#ignt_opticalillusion Winner Raul Alejandro Cabrera Ruiz

Every Thursday we announce a certain topic via a hashtag, afterwards you’ll have 4 days to make a photo working with that topic and upload it to your Instagram using the hashtag. Who shot the best image will be featured as our Insta Fav in the following week. This weeks topic is #ignt_springfever and here are a few rules and tips:

– This weeks goal is to capture a creative photo of spring announcing itself. You can e.g. look at the changes you find in nature, in food or in peoples wardrobe. Let your imagination run free.
– Please only submit your own photographs to the project. Any image tagged until Sunday 0.00 am MESZ is eligible to be featured right here.
– If you want to submit your photo, use the hashtag #ignt_springfever and upload your photo until Sunday the 12.04 on your Instagram account. Have fun and good luck, we can’t wait to see your submissions.

Paris-based architect Raul Alejandro Cabrera Ruiz won the following feature with his picture for our last topic #ignt_opticalillusion. Thank you for all your submissions.

Follow: @raulcabrera

When and where did you take the picture? Tell us a little about the idea behind it.

This picture was taken in Paris two months ago. The second time I came to this city I was received by this huge metal guy graffiti painted in front of the train station. I always wanted to do something cool with it but I never could because it was hard to get into that place. Six years later I moved here and this is what I did. The mural is from a really good street artist from Turin call “Pixel Pancho”. So, a big part of the credits should go to him.

Where are you from? How does that place influence the way you photograph?

I’m from Venezuela, but I moved to Paris last year. I come from a tropical country. This is my first year living in a place with 4 seasons so I’m still very impressed with how much can everything change in just a few months. In my photography, I’m usually looking for simplicity, something that it’s not easy to find in this city but definitely make me train my eye.

Who and what are the things that inspire you?

I am being exposed every day to images and places influenced indirectly what I do. As an architect I always look for detail and simplicity in my own way. The architecture defined the way I see everything. In my photos you are always going to find order, scale, composition and rhythm. I always try to use the least amount of things to show what I want to.

Your favorite instagrammers?

This is allways a hard question since there is a lot of talented people on Instagram. It would be a long list but I’m just going to name some of them. My first favorite account was @thiswildidea. Through his pictures I discovered @reallykindofamazing, both great photographers. Other of my favorites is @drcuerda, in combo with @anniset of course. I also like @connortd, @timlampe and @jonpauldouglass for their creativity and @nunoassis for the way he use space. @fernandocobelo cause I think we have a similar style for creating images. And finally @sejkko. Those are the accounts that inspire me.

Which Apps do you use to edit your pictures?

I always use SKRWT to correct the lines in the pictures and after that I use VSCO cam for level adjustments. If I need something more specific, I use Photoshop.

Tell us a little about your everyday. (Family, friends, work, etc.)

I come from a big family but I only have one brother. I was born in Caracas where I worked for four years as an Architect and then I moved to Paris. When I got here did not speak French at all, I only knew a few words, so it was definitely a challenge (and still is). Now my French is a bit better. Back in Caracas I used to drive everywhere. Here is different, I walk at least 2 km per day, so I always discover a new place in the city. My closest friends in fact are not too close since we all live in different countries, so I have to thank my camera, my iphone and this app for giving a new list of people I know I can call when I have a problem.

All images © Raul Alejandro Cabrera Ruiz