An interview with the Malta Wedding Photographer - Franklin from FBalzan Photography

Today for our blog interview, we have a wedding photographer from Malta - Franklin the person behind FBalzan Photography. I thank him for finding the time for this interview.

Let us get to know him a bit more.

So Franklin could you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into photography.. and specifically into wedding photography?

First of all thanks Helen for having me featured on your blog. My journey into photography was quite an unexpected one really. I studied engineering and therefore this is totally unrelated to photography. I first bought a camera in 2007 when I was going abroad for my first every trip abroad to see the canonisation of Saint George Preca in Rome! It was just a simple point and shoot camera. From there I kind of fell in love with the capability to take images and started to buy more expensive equipment. I realised that I loved shooting humans and starting entering in street photography - something I really still enjoy doing! From there I decided to post on Maltapark that I wanted to shoot events and weddings and I got my first wedding in 2015.

Did you always want to be a photographer from an early age? How did your studies and experiences help you in the photography world?

So no, I never really thought or dreamed of being a photographer. I just loved the medium, loved shooting and started learning all I could about it. I got passionate. I must say that I get into photography late - I shoot my first wedding at 30years old! So its never too late to get into something you love.

I guess my engineering studies and love for aesthetics and perfection also help me in creating order from disorder. I am also an active cathecist and worked for 15 years as a quality auditor so I love to connect with people and am curious by nature. This has made me love getting to know people and capture their special moments.

I think my secret is one - I don’t view wedding photography as a job but as a storytelling experiment. Each wedding is different and the scene and persons who are involved are always different.

How would you define your artistic vision in your wedding photography?

My way of looking at weddings is simple - I see them as a story and I want to say the story in the best way possible with unique angles and by getting close. I consider myself as a purely documentary photographer who will document the reality of the human person. Any portraits which I create have to be genuine, artistic and different from what you normally would see from other photographers.

What books / resources did you find to be helpful and useful in your photographic career that helped you prepare for where you are today?

When I started I was lucky enough to find inspiration and lesson from great master of photography - like Roberto Valenzuela. That guy has an amazing array of books which I love and that which I like to refer to. As I matured in wedding photography I continued to learn through Two Mann studios and now I plan to continue learning with Victor Lax. You always have new things to learn.

I also think that once you understand the basics of photography, we need to make sure we stay inspired and creative and for this reason I love to find inspiration from non wedding photography sources. I just like to see photography books like those of Henri Cartier or Elliott Erwitt or Alex Webb. I also love to get inspired by master artists like Salvador Dali which have a great way to intersect I want to say the story in the best way possible with unique angles and by getting close. I consider myself as a purely documentary photographer who will document the reality of the human person. Any portraits which I create have to be genuine, artistic and different from what you normally would see from other photographers.

We all agree that photography is not about equipment, though professional equipment helps. Can you tell us what is currently in your photography bag when preparing for a wedding (flashes, triggers, tripods, other useful accessories)? Do you have different setups for different occasions or do you always shoot with the same set of cameras and lenses?

From the very start I began with mirrorless cameras and I these have eventually now taken over! I am using 4 Sony A9s - which are a beast and I just use prime lenses. I love keeping my setup as simple and streamlined as possible. I exclusively use off camera flash when this is necessary but our cameras are so good in lowlight that we tend to use this option less and less!

I also have other equipment when I am shooting non wedding work, but I like to keep everything as simple as possible.

Do you have any further message you would love to share?

For all the couples getting married - enjoy your day and don’t get to worried about anything which does not go perfectly to plan ok?! The best moments that I captured in the past are the ones which are unscripted or are slightly different from what you expect the norm to be! Just choose people you can trust on your wedding day and then everything will turn out well.

For aspiring photographers and creatives - Do not give up! I also started from scratch and today I still love what I am doing. The trick is also not to be overwhelmed and get overworked. Be able to say no and don’t get to say yes to each wedding and each date. Take time to enjoy capturing these special moments and to enjoy what you are doing. And should you wish to learn more about wedding photography techniques, do not hesitate to get in touch with me!