Public Republic

Teodora Atanasova Talks with Photographer Eleazar Guerra

Hello, would you introduce yourself?

My name is Eleazar Lázaro Guerra and I was born in Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain) in 1989.

I lived on the island until 18, when I moved to Madrid for studying Environmental Sciences at the university there. I finished my studies a year ago, and now I’m living and working in an eco-village in Finland.

Your photos are very powerful; they are like taken from another world. What is their meaning?

Well, all of them have different meanings and motivations. Some of them express a feeling through a landscape, others the human being as part of the place, integrated in it, others are just beauty as I understand it…
Photo: Ruben flying over Madrid

Sometimes I try to capture a unique moment right as it is and some other times right the opposite, to transform the reality and create something new.

What do you think about Photoshop?

It really depends on how you use it. It can be a great tool for creating absolutely anything or just a way to make the people look more “perfect”, what sadly is its main use.

I’ve mainly used it so far for making simple creations from only one or multiple pictures, and rarely to perfect somebody’s looks. I really want to learn more and use it more often.

Photo: Democracy where are you?

Which is the most important thing in your pictures?

What they make you feel, in both an artistic and a human way.

What do you think about when you’re taking a photo?

Again it depends on the picture. What you think/feel when taking a picture is very different if what you are trying to catch is a moment, a natural symmetry, a human body or the movement of the lights.

What I think about more often could be the right balance of light and colors, in the proportions of the composition, the spontaneity of the moment and if I’m capturing the real feelings and how could I make it look nicer on the editing.

Photo: Burning backlighting at El Retiro

How long have you been involved in photography?

I suddenly started to be really interested in photography in late 2008, when I discovered the possibilities of reflex cameras.

How does art change your life?

Art gives a sense to my life much more and in many more ways than I could have imagined some years ago.

Photo: Silvia in space

It can be just pure pleasure for your senses, an irrational attraction that really fascinates me, as well as how deep can it get into you.

Many of our behaviors and preferences have been conditioned by logical and basic survival reasons, but art is something completely different, that changes totally from one person to another, very often without any clear explanation.

Photo: Frozen splash

Do you trust people’s opinion about your pictures?

Absolutely, although I always try to take into account the experience and preferences of each person, and to figure out why they have that opinion by talking with them.

Photo: Misty walking at Vilaflor

What is the best award for you as a photographer?

To feel that other people value my pictures in the same way I do… and of course, to make a living out of photography without stopping to enjoy it.

Photo: Dani sliding

Check out Eleazar’s website or his Flickr page