Interview with Miguel Moya

Hi Miguel! Tell us about yourself in two sentences - who are you?

Hi! My name is Miguel and I'm from Barcelona, Spain. In short, I have devoted my life to high-performance sport and combined that with biology studies. Continuous injuries put an end to my sporting career, which is when I discovered photography. Since then, I've tried to travel as much as I can and capture the essence of the places I visit with my camera; the landscapes, the people, the cities. I also like to collaborate with NGOs and foundations and help to spread their work.

QWhat's the weirdest situation you've found yourself in while taking a photograph?

AI don't know if it's the weirdest situation, but I there was once a curious situation that I remember with much affection. I was in a field outside Pokhara, Nepal, taking pictures of the workers. When I finished taking photos, a dozen children appeared all around me. One by one they asked me if they could take a picture with me. I suppose they found it strange to see a man like me with a shaved head. Afterwards, I took a picture with all of them together and I keep it now as a nice memento.

QWhat do you shoot on? What's your favourite set up?

AI use a Nikon D600 with a Nikkor 18-35 mm to photograph landscapes. I also have a Nikkor 55-200 dx in case I need to zoom in. I recently purchased a Sigma Art 35mm 1.4 and I am sure it will quickly become my preferred lens. In addition to that, I have a Nikon D3100 basic for when I go climbing, or for situations where the weight of the D600 could be an inconvenience. In terms of my preferred settings, I always shoot in manual mode and adjust all parameters before each shot.

QWhat's your number one tip for an aspiring photographer?

AI think passion is very important - really enjoying what you are doing. It's important to take pictures of subjects that you find really engaging, and to never give up - alway push forwards. When you're faced with a landscape, it could take hours until the light is perfect for the photograph you are looking for, or you can walk for days to get to that magical place you want to portray. If you do not feel real passion, it is highly possible that you will not reach your destination, or return home without the desired photo. I also think that respect is very important - respecting people who you photograph, knowing how to approach them and knowing when not to take a photograph. And finally, I think it is very important to read and observe the work of other photographers. Learn from them and look for your own style.