The Interview. (by @latibod)

Winner: @b612

Dear Followers,

We have discussed with @b612, the winner of our last challenge, to learn about who she really is, her background in photography, her preferences, her methods and her inspirations.

She is a lover of street photography who discovered this passion like most of us by Instagram. A promising amateur, who knows what she wants and who sees this passion more then just an hobby.

@streetphoto_bw : Hello @b612. Congratulations again for winning the challenge. First of all we would like to ask you to tell us about yourself so that we know more about you.
@b612 : I am Rachotsuda Posakabutra, an instagram user from Thailand (#igth, #mobi). I am an ordinary woman and a feminist.  I am not a photographer and I don’t have any knowledge about how to take a picture. I have a poor digital camera and an iPhone 4. My style is very simple, just “Snap it”.

@streetphoto_bw: Please tell us about how you started photography and how you joined instagram.
@b612: I’ve been interested about iPhone photography since I purchased iPhone4 about 2 or 3 years ago. I started this hobby as a therapy when I was feeling bad. I learned about instagram thanks to my friend “@natchayar” who suggested me to join the group with her.  I shot every thing around myself. I followed people I like and had people who follow me back. From one person to 10 to 100 to 1000 people. Instagram opened a new world to me. It is a photography school for me to learn and find inspiration from photographers all around the world.

@streetphoto_bw: What about street photography and our group?
@b612: Around a year ago, I started to be attracted to street photography by discovering the photos of @latibod. I want to thank her a lot because she tagged my picture to #streetphoto_bw. The first time I had checked this tag, I was very impressed and I think I found the style I was looking for.

@streetphoto_bw: What was it that attracted you to street photography?
@b612: I liked a lot to capture people in movement, to capture their emotions or the multicultural scenes on the streets. For me, street photography is a big challenge because we can’t control people or things around like we take a photo in a studio. Sometimes it takes me an hour to take the picture I want. Once I find the light that I look for, I wait to people pass by.

@streetphoto_bw: What is it that you look for in your photos? What is a good street photo for you?
@b612: I love to keep a diary. For me, taking a picture is the same thing. One picture can say a lot of words. I think this is true. If you can make someone imagine about that street scene and continue to imagine the story by looking at your picture, I think that’s a good street photo.
Taking a picture is something that makes me very happy. And getting acceptation from other brings a double reward.

@streetphoto_bw: What about black and white? What is it that makes you work in bw?
@b612: B&w sounds so boring like myself. I’m kidding. I love b&w because colors can be terribly distracting in some images and can take the focus away from the subject. B&w is a very honest color and it allows you to show the true subject such as portrait, landscapes or architecture. In conclusion, I think b&w photographs are harder to do well. It’s a big challenge to make them really stand out as being awesome.

@streetphoto_bw: What about your winner photo, how did you take it?
@b612: I took this photo after I bought mocha frappe. I saw a woman sitting on the chair. I knew it was the right moment. So I snapped by Hipstamatic Lens:Helga Viking, Film:BlacKeys SuperGrain and edited with Retouch.

@streetphoto_bw: What apps do you use generally to take and edit your photos?
@b612: Hipstamatic to shoot. When I snap B&W, I always use Lens : Watts, Helga Viking, Film: BlacKeys SuperGrain , AO DLX and BlacKeys BW. Sometime I snap colors I use Lens:John S, Film:Ina’s 1969. I like Hipstamatic. I mean pure Hipstamatic not editing. I think nearly all of my Hipstamatic pictures are raw. That’s why Hipstamatic is fascinating to me.

@streetphoto_bw: Finally, please tell us your favourite street photographers that inspires you.
@b612: My favorite street photographers are…
In my group igth: @7kaka, @pause08, @piyasil, @geekjuggler, @tonygammy, @wormhead, @audcustic
And other street photographers are @aikbengchia, @rizalrenaldi, @graham, @sionfullana, @rottenronin, @thomas_k, @koci, @cirkeline, @stefanmahe, @a_flashpacker, @msbluesky, @fragileglass, @bobbyanwar, @ekalex, @tenebrogg, @sercrito, @latibod, @marcos_davi, @pietrangeli, @last_jedi, @mr007 etc.

@streetphoto_bw: Thank you very much for all.
@b612: Before the end of conversation, I would like to THANK ALL who voted for me. You can’t imagine how important it is for me. First time I saw my picture with the word “Winner” on it, I got very excited! I told my family, my friends. I shared special moments with everyone I know. I am very proud of myself.
Thanks to everyone for making my day. I said this word from bottom of my heart. And yes. Keep shooting, Keep looking and keep imagine.