Fotografia, ca profesie, este foarte competitiva.

Kevin Casha este un fotograf renumit. A castigat toate premiile de fotografie pe care le-a putut oferi Malta. Nascut in Ianuarie 1958, domnul Kevin Casha a fost de patru ori (1986, 1991, 1993, 1994) fotograful anului in Malta. In 2004 a primit distinctia de fotograful anului la MIPP: Malta Institute of Professional Photography. Este membru SWPP.

Zilele trecute am realizat cu Kevin Casha un video-interviu la Londra, filmat cu Sony RX 100 II, in care am discutat despre Asociatia Fotografilor din Malta. Cum sunt organizati, ce cotizatie platesc, ce beneficii au?

Am discutat si despre fotografii profesionisti versus fotografii amatori din Malta, si am aflat lucruri interesante, oarecum asemanatoare cu cele din Romania. Va recomand sa urmariti cu atentie simpaticul dialog vizual, contine informatii interesante.

Un alt interviu in extenso despre Kevin Casha va invit sa cititi aici, pe www.fotomagazin.ro

Am spicuit cateva intrebari si raspunsuri:

S. B.: Ma bucur ca ati ajuns sa va bucurati de roadele efortului dumneavoastra pedagogic. As dori insa sa aflu care este povestea dvs, ca fotograf profesionist?
K C. : Sunt de parere ca cele care m-au adus in acest punct au fost in mare parte determinarea si pasiunea mea pentru fotografie. De fapt, ca orice om, indiferent de domeniul de munca, am zilele mele proaste, cand ma intreb „Oare ar trebui sa-mi schimb cariera si sa fac altceva?”. Ce ma convinge si ma ajuta sa merg mai departe, sa muncesc mai mult, este faptul ca raspunsul la acea intrebare este, de fiecare data, un „NU!” hotarat. Ceea ce inseamna ca sunt fericit in aceasta activitate si mi-as dori cu adevarat sa imi inchei viata de munca cu aceasta cariera incredibila. Am inceput sa ma implic serios in fotografie in jurul varstei de 22 de ani, cand m-am alaturat clubului de fotografie din Malta. Incepusem sa particip la diverse concursuri cu pozele mele. A fost greu la inceput sa reusesc sa am succes, avand in vedere ca aceste competitii erau aprige. Totusi, am staruit iar rezultatele au inceput sa apara. Am ascultat cu atentie si am absorbit toate sfaturile si criticile fata de imaginile mele. Astfel am reusit, incet, incet, sa ma perfectionez. Astfel am putut sa ma ocup de fotografie mai mult timp, reusind sa cumpar un echipament mai bun si sa experimentez mai mult. In cativa ani, am reusit sa imi deschid propria mea afacere de fotografie si sa renunt la jobul nu tocmai captivant de la guvern. Am facut acesti pasi unul cate unul, incercand sa imi creez un numar cat mai mare de clienti inainte de a deveni un fotograf cu norma intreaga.

S. B.: Care sunt domeniile educationale care va intereseaza ca instructor, in Malta si in Europa? Ce forme de pregatire oferiti?
K C. : Sa fiu sincer, ador sa predau incepatorilor si tinerilor. Entuziasmul lor este atat de puternic incat se transmite usor, alaturi de vointa de a invata si de a reusi. De asemenea imi place sa armonizez cursurile intre teorie si practica. Tehnica este importanta, insa nu este totul. Ceea ce face un fotograf sa fie cu adevarat bun sunt creativitatea si imaginatia. Dar nici precizia in observare nu trebuie sa lipseasca.
Principalele mele pasiuni in fotografie sunt portretistica, moda si glamour, asa ca este si normal sa fiu entuziasmat in timp ce predau aceste teme. Mereu am in minte faptul ca cei care vin la cursurile mele, o fac din doua motive: pentru a invata si pentru a se distra. Fac tot posibilul sa le ofer pe amandoua. De asemenea ma face foarte fericit faptul ca pot calatori in alte tari nu numai pentru a preda dar si pentru a invata de la fotografii locului. Am predat in tari cum ar fi Anglia, Italia, Irlanda, Corsica, China, Kuwait. Anual sunt prezent la Londra, unde predau in cadrul SWPP. Ma simt indatorat fata de Societatea pentru Fotografii de Nunta si Fotografii de Portretistica din Marea Britanie, care mi-au remarcat potentialul, m-au incurajat si mi-au oferit posibilitatea de a preda la nivel international. 

