Public Republic

Mariana Velichkova’s interview with the photographer Apolonia Castilla

Please tell us more about your path into photography.

I started with photography at the age of 9 when I bought a
compact camera. I had a couple of compact cameras for 20 years and I bought a SLR camera and several Practika filters and developed personal photography goals and then started shooting mostly everything about my family.

I love the landscapes in the village of Viver in Castellon where I entered in a number of photography contests. Three years ago, I wrote about photography courses and I bought a Cannon, SLR digital camera. I have done two shows and won first prize in a photography contest called capital of Valencia “Valencia Valenciana sonrie” of the Federation of Commerce.

What would you like to convey through your pictures?

I believe that within the arts, art photography is more personal because my vision is what I see through my camera and I can see the contrast when I compare it to other photographer’s work.

I realize this more now as I search the Internet for web photography and realize how many different views are possible. It’s wonderful
to know that not all are equal and we can see things in very different ways.

What have you discovered about yourself after you started taking pictures?

I like the scenery or concrete details of a whole portrait.

How do you see the world through your camera?

Depends on what surrounds me at that time. The photos are snapshots of life that is around me, so it depends on my surroundings.

Your pictures bring a special atmosphere. Is creating of that warm, cosy and maybe a little nostalgic feeling that emanates from them one of your pursuits in photography?

I like photographing old things on doors and windows. They give you
an idea of the passage of time and I think we should keep some things in our past, what better than a photograph to capture it?

What is the most important message in your photographs?

I do not want to give messages to my photos. Photography for me is a pleasure and I would like to see people enjoy my images as I do making them.

Would you please share some of your discoveries about photography?

I have no problem with that.

What is a dream project you would like to be a part of ?

I would like to make an exhibition of photos of where I grew up and
lived. Valencia is a neighborhood where known personalities were born such as Cabanyal Blasco Ibañez, Sorolla and brothers Benlliure.

Biography:

Apolonia Castilla was born in Valencia (Spain) in 1963 and her job is not related to photography at all.
At the age of nine her parents bought her the first camera, and since then she has taken photographs of her environment and family life.
She had an analog camera and a reflex camera when she was a teenager.

Three years ago she bought a reflex digital camera, and it seemed like another world to her, absolutely different because she can modify the photographs on computer programs, please, I would not never want to do without this capability again.

She prefers rural subjects over portraits.
She participated in two exhibitions and won a second award in a provincial exhibition.