The energy
comes through and can be ‘felt’ through the images and videos by the way in
which Greg shoots Pitbull and his team, giving fans a greater and enjoyable
sense of the ‘moment’ in that particular shot in time.
I can
guarantee we have all seen and reposted Greg’s images with or without even
knowing it! Let’s find out more about the talented and remarkable man behind
the lens who takes us along on tours and events with Pitbull in images and
videos as he tells us about his photography, working with Pitbull and
more.
Thank you
for sharing and taking us along the journey with you in visuals. Greg
Watermann, we salute you!
Thank you Greg for taking the time to talk to me..
When did
you first discover your passion for photography?
I got my
first camera when I was 7 - I’ve always been a photographer.
Are there
any other photographers out there whose style you admire?
Jim Marshall
- he’s the grandfather of rock n’ roll photography and my biggest inspiration.
How would
you describe your personal style?
Classic - I've been taking pictures the same way for 40 years. I never use a flash and don't need help from Photoshop. I like my images to be real.
Tell me
about how you came about photographing Pitbull?
Five years
ago, his publicist Tom Muzquiz, felt we shared the same vision and wanted me to
tell the story...
What things
do you want Pitbull fans to take away from your work?
I want them
to see the important moments of his career.
Do you have
any particular Pitbull images that you are proud of?
The diploma
shot was the first photograph of him to get one million Likes on Facebook, and
is known all over the Internet as “The Best Graduation Photo Ever.”
Does
Pitbull have a particular 'good side' either he or you prefer to be shot from?
He looks great from any angle, but he loves it when I'm following
him. He wants the fans to see his world from his perspective.
Have you encountered any disruptive or funny situations while
traveling with and trying to take photos of Pitbull, The Agents or The Most Bad
Ones?
I had
an army officer point a machine gun at me. We were at an airport overseas and
you're not allowed to take pictures (I did anyway). He stood there holding his
gun on me while I deleted the photos.
Working with Pitbull, tell me about a momentous or a high point in
your career so far..
It was a
career high working with CNN. They did a 30 minute news feature on Armando
recently and 90% of that show is my video footage and behind-the-scenes
photographs. I spent a day at CNN headquarters letting their entertainment
editor pour through my hard drives. It was really cool to give a major news
organization access to what I capture of him. (See 'With CNN' link below)
What are
the best things about working with Mr Worldwide and Team Pitbull?
Having fun
is always the most important part of our day.
Pitbull
walks so fast, is it hard to keep up with him to get a good shot sometimes?
Absolutely.
But I’m a high-energy person which is perfect for following him around.
Do you have
any particular Pitbull songs that you enjoy?
“Feel This
Moment” - I was shooting in his hotel room in “the tallest building in Tokyo”
when he wrote and recorded his verse. And the official video for that song
includes my live concert footage from around the world.
Are
there any other artists or bands out there that you would like photograph?
Nine Inch
Nails is my favorite band - I would love to work with Trent Reznor.
Posed or
natural moment shots?
Natural
only. Both of us hate posed pictures and we only do it when we have to.
Capturing moments is always more interesting than creating them.
Black and
white or color photos?
His life
and culture are very colorful (so is Miami), but he likes the classic look of
black and white too so I mix it up to have more variety.
Teach me
something technical about a piece of equipment you use...
I only
shoot with available light and lots of places in music are really dark
(backstage especially), so I use very fast Zeiss prime lenses and I can shoot
no matter where we are.
‘Selfies’
seem to be all the rage at the moment, have you ever taken one yourself?
I like
getting get a cool shot of someone/something in a mirror, with me in the
background (with a camera in front of my face).
Any basic
tips on taking great photographs?
Don’t use
the automatic settings (exposure, focus, etc.) Make those decisions yourself
and have real control over your photos.
Do you have
any words of advice to aspiring photographers out there wanting to make a
career out of it?
Yes, keep
photography as a hobby and get a real job.
When you
see your wonderful images admired and reposted by Pitbull fans around the
world, how does that feel?
My purpose
is to document Armando's life and Pitbull's journey. Having my art appreciated
by his fans is the greatest
feeling in the world.
Thank you so much for your time and also enabling Pitbull fans all
over the world to enjoy great images and moments with Mr Worldwide. Thank you
for taking us on the journey with you. All the best..
Check out
the links below for some more great behind the scenes footage and photos
of Pitbull, The Most Bad Ones, The Agents and DJ Chino.
