Brought to Light – Mobile Photography/Art Interview with Robi Gallardo

“I was born in Hong Kong in 1962 and live here with my wife and two children. I spent my high school years in Manila, the Philippines, then worked for a year or so before heading off to Paris to study Art History at the American University of Paris.  What a place to study art! What a place to live as a young person!

I worked with an interior design magazine as an editor, writer and desktop publisher and I’m presently the editor, desktop publisher (or whatever the term is these days), photographer and occasional writer for a weekly newspaper”.

©Robi Gallardo

Describe a moment that changed your life.

There are quite a few, but going to university in Paris is a definite biggie. Almost in an instant I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone. My horizons broadened. Even more amazing was seeing and experiencing, up close and personal, things I had hitherto only seen in books or movies.

I recall a particular moment, early on. My friends and I were walking down the Champs Elysees as we explored the city; it was late afternoon. We dashed across Place de la Concorde to the gates of the Tuilleries Gardens. We all turned at the same time to look at the Arc de Triomphe in the distance and in that instant twilight took hold and the street lights up and down the boulevard all came on. It was magical. The moveable feast was on and the people with whom I shared that experience have been friends ever since.

Describe a childhood photographic/art memory.

Using up all my dad’s oil paints on my various little painting projects as a little kid (all those butterfly images made by squeezing some paint into the crease of a folded a piece of paper, pressing together then opening it up to reveal, voilà! A butterfly!)

Being handed my first honest-to-god SLR by a professional photographer friend of my parents, along with two prime lenses and a basic light meter. I still have it in my possession.

‘Conference call’ – ©Robi Gallardo

Describe your mobile studio.

An iPhone 6 Plus crowded with apps. I’m pretty sure I have more photo apps than I actually useat least 70! My usual go to apps would be Snapseed, 645 Pro, Provoke, Mextures, iColorama, Distressed FX, ImagBlender and Hipstamatic. Oh, and the native iPhone camera app as well.

‘Dreams of the Mall’ – ©Robi Gallardo

What do you like to think about whilst creating images?

“What if I tried this…?” Tends to be the thought that runs through my mind. I will start with an image and experiment my way through various iterations until I feel I have something that works for me.

Sometimes I may glance at one or two (or three) of the photos I have on my phone and have an “ah ha!” moment and tell myself: “I could do something with these…”

What is the most unusual subject you have photographed/painted?

I’m not sure it counts as unusual, but very early on in my mobile photography/art journey I took a photo of a rough-cut stone in a granite retaining wall. I thought I might use it for texture somewhere down the line. However, a few days later and after couple of sessions with PhotoStudio and Diptic, this granite stone had morphed into… well I don’t know… but I called the resulting three pieces “Study in blue,” “Untitled,” and “Elementals”

‘Elementals’ – ©Robi Gallardo

What or who ignited your passion for mobile photography/art?

My sister, Cara Gallardo Weil and the Hipstamatic app.

Share one mobile photography/art tip.

I’ve found that, given the way I work on images, there’s always the risk of doing too much. Take a step back, when you return you might notice something you didn’t see before.

‘Flower Market, Chinese New Year’ ©Robi Gallardo

What are your favourite mobile photography accessories?

You know, I don’t think I have any.

“Triple Take’ – ©Robi Gallardo

Who would play you in a film of your life?

Humphrey Bogart?

Do you have a favourite app?

Snapseed for general work, Provoke and 645Pro, Dramatic B&W for black and white, Mextures and ImageBlender. I’m still getting to know iColorama.

‘Umbrellas at the Crossing’ – ©Robi Gallardo

Describe your dream mobile photography/art assignment.

A book of my work. That would be nice. Or my work as cover art for a book or music album.

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