“I write down my ideas and thoughts in my sketchbook and if I still find them interesting after some time then I think about it how to realise it. I don’t do much research.”
Matjaz Rust
Matjaz Rust (born in 1982) is a documentary photographer currently based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He’s currently studying photography at VIST, Ljubljana. For Matjaz Rust photography is a means to make sense of the world.
“Artist Profile” – Matjaz Rust
Matjaz, why did you become a photographer? And what does photography mean to you?
I wanted to be a newspaper photographer for some time and I did by chance, without any knowledge, experience or even portfolio. I got a first job at a tabloid where they just asked me if I own a camera and if I can start on Monday. So I did. And slowly I became a photographer.
Now, photography means a medium trough which I express myself and also a way of looking and understanding things around me.
How would you describe your photographic language and creative process? How do you plan and execute a project? Both technically and conceptually?
I write down my ideas and thoughts in my sketchbook and if I still find them interesting after some time then I think about it how to realise it. I don’t do much research and I usually do projects that don’t let me go. Technically I’m limited with the equipment I have. And I like to wander around.
Which photographer has inspired you most?
I’ll list a few. Weegee for his realism and humour, Lewis Hine for his sensitivity towards his subjects, Jeanloup Sieff for his book and Philip Blenkinsop for his integrity.
What’s your favorite inspirational quote about photography?
I don’t have favourite quote about photography or at least I don’t remember one. Usually I have problems with quotes, I don’t like them very much.
What kind of camera and equipment do you use?
An old Canon 5D, 35 and 50 mm fixed lenses. Oh, and phone.
What’s your favorite website about photography?
“American Suburb X”, and “MACK books”.
What book about photography would you recommend?
Gérard Wajcman: “L’objet du siècle”. It’s not so much about photography itself, but you start see things differently.
Which advice would you give someone who wants to get started with photography?
Go for it.
