Please introduce yourself
My name is Xose Casal, I´m a 39 years old fine art photographer living in Girona, Catalunya ( North-east of Spain).
How did you get interested in photography?
I became interested in photography as a teenager, by then I arranged with my father a black and white lab in the bathroom, and started to explore the magic of analog photography. My personal life and professional career distanced me from photography, but I returned a few years ago and started again the activity with the Digital era, now focussed on landscapes and long exposure photography.
Do you have an artistic/photographic background?
I studied Photography and History of Art at high school but I’m basically self-taught.
Which artist/photographer inspired your art?
I really like the concept of negative space used in oriental art and somehow I try to apply it to my images. I have also been influenced by many photographers, from close friends to acclaimed artits, to name them all would be impossible, but I really like the work of Michael Kenna Josef Hoflehner, and Michael Levin.
How much preparation do you put into taking a photograph?
It depends, sometimes I start to work on some idea much before taking the photo, then I must mature the idea, look and search for the appropiate place, or just I must wait till the weather conditions are the right ones.
Some other times it´s just luck, because I find a great new location at the appropiate moment and condition.
Which places have been your favourite shooting sites so far and why?
Almost all of my photos are taken in an area of 2-3 hours from where I live, I look for weather conditions that allow me to photograph at the first hours in the morning until lastin the evening . I haven´t too much time to travel so I preffer closer spots. I usually go to south-east French coast where there are a lot of lakes (from Perpignan to Marseille).
Photographs with such long exposure make the world look really desolate and lonely. Why have you chosen to present your works in such a form?
I like the idea of seeking a dialogue between the real and the unreal, easily recognizable objects in an ethereal atmosphere as a result of the long exposure, I like simple compositions , easy to read, that invite the viewer to contemplation and free interpretation.
What do you do in your life besides photography?
I´m a proud father of two Children (7 and 3) besides photography I spend my time with family tattoos and rock ´n´roll music.
What future plans do you have? What projects would you like to accomplish?
I dont wanna to think too much about future, just still enjoiyng life and photography.
Website: www.xosecasal.com