A series of fortunate events

Hello Gil, and thank you so much for this opportunity to get to know the person behind this extraordinary body of work! Could you start by introducing yourself to our readers?
Hi, and first of all, thanks for having me! I’m Gil, an ex-cinematographer turned street photographer based in Lisbon. I started photographing very late in life, at the age of 36, and it was more or less by chance on a vacation trip to Sri Lanka that I first took a camera with the intent of making photos. If it wasn’t for that trip, where I got a taste of candid photography, I might never have started with it.

When working as a cinematographer, you are dependent on a team and many other people surrounding the set and the production. Street photography gave me a healthy balance to that work life, while still allowing me to do what I love. Overall I have tried many different things in life and I can safely say, photographing on the street is the one that I most enjoy and comes easiest to me.

Would you say that your extensive experience in filmmaking has, in some way, influenced your approach to photography?
Definitely, as you know, filming is photographing at 25 frames per second (sometimes more, sometimes less), so many of the “rules” apply for both. Things like framing and composition, colour theory, lighting techniques and storytelling can be used in both mediums to enhance an image or the narrative within it. The technical knowledge of a camera, like shutter speed, aperture, focus, among others, was also useful as I could start right away, although I must say handling a photo camera is much easier than handling a film camera, especially nowadays. On the other hand, I very much enjoy being able to photograph on my own, which was more difficult to do when filming, at least if you wanted good results.

In all your photography projects, we can see a Street Photography mindset, focusing on capturing the “Decisive Moment.” Which photographers do you most admire in this genre, and, if that’s the case, which have had the greatest influence on the development of your unique style?
Unfortunately, I don’t know if you can call my work unique, as much as I would like to. There are so many good photographers out there, and the scene is growing rapidly, so it’s really difficult to stand out. I think having a recognisable style and body of work is already a big achievement. Although I had some photographers as inspiration in the beginning, I think I can proudly say that I developed my visual style organically, always being true to my vision of the world.

Capturing the “Decisive moment” is one of my favourite “disciplines”, and in my opinion one of the most challenging exercises in street photography. It requires a lot of attention, prediction, sometimes patience and obviously quick reflexes. Some of my more contemporary inspirations in that field are Pau Buscató (@paubuscato) and Jeremy Page (@eatenbyflowers). Photographers that I admire and influenced me in a more generic way are Harry Gruyaert, Alex Webb and Martin Parr among others (all masters in colour photography).

All over your work, but particularly in your Street Magic gallery, we can spot what might be called “lucky coincidences.” But, honestly, we all know there’s no such thing as luck. Luck is something you create, the result of tireless work, trial, and error. Would you like to share a bit about this process and how you make your own luck?
The images you’re talking about I would also put in the “decisive moment” category btw, but with a humorous twist. Oftentimes, these images not only require to be taken in the decisive moment but also from a certain perspective to align different elements to make the picture work. The key skills to have in this kind of photography are creativity and the ability to predict what might happen in a certain setting. With creativity, I mean thinking outside of the box, being curious, and not being afraid to try out new things. When you start trying to see things differently, “lucky” situations will start unfolding more frequently – now, the next step is to catch it on camera, and that’s where the ability to predict comes in. This comes with experience as well, the more time you do it, the easier it will get to predict and “fabricate” these scenes. I could say patience is another key factor, and it is, but not in my case so much, as I’m really not that patient when photographing. But you will definitely increase your chances if you are.

“A Series Of Fortunate Events” is how you brilliantly describe “fortunate events that extraordinarily come together in a fraction of a second, before dissolving again.” For those who are in, or planning to visit, Lisbon, where and when can they see this exhibition of yours?
The exhibition is open to the public until the 18th of October in Biblioteca de Alcantara, so probably not anymore by the time this is published, but hopefully, I will be able to take this exhibition somewhere else in the country in the near future.

In this type of photography, we believe the most essential feature of a camera is simply its ability to keep up with the fast-paced rhythm of the photographer without becoming a hindrance when it comes to capturing the right moment. Would you agree? Which camera are you currently using, and how does it meet your needs?
The camera you use should definitely be like an extension of your body. Know it well enough or adjust your settings in a way that you don’t have to think much about it when shooting. I use a Fujifilm X-T20 with the 18-55mm zoom kit lens. I used to have primes, but I noticed that the 18-55m covers all my focal length needs and gives me more freedom to react to different circumstances. I can’t say it’s my favourite camera because I haven’t tried a lot of different ones, but I think it’s a really good camera for its age and price, and most important of all, I’ve gotten used to it. The most important advice I can give in this regard is don’t get too caught up in gear, find out what suits you and not what others say is better, and just go shoot.

From your remarkable portfolio, we highlight your ability to photograph in any kind of light, whether it’s the soft, warm glow of late afternoon or the harsh midday sun. For you, does “bad light” even exist, or do you follow the saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”?
Haha, I guess you could say I follow that motto. Although I really try to be picky with light, and it’s a very important aspect in my images, at the end of the day, it’s a combination of various factors that decide if a picture is good or not. But even if you’re picky with light, that still gives you a lot of room to play, as light can be really good in various forms – harsh or soft, cold or warm, direct or indirect, natural or artificial and many more. What I do not like so much is photographing completely in shadow, as it makes the image too dull.