Interview with Mark Lobo

September 2008: Born in Hong Kong, raised in Tokyo and then Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, Mark Lobo has finally ended up in Brisbane, where he talks about his involvement in Brisbane’s BNE “six degrees of seperation” series.

What have you been up to lately?
Lately I have been doing a lot of creative portrait work which is what I love shooting most.  I’ve just finished a few jobs for some bands and a few still lifes to decorate a client’s home overseas!  My main focus at the moment is to continue on a project I have been working on. It’s a series of portraits entitled “BNE” which plays on the idea of six degrees of separation and the relationships between the people of Brisbane.  The series started out with 6 of my main inspirations and I’m about to start on the second round of images for the project (all subjects selected by those of the first round). It’s an ongoing project that has been showing in galleries around town, and is currently showing at Joshua Levi Galleries in Brisbane.  Hopefully 10 years from now it will be a really massive series. I can’t wait!

How would you describe your own work?

It’s hard to define it in one style as I’m always evolving and changing the way I shoot.  But I guess my favourite shoots always involve the outdoors, grass, clouds and fun, inspiring people.  For me, this is a recipe for some of my favourite images and a fun shoot.  The people I shoot have a lot to do with the end result, as I’m always trying to tell a story through my portraits.

How did you first get into photography?
Growing up in Tokyo, photography has been a part of my life since I was very young.  My sister’s childhood dream had always been to be a photographer.  I did some courses throughout school and ended up inheriting one of her cameras.  Since I can remember I always had a disposable camera with me wherever I went and I guess the need to document life has always stuck with me.

What aspect of your work do you get the most satisfaction from?
I love working with interesting and inspiring people, telling their story and seeing the satisfaction when my clients are happier with the work than I am!

What equipment do you use for your photos?
I’ve used everything from an old canon 300d to a hasselblad. It really depends on what I’m after.  My favourite lens is the Canon 70-200 2.8L IS.  It’s one of those lenses that really delivers a quality image in low light and despite it’s chunkyness, is great for capturing candid moments and genuine emotion from a distance.

Where do you find inspiration?
When I’m shooting portraits, a lot of my inspiration will actually come from the people themselves.  Especially when I am trying to portray their character or tell their story.  In terms of photographers that I aspire to be like, the first name that comes to mind is Jeremy Cowart.  I remember falling in love with his work on flickr.  He has a solid editorial style, beautiful emotive portraits, and I’m envious of his travel photography.  I would love to be in his shoes.

What advice would you have to younger photgraphers entering the industry?
The best advice I could give is the advice I follow from other photographers.  Have confidence in your work, dare to be different and don’t turn down work, it’s all a learning experience!

Links:
www.marklobo.com.au