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AAFS EXCLUSIVEl:
Alex Yam and Kike Calvo talk careers and travel
AY: Hi Kike. My first question is: When did you decide that photography is your way of life? Like, your story, like, when did you decide that you want to make it your career?
Kike: OK… so… … as I explained it in my presentation, I was studying economic; I was interested in becoming a stockbroker and my father was diagnosed with cancer and he finally passed away. And, that, you know, was a very sad moment for my family triggered my photo career. So it was, it was coping with my pain and not understanding what was happening and I put all those feelings and all those anger, and whatever you want to describe it, into creating images and it became my lifestyle and I have never done anything else with my life. And so all my work has always been connected with photography and so there was a moment in time where I… I became a photographer.
AY: Right. OK. And my second question is … I was very impressed with the shark photos. And you know, like, for the majority of people they only get to see sharks like this in the Hollywood movies and stuffs. And how can you describe what you actually experienced versus the sharks portrayed in the movies. Is there a difference?
Kike: Yeah. OK. so. Yeah. So. One of the, one of the things that I that I learned through my career is that it placed me in front of nature, like first row, and many times, when people, when people see movies, you know and those movies can be fear. You are scared about the ocean and you don’t know what is under the surface. But the truth is, when you have the opportunity to be close to nature, you develop a sense of respect and beauty and admiration, like these creatures that are swimming around the world and they are fascinating to look at close range. So arr it’s not fear but appreciation of how perfect nature was created.
AY: Even though nature was never perfect but you still felt a spark of perfection in the moment you experienced nature, I guess. For someone who hasn’t decided on a career path for their life and what advice can you give to a young person who hadn’t decided on their careers. Like they don’t know what to do with their life. And how do you and what’s your advice in regard how to start their careers?
Kike: That’s a very good question. So, something that I have seen in younger people nowadays is that they tend to choose careers thinking of money. And in my case it had been the opposite. My advice would have been to choose something that you love because only when you love something, you are going to become good at it. We are going to pretty much spend your whole life working. And so I never have the feeling of going to work because I love what I do so much- that’s priceless. Sometime people become obsessed with successful by choosing their career but I think it’s the opposite. You have to choose what make you happy and get all the skills in order to do that job and then go for it with all of your energy and to never stop dreaming. And then like everybody told me it was impossible to do what I do and I do it. And so, yeah, it can be done. It’s hard work but it can be done.
AY: Right. I read in your website that you travelled more than 85 countries. And Have you ever had the chance to visit Asia like Japan, and China, and Korea. Those countries And so what did you do there? Like I know that you do photograph. And so what exactly did you do in those countries?
Kike: Yeah, OK and so my project takes me all over the world. I have travelled around Asia for three months. For example, I stopped in Laos and I spent time photographing traditional wedding dresses from Laos. And so I was doing geographical work. In Cambodia, I was photographing big things- landmines.
Alex