Sham of the Perfect

Orsolya Boncser is a storytelling photographer based in Hungary who considers family the most important thing to her and seeks to make that the main theme in her photography.

You can see more of Orsolya’s work on her website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Lisa: You’ve captured some really amazing moments! What goes through your mind before you press the shutter?

Nothing. Any other time, there’s usually a lot of thoughts running in my head. When I take pictures there are no thoughts, I just try to find that decisive moment when every piece of the picture is together.

Meg: Your images are from a range of perspectives. Do you take multiple focal lengths surrounding each final image or are you just deciding to make the images wide or cropped in as you shoot?

For years, I had only used fix lenses. But it was always a big dilemma which lens to choose when shooting families because I don’t want to miss anything. Children are hoppers so they are constantly moving and I usually work at family homes where I can find myself in the most diverse situations out which I have to make the best.

My main lens is therefore a Canon 24-70mm 2.8 lens. I usually use this one during the family sessions. I rarely crop. The child, the situation, and the environment determine how close I am and what kind of picture is being made.

Jessica: I love the humor and the surprise element in many of your frames. How do you approach photographing for clients vs your own children?

Taking photos of my daughter is more complicated: when I take photos of others, she wants me to photograph her and when I shoot her, she suggests to shoot others. But otherwise, there is no real difference in my attitude.

I like to work with kids because the communication is easier with them than with adults. Children are straight and honest: they show me when they are fed up and also when they are having a good time. From then it’s very easy to react (or not to react) to a situation.

Kids are born to be free and funny, and I (mostly) understand humor.

I think one of the most important things in life is humor: that we can laugh at ourselves as much as we can laugh with others.

Lacey: What do you turn to for inspiration when you feel stuck?

Difficult question. I have high expectations of myself, and I work mostly alone, so I often feel stuck, but fortunately I’m not one to stay in a pit for a long time. I have always a lot of ideas, the problem is usually that my working time is limited.

The greatest inspiration and support is my family, they are the ones who carefully listen and make me laugh when I am dissatisfied. A good exhibition, photo project, or book can inspire me too, and I like practicing ukulele or snuggle with my fluffy cat.

Erika: I feel like so many of the images you submitted are such great moments in a larger story. Which of the images you submitted is your favorite? And tell us a bit about the story behind it and what prompted you to make that image.

I’d like to tell the story of the picture of “the hunters”. We were at a kite festival in Zebegény (in Hungary) this summer. My 6-year-old daughter was really disappointed because she couldn’t fly her kite like others. I really love kites so I tried to help and calm her down when I saw the family with these extraordinary boys in the crowd. The boys carried not kites, but plastic guns on their back. I had feeling they would use it. So I crossed my fingers and I was waiting for the perfect moment – while I was holding our kite in my other hand with the crying kid. The weather was perfect, windy and cloudy so my kite flew high quickly, the tears suddenly dried up for a moment and the boys shoot.

That was only a second and I felt really lucky and happy to have caught the moment.