Mexican Fashion Photographer Jvdas Berra

Jvdas Berra is a Mexican fashion photographer, who started his career by studying cinematography until he found out photography was his passion. Today he tells us more about how he started and how the fashion industry is in Mexico.

For those who don’t know you, tell us about yourself:

Hey, my name is Jvdas Berra, and I am a fashion photographer. I was studying cinematography when I found that photography was my true passion.
I took my old camera and started to do model tests, since that moment everything changed in my life. Suddenly, I got many opportunities to work for amazing editorials, talented designers, and awesome models, and agencies and everything is happening because I believe in myself, because we all can do everything. I am a dreamer.

How is fashion in Mexico?

Fashion in Mexico is growing amazingly. I think my country will be a very important fashion destination soon.
The emerging talent is taking over all the campaigns, publications, and attention. I think if we make things right, and we work together; Mexico will be huge. A lot of fashion designers have a breathtaking talent that puts them in the international market. I think is good and getting better.

How would you define beauty?

For me, Beauty is the way to divinity. Beauty is the cure for the illness in the world. Is the escape from reality; of course, beauty is in the eye of every person, is subjective, infinite? Beauty can be in everything and everyone; it depends on us to find it. That is why I choose to be a photographer, to capture the beauty, and preserve it for all the eternity that is the path I choose for me.

Were you educate in photography or are yourself taught?

I am a self-taught photographer, I have cinematography, and script studies, but I decided to change them for my true passion, Photography, every day I learn something new about my career, I want to be a very good photographer, but not just that, I want to open more my senses and capture. The true essence of every subject or situation in front of my lens, of course, intermixed with the surreal world. I learned by practicing almost every day since I took the old camera, my mom gave me when I was 18.

What camera do you use most of the time?

For me, the best tool is my Nikon D810, I think the body, and ergonomics is the best for my necessities, the quality of the image, the body, and the lenses are superior to other cameras I have used before. I’m very impatient for the new Nikon D850, I think is going to rock the world. I use Pentax sometimes, and I love it too.

Which photo are you currently most proud of?

The photo I a most proudly belong to one of my photo series called "Autumn For The Elephants," the one with the model looking at the camera and an elephant hugging her from behind, she is wearing a golden tiara from Fiori Couture and an Alexander McQueen gown. That was a very personal shot; the model, the elephants and I were connected.

Comparing where you are now with where you are when you first started, what could you have done differently to get to where you are sooner?

Probably to think and analyze more the way that was showed to me some time ago. I am a very impatient person, and that thing made me do a lot of mistakes. I need to try to don´t trusting much in some people and trusting more in my guts and feelings. Fashion photography is a very difficult job, but I love it; I cannot make another thing in my life.

You've clearly worked with a wide range of models, what tips can you recommend to people looking to expand their portfolio?

Of course, when you are starting in this the best thing is to work with new faces, make tests with models, and to knock all the doors you can find. You need to trust in yourself; otherwise, nobody else will do it, practice every day with the camera, with the lenses, with the lighting, you need to understand very well the light, and the only way to do it is playing with it. Today is very important to be in the digital world, you need to make your own web page, your social media spaces, like Facebook, Instagram, and many more, for me the best social exposure for photographers are Behance.

Describe a typical shoot:

My photoshoots are always different, I don´t like to have monotony in my work. I like the adrenaline in my body when I do not know anything about what can happen in a shoot. I am a very spontaneous person, and I try to bring that to the set. Nothing is written. I rather make it happen at the moment, but the most important thing is to enjoy and have fun with my team, for me, my team and the models are the most important. So, my typical shoot is a funny one, where the model and the makeup artist, the stylist, the art director, and the assistants are comfortable and confident. Everybody is at the same level. I love to hear ideas and to mix everything, of course, with some control from me.

How much time do you spend taking photos, versus retouching photos?

It is 50/50. I love both, I don't have a retoucher cause I love to do all my job by myself. My signature is my true signature, my style, my way, and the vision I have for every picture. I love to retouch as much I love to set the lighting and make the tests until I find what I want.

Favorite accessory?

My beloved Nikon 24-70 2.8 Lens.

Who would you like to work with most?

Models, of course. I find them so interesting, they are like actors, they take their characters very well and help me to tell stories were beauty and fantasy mix with my vision of the world I want to create. Would be a dream come true if I can work someday with Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Milla Jovovich, you know, the supermodels, and yes, my obsession, Charlize Theron in a Dior Campaign. "Crossing fingers."

Favorite photography book?

There is a lot, but now I have my new piece, A Different Vision of Fashion Photography by Peter Lindbergh, signed by Peter himself, Milla Jovovich and Amber Valletta. It is perfect, glorious, it is just pure beauty and craziness.

To know more about Jvdas, please visit: Jvdas Berra