When I was around seven years old, I went to a summer camp with a darkroom. I was blown away by that magic moment when the paper is dipped into the developing solution and an image appears. I can still remember the smell, the red light and the black-and-white picture appearing on the paper.
In May 1999, I was finishing an uneventful day shooting news conferences and soccer training. On my way home, I was asked to go cover a fire at a plastic factory. I was so excited by the scene that I got too close to the fire and was suddenly surrounded by flames. I was lucky enough to be spotted by a fireman who helped me get out unharmed. I remember riding my motorcycle back to the office with a couple of bad pictures and without the soles of my shoes.
The assignment that leaves the biggest impression is often an unexpected one. While covering the Tour de France I never anticipated how much excitement I would get from being so close to the cyclists. I could feel their struggle and joy in conquering each stage. It was not a single moment, but the accumulation of many moments over three weeks that heightened the exhilaration for me and allowed me to become part of their story.
Photojournalists are important because we document moments in time through visual evidence. We do our utmost to provide different views of a single event to achive objectivity.
When I go out on assignment, I try to understand the context, so I can capture the instances that encapsulate the essence of the story.
Learning is a never-ending story. There is always room for improvement, be humble and learn from your peers.
