Some of his clients over the past 10 years include Sony BMG (Spain), Kiteboarding Magazine (USA & Germany), Wild (South Africa), Travel Africa (UK) to name a few. Mario constantly travels around the African continent in search of that “Perfect Moment” . . . .
Could you narrate to us the story about the start of your photographic journey? How did you pursue the same as a career?
Photography came into my life when I was 16. With the savings I had, I managed to buy my first camera …… a Yashica 2000 Super. This changed my life completely and I got hooked to the art of “visual expression”. I have always used self-tuition to evolve as a photographer. In the early days it was with the help of book, magazines and a lot of trial and error shooting. With film, it was extremely difficult and I had to wait days to see if I got it right. In the late 90’s everything changed with the arrival of digital technology. This is when my photography began to progress both in quantity and in quality. My first digital camera was an EOS 10D. At this point my work was starting to get exposure and my motivation went through the roof.
Your album boasts a wide variety of different kinds of photography. You have created miracles with wildlife, still life, human, sports, the list is endless. Which is your favourite genre till now and why?
My true passion is wildlife and landscapes but I do like to venture into other genres every now and then. Kiteboarding is a genre I enjoy shooting and have achieved many cover shots on renowned international magazines over the last 10 years. Being in the African wilderness is what really gets my heart pumping. The African scenery and the unpredictability of wildlife fascinates me. You have to constantly search for that perfect moment and sometimes travel to extremely remote areas where I really feel at home.
“The purpose of my photography is to share moments, places, feelings and emotions with the viewer.”
Keeping in mind the different varieties of photography in your palette, do you keep changing your camera, depending on the kind of shoot, or is it the lens that matters the most?
It’s a combination of both. Some cameras are more suited for portraits or landscapes and others are perfect for sports and wildlife. I work with two Canon EOS 5D MKII which is a perfect camera for landscapes and good for wildlife. I use a selection of long lenses for wildlife and wide angle lenses for landscapes.
Do you ever go out to photography with a specific purpose in mind? Do you have a certain feeling you want to express and go out to find an image that will satisfy this?
If it’s landscapes, I plan ahead, find the perfect location and visit it several times under different light conditions to pick the right moment. If it’s wildlife I know which park or reserve I will be exploring and will have certain subjects in mind but as I said previously, wildlife is unpredictable and you never know what will come your way. The purpose of my photography is to share moments, places, feelings and emotions with the viewer. As much as possible I want the viewer to visualize and feel the moments I experience.
“…I want the viewer to visualize and feel the moments I experience.”
You have clicked some outstanding shots of the sea. Do you usually hunt for waves while clicking pictures, the way surfers do, or do you prefer to just concentrate on the mood and the lighting?
As a kiteboarder I love the sea and always look for spectacular waves if possible but taking into account the mood and light is always a priority.
You have shot people extensively. How do you manage to create a rapport with them, given that most of the time, you don’t even speak the same languages?
This can sometimes be tricky due to the language and cultural barriers. Most times they accept to pose but in some cultures it is believed that taking their picture is like stealing their soul and they will not let you. I do like to capture people in their environment when they don’t know that I’m there. The results are far more natural.
“Being in the African wilderness is what really gets my heart pumping. The African scenery and the unpredictability of wildlife fascinates me.”
We understand that you are an ardent fan of wildlife photography. How did you get hooked to his genre?
I was born in South Africa and as a kid we would often did family trips to Kruger. This has to be what started it … In 1989 I did my first real trip to Kenya and Tanzania and this experience blew me away in every possible way. Since then I have returned many times and have fallen in love with wildlife.
Your work has led you to travel to many distant and remote places. Which has been the most challenging till date and how did you overcome the same?
Exploring the Central Kalahari game Reserve in Botswana on my own without any back up vehicles or satellite phone has probably been one of the most challenging. I went there with good planning and had to be ever cautious about the tricky situations that could have arised.
People like to talk about their 'lucky breaks' but I think it's more hard work and passion that leads to a breakthrough to becoming a professional photographer. When was your breakthrough?
I would say in 2000 things changed for me, thanks to digital that made everything easier.
Several of your wildlife and landscape images have been selected as finalists in the prestigious BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, which is a very big honor. Could you share the experiences with us?
Over 35,000 images are submitted in this prestigious photo competition each year. Being selected for the final round does not mean receiving an award but does place you among the final 500 images which is a reward in itself. For 3 consecutive years I have gone that far in the competition and I am now looking forward to this year’s edition.
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