Kevin Casha – Born in January, 1958, is a Maltese Photographer He is four times the Malta Photographic Society’s (MPS) Photographer of the Year (1986, 1991, 1993, 1994). He is also the Malta Institute of Professional Photography’s (MIPP) first Photographer of the Year in 2004.

In 2004 he was also awarded the MIPP Award of Recognition for outstanding services rendered to local photography. Casha’s work for Maltese photography also makes him the only photographer to have been awarded Honorary Life Membership of both the MIPP as well as the MPS. Between the years of 1994 and 1996, he was elected President of the MPS and from 1996 and 2006 he was President of the MIPP. Again, he is the only person to have served terms as President of the two main and only photographic organizations in Malta.

In fact it was Casha who started the MIPP as a professional organization to help get working photographers together as well as establish the training of future photographers. The Institute, aimed at regulating and raising the standard of Maltese professional photography, also provided a much-needed voice to the photographic business community. Under his guidance, the Maltese Government officially recognized the MIPP and collaborates with the organization when relevant legislation on photography is needed.

Casha started his forays in the world of art when as a young boy he used to paint and draw. He was educated at the Malta Lyceum where he gained his Advanced level in Art at the age of 15. He later continued to study art under two renowned Maltese artists (now both deceased), namely Esprit Barthet and Antoine Camilleri at the Malta Polytechnic (between 1974 and 1977).

After leaving school, he started working as a Government Civil servant but his work was mainly with the Agricultural Ministry, something which was not much to his liking.

Finding that photography suited his lifestyle better, Casha started learning photography and attending the MPS in 1982. From then onwards, he never looked back and managed to succeed in leaving his previous governmental job and going into full-time photography in 1988.

Well known for his classical and traditional portraiture, Casha is a Fellow of the MIPP as well as the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers. He also has Associateships with The UK Master Photographers Association and the Malta Photographic Society.

Since establishing himself on the local photographic scene, Casha has always crusaded to increase the standards and recognition of Maltese photographers. In 1990 he coordinated the first ‘Malta Photography Yearbook’ a book aimed at showcasing the best Maltese photographers can offer. He has also provided his photographs on books such as “The Knights of St John in Malta”, “Malta-Its Archaeology and History”, “Maltese Food and Wine”, “Reflections on Life”, “Wines of Malta” and “Malta”.

Casha was the driving force behind the MIPP’s establishment of Qualifications for Maltese Photographers. These qualifications were introduced in 2001 and were formulated on the same lines as those in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, under his guidance, the foremost photographic association in the UK, the SWPP, later recognized the standards of the Maltese qualifications and agreed to give reciprocal qualifications.

In 2001 he won Fashion Photographer section of the Malta Fashion Awards.

In 2003, Casha was instrumental in bringing over to Malta the first International Congress of the Federation of European Professional Photographers.

Casha works constantly to educate other photographers and many beginners attend his regular courses in photography.

In 2006, the Maltese Government appointed him Technical Coordinator of a new major project aimed at establishing a National Picture Archive on the island. Casha himself has single-handedly worked so that this Archive safeguarding historical Maltese photography became a reality. The Archive, housed at the National Archives of Malta is presently working on digitizing and cataloguing old Maltese photographs and will soon be making these available on line for researchers and the general public.

On the personal front, Casha has staged one man exhibitions of his photography in Italy, Corsica, USA, Sicily and Malta, his first one “Images 86” at the Fine Arts Museum in Valletta, Malta. He has also won many personal awards in international photographic exhibitions and salons. He writes a monthly blog on the Maltastar.com website.