10 questions with a lawyer (and it's not about law)

Cristian is a lawyer who has been practicing law since the last 30 years but he is also a brilliant photographer and an avid traveller. Cristian M was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1953. He lives in Argentina and has been "married for more than 30 years to a wonderful woman". He has two children - a daughter and a son and two grandsons.

I met and spoke with him for less than 5 minutes when i had visited Agra in October and he took my picture and emailed it. We have been in touch ever since. When i asked him if i could interview him for my blog, he readily agreed. 


So here's presenting my first interview on this blog with an amazing photographer and a very generous man… hope you enjoy it!

1. When did you start taking pictures and what got you interested in photography in the first place?

C: Many years ago, when I was probably 17 or 18. I just felt attracted to the power of images to convey all kind of feelings. 

2. What camera do you use, the lenses you have and the software you use?

C: I use a Nikon D3x. But I always carry with me a small camera: Canon S95. Lenses for the Nikon: a fisheye, a 105mm (for portrait) and two zooms 17-55mm and 18-200mm. The latter ideal for travel. Software: Photoshop (for just the basic), Camera Raw & Bridge (both part of the Photoshop package), Kolor Autopano Giga for panorama stitching and Tiffen Dfx (I strongly suggest you try the latter).

3. What are your other passions besides photography?

C: Music. Can’t live without it.

4. Which is your favorite travel destination that you would like to go back again to? 

C: Paris first, Venice second.

5. If you had an option and no restrictions where would you like to go?

C: Afghanistan.

6. Tell me about your favorite picture

C: Despite the fact that my photo collection is now over 40,000 it didn’t take me so long to make up my mind on this question. It’s a photo that I took to my daughter when she was a baby (some 32 years ago). I developed and printed the picture myself. Now I need to find the scan to send it to you. I have been unsuccessful so far. (A: He still can't find it)

7. There is a sense of solitude in almost all your pics, as it there was no one but the subject and you when you clicked. It's obviously not true and i am sure there were a million people around, but i love this quality in your pictures.

C: Sense of solitude in the photos. Yes you are right. Why: because I like portrait photography. Just the subject; anything else is a distraction unless I want to distract the viewer to that something else. Now the Venice carnival is completely different (on the streets) to, for example, the wild Rio de Janeiro carnival (never been to it but famous worldwide).  The people that disguise in Venice have that formal but intriguing look.

8. If you could be something else - not a lawyer - what would you want to be?

C: An image and music producer or integrator. Anything that combines images with music. Otherwise: orchestra director.

9. A quote / saying you live by?

C: Absolutely always be fair.

10. What inspires you?

C: Being useful to people.

Click here to see his gorgeous and inspiring photographs. And don't miss the pictures he took of the Carnival at Venice and the Angels.