“I’m one of those dudes with a camera that doesn’t really care about how you took the picture. 35mm, digital, smartphone? I really don’t care how. But I do care about what you captured and the natural feel of every picture.”

Yes, that’s the most important thing about pictures. They have to touch you in some way. Provoke an emotion. And that is what the images of the Portuguese photographer Mike Ghost do. His work is raw, natural and mostly sexy. We asked him 5 questions.

What fascinates you about photography? The first and most important thing is the fact that I can stop time in a way. To capture that moment, in order to make it last forever I need to take really good care of it so I don’t lose it, and the other reason is that “uncertainty” while I’m developing the film. I know the picture I took looked good for my eyes the moment I pressed the shutter, but is it the same once I see the ready image;  it it as if I would be starring at it again?

What is the essence of a good picture? I’m one of those dudes with a camera that doesn’t really care about how you took the picture, but I do care about what you captured. 35mm, digital, smartphone. Really, I don’t care how, I love the natural feel of every picture and I make sure that whatever I’m shooting, would it be fashion, lifestyle and so on, always looks natural. I am not saying a good set up picture doesn’t  work, but I always like to get the most natural look of whatever I’m shooting!

And what do you want to capture in your images? Like I’ve mention before, the most natural feel I can get and I always try to imagine what the “subjects” I am shooting might be thinking in a certain situation. I really enjoy doing that and most of the time when I develop the films I do remember the feeling and thoughts I had while shooting. It’s like this person does have a story and I know they do, but I’m only allowed to capture a fragment of it on a frame!

The most important thing in life? That’s an easy one; to be happy, I’m blessed, I always say that; I come from a big middle class family, I was born in a place next to the sea, with both arms and legs and a huge door to go out when the time was right, so I’ve always tried my best to do what I wanted. I’ve started shooting due to the music tours I was in, so music brought me to where I am now and at one point I was almost thinking of letting it all go and move somewhere else. But then I thought, I got to manage my own happiness, and so I did, I work on my happiness every single day, I got out with a smile on my face and say HI to everyone looking at me, even if they are starring at my long hair, my messy beard or my body covered in tattoos. I say HI, and don’t get banana’s on my; it’s a choice and I chose to be happy. And that helps me to keep on doing what I love!

Where do you see yourself in a few years? I hope I’ll still be here on Planet Earth, shooting people, brands or whatever, touring the world with my band, making some money to buy film and noodles, that’s it haha.

www.mikeghost.tumblr.com 
www.vimeo.com/mikeghost 
Instagram – @mikexghost