Meeting Instagramers Gallery artist Rodrigo aka @rodrigorivasph
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Instagramers Gallery, located at Espacio Fundación Telefónica, Fuencarral 3 in Madrid, is the first Instagramers Gallery in Europe, where you can find a permanent exhibition of stunning photos printed on picblocs and amazing artwork of 20 mobile photography artists from all over the world.
Instagramers.com wants to highlight the story of each artist, revealing their passions, experiences and other great artists they have met through or inspired them on Instagram. On Instagramers.com they exclusively share their vision of the world with some funny off the record questions and they’ll be sharing their best Instagram tips with us.
Today we are happy and honored to introduce you to Rodrigo, @rodrigorivasph, also known for his black & white street photographs (although lately he snaps in color too).
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“My name is Rodrigo Rivas, I’m a professional photographer and photo trainer, from Madrid, specialized in documentary photography. I’m a member of Instagramers Academy in Spain.
I love photography, films, arts, sports, and I’m a passionate fan of the USA.”
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You can find Rodrigo here
Some funny questions!
You are: Weird.
You would like to be: Me.
3 items to take to a desert island: My smartphone (with a lot of batteries xD), a notebook and a pen.
What has been your most bizarre life experience: While living in the United States, on a trip to Pennsylvania, I was making some photos in a field belonging to a garage. While taking the photos, a car stopped and a man (veteran) approached me and threatened me with a gun to tell me to leave the area because it was private property and could not take pictures. If he did, he had the right to shoot to invade the area. In the United States it is a constitutional right.
A super power would you like to have: To be invisible (it’s perfect for my photography).
If you ruled the world: Everyone would have access to good education.
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In ‘real’ life
Happy alone, in love, married or it’s complicated: In love.
You love: I love walking everywhere, knowing all the things around me, watching the little things that often go unnoticed, traveling and meeting new people and cultures. I love living and photographing everything from a photographic perspective. It is my essence, my main activity. Right now, I think I could not live without photography.
You can’t stand: The hypocrisy and double standards of people. Personal growth is proportional to the desire we have. I do not like people who talk a lot but do little.
A song that best describes you: Actually more than a song is a fragment of a soundtrack, “My Name is Lincoln” from the movie “The Island”. I think everyone in life is Lincoln, and I think we have a personality to see beyond. Only in this way we get unstuck from our own limits, and those who are imposed on us.
Your hobbies: Although it is my job I will also say: pictures. I also love cinema, music, reading, traveling… and USA.
A trip you dream of: Return to live to NYC. Nothing better than that.
A quote: “Photography helps people to see.” -Berenice Abbott
A wish: To be happy forever. 😀
Someone you admire: I admire all people who work to get what they want.
What more must we know about you in one phrase: Don’t judge a situation you’ve never been in.
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Your life on Instagram
Your Instagram birthday: Summer 2011
iPhone, Android, DSLR: iPhone and DSLR
Instagram for professional or personal use: Professional
Define your style in one word: Eeeee, in two words it would be: light and shadows.
Daily time spent on Instagram: One hour
Favorite hashtags: #streetphotography
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A filter: #nofilter, thnx!
An App: ProCamera
A gadget: My iPhone
Pictures that must be forbidden on Instagram: Selfies and coffees.
An improvement for Instagram: The last few months Instagram added many useful features; but I think they should make some improvements when it comes to organizing your followers (similar to Twitter). It would be very useful to have lists.
Life without Instagram would be: More difficult for my work, and more boring personally.
An Instagram user we can’t miss: NYONair (@nyonair), I think it’s magical to see NYC (and other places) from above.
Anything else? Travel the world and you’ll learn something.
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Describe your favorite picture:
This photograph is made in the Atocha railway station in Madrid. There is an area with multiple light and shadows. For my style of photography it is a great place, and many city fellows know that. I have always believed that going to work for many, is a hard and unpleasant time. And that’s precisely what I tried to show with this street photograph.
Techniques used (for editing):
The edition of this photograph is quite simple. First you have to pass the photo to black & white. Secondly, increase the contrast of the picture by increasing the black area and giving a little more exposure to the light areas.
At last, I give a little focus to the entire picture to emphasize that loss that occurs when you take the picture. And that’s it! In my photography it is often more important the photographic vision of what is happening around me and editing is secondary.
What do you think of being a new artist in the Instagramers Gallery in Madrid?
“For me it is an honor to be on the walls of the Instagramers Gallery. A pleasure to have my photographs among many colleagues that I admire. But for me, the greatest pleasure is to have a place where people can see my work, my world view, every day.
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You can find Rodrigo’s pictures at Instagramers Gallery, located at Espacio Fundación Telefónica, Fuencarral 3 in Madrid. Open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 8pm.
All pictures at the Instagramers Gallery are printed by our partner Picglaze.
Thank you so much for sharing a little more about you and your life. It’s been a pleasure!
Kimberly for @igersgallery
