interview with photographer alfredo filipa

Alfredo studied photogrpahy in Peru whilst working as a tour guide to make ends meet. After three months of study he got his first break as a portrait photographer on a cruise ship. Before being offered the job though he had to make his first artistic compromise.

"In the interview the photo manager said to me; 'how is it possible to come here with long hair?' I replied, ‘It's part of my look… to give an artistic impression to my clients." says Alfredo.

"He then asked me whether I would cut my hair if I got the job. I replied that if it were the only way they would employ me then I would."

Unfortunately life on the open water wasn't all plane sailing. "I encountered a lot of problems on the ship. I had not been a professional photographer before yet it was now my job to sell photos. and for this I was shamed by other long-standing photographers on the ship."

"I decided to learn more. I began reading books every night, researching on the internet and watching some of the great photographers that worked on the cruise. However, these photographers were often very guarded with their knowledge, so I was only able to watch them. Everyday I was reading, practicing and telling myself 'I can do it'".

The pressure of taking up to 600 photographs a day though took their toll. Alfredo would argue with the printers claiming that the quality of his pictures was being diminished in the printing process. Eventually news of the disharmony reached the photo manager and Alfredo was asked to leave.

Out of work but with professional experience under his belt he began searching for work once more.

"I had been looking for photo competitions on the internet in order to earn money to pay my bills, when I came across the Friends of the Earth photo competition. It appealed to me because I thought I could prove my worth as a photographer and use my photos to help people. By having a photograph in the Friends of the Earth calendar or in the competition I could show how people in Peru work very hard in a very beautiful natural place, keeping ancient traditions alive." 

It was Alfredo's girlfriend that broke the news to him of his success in the competition.

"When my girlfriend read the winning entrants list on the Friend’s of the Earth website she came running toward me, giving me very nice kisses. She didn’t say anything, she just kissed me. I didn’t complain, I was very pleased, and didn’t want to ask why she was doing this, didn’t want to take any risk to stop this moment. Afterward, I was a bit curious so I asked her what the cause of this was and she told me I had got second position in photo competition. So I was surprised and I said to her, “Oh my goodness! It’s great, let’s do it again!” Of course she didn’t accept it, but I didn’t lose anything!"

"It was a great moment. I was very happy to get a place in this photo competition, because it means I’m not a bad photographer. People can now appreciate my work and understand more about people in the Cusco region."

"So it means I can continue going ahead with photography in the long term." 

"I want to express the reality of my vision in photography. Whatever it is – landscapes, beauty, poor people, rich people, whatever – I must express it in photography. My goal is to be in the right place and in the right moment to get the picture of my life."

Alfredo sees the role for photography in social change. "You can save the lives of thousands of people with photography,” he says. “Imagine if you take photos of a river contaminated by mining and show it to the government, or if you picture humans hunting animals to extinction. I don’t want to create the situation, but I can be in the situation."

"Some day I want to work for some big magazine, or a good newspaper around the world. Now I'm trying again to push my studio and making my own tour agency. Let's see how everything goes."

Follow Alfredo’s work at: www.alfredofelipa.com and www.fotolatinoarteeimagen.com

Working in the salt flats 3000 meters above sea level, Peru.