Memoria unui ora[/The visual memory of a city Nicu Cherciu, fotograful/the photographer.

Nicu Cherciu este un fotograf acreditat la cele mai importante evenimente care au loc la Cluj-Napoca, dar, înainte de toate, este un talentat artist, care nu se joac\ cu imaginea. O surprinde! A[a cum este ea, f\r\ retu[uri [i interven]ii care s\ o falsifice.

Interviu cu fotograful clujean Interview with the photographer Nicu Cherciu

Cine este Nicu Cherciu?

Într-un CV rezumativ, dac\ ar fi s\ vorbesc despre mine la persoana a III-a, a[ zice c\ Nicu Cherciu este fotograful oficial al Teatrului Na]ional din Cluj-Napoca, al Operei Na]ionale din Cluj-Napoca, este fotograful oficial, de 10 de ani, al TIFF (Transylvanian International Film Festival), fotograf al UNTOLD [i Neversea, al clubului de fotbal CFR Cluj [amd.

În copil\rie erai bun la desen? Î]i pl\cea s\ observi natura?

Îmi pl\cea s\ m\ joc în natur\, nu în cas\. Desenam, dar eram interesat mai mult de lucrurile practice, de atelier, în sensul de loc în care se produc lucruri. Primul contact pe care l-am avut cu fotografia a fost la ]ar\, la bunici. Un prieten de joac\ din satul bunicilor mei mi-a ar\tat cum se developeaz\ o fotografie. Atunci s-a s\dit în mine „s\mân]a” de fotograf, la vârsta de 14-15 ani. Apoi, am împrumutat un aparat foto FED de la na[ul meu, iar prin 1988 mi-am cump\rat primul Smena, un aparat de fotografiat rusesc, pe film. Cu el am realizat fotografiile de la Revolu]ie, [i tot atunci l-am [i stricat. Cåteva din acele fotografii f\cute cu primul meu Smena au ap\rut în edi]ia de colec]ie a National Geographic, la comemorarea a 25 de ani de la Revolu]ia din 1989 (1989 – Revolu]ia Român\ în imagini).

Când ai [tiut c\ vei deveni fotograf?

Nu [tiu… Prin ’95, ’96, cånd m-am angajat la o agen]ie de publicitate. Atunci am început s\ tr\iesc din fotografie. Pân\ atunci a fost doar un hobby.

Cåt a fost destin [i cåt a fost munc\?

Pu]in destin [i foarte mult\ munc\. Am început de jos.

În perioada de început, nu exista internet. Singurele lec]ii pe care le puteam avea erau din c\r]i [i din reviste de specialitate, care erau foarte pu]ine, de altfel, [i din revistele pe care le primeam din Fran]a – Photo, Chasseur d'Images [i Réponses Photo – sau din revistele pe care le cump\ram din Gara de Nord, de fiecare dat\ cånd mergeam la Bucure[ti. Diapozitivele le developam la Bucure[ti, la Kodak, în Unirii, iar la întoarcere cump\ram aceste reviste din gar\.

Care sunt reperele de care ar trebui s\ ]in\ cont un fotograf? Sfaturi?

În primul rând, dac\ îi place fotografia, s\ fie dispus s\ fac\ sacrificii. Meseria de fotograf presupune multe sacrificii. Apoi, s\ fie un bun tehnician, s\-[i cunoasc\ foarte bine aparatul, s\ [tie ce s\-i cear\, cum trebuie s\-l seteze în func]ie de condi]iile de lucru [i, nu în ultimul rând, s\ aib\ sim] artistic. Eu am fost un autodidact, am muncit foarte mult ca s\ descop\r set\rile optime pentru diverse situa]ii.

E[ti istoria în imagini a Teatrului [i a Operei din Cluj-Napoca. Ai putea renun]a la job?

Am început cu teatrul, în ’96, [i am continuat cu Opera, în '97.

Primul meu contact cu Opera Na]ional\ a fost inedit, a trebuit s\ fotografiez toate instrumentele din orchestr\, fa]\ [i spate. Pentru a putea scoate instrumentele din ]ar\, orchestra trebuia s\ de]in\ de la Patrimoniu un fel de pa[aport al fiec\rui instrument din orchestr\. Acesta a fost primul meu job de fotograf al Operei Na]ionale din Cluj-Napoca. Apoi am început s\ fotografiez spectacolele.

Pu]ine institu]ii de art\ au un fotograf dedicat la nivelul t\u. Pån\ la urm\, tu ai creat nevoia de fotografie a

Memoria unui ora[

Parada v\zut\ de pe cl\direa Teatrului Na]ional Lucian Blaga [i a Operei Na]ionale Romåne din Cluj-Napoca

Nicu Cherciu is the official photographer for the most important events in Cluj-Napoca. But, above all, he is a talented photographer. He does not doctor reality – he captures it! As it is, without touch-ups or mystifying interventions.

The visual memory of a city

Who is Nicu Cherciu?

In short, if I were to talk about myself in the third person, I would say that Nicu Cherciu is the official photographer for the ClujNapoca National Theater, the National Opera of Cluj-Napoca, the official photographer for the Transylvanian International Film Festival (for ten years already), the official photographer for UNTOLD, Neversea and the CFR Cluj football club, among others. As a kid, were you good at drawing? Did you like to observe nature?

I liked to play outside, not inside. I drew, but I was more interested in the practical side of things: the workshop, the place where things physically come together. My first contact with photography happened at the countryside, where my grandparents lived. There, a playmate showed me how to print photographs. That’s when the “photographic seed” was planted, at the age of fourteen-fifteen. Then, I bought a FED camera from my godfather, and in 1988 I bought my first Smena, a Russian film camera.

I captured the 1989 Romanian Revolution with it – and that’s when I broke it as well. Some of these shots I did with my first Smena appeared in the National Geographic Collector’s Edition, commemorating 25 years from the Revolution in 1989.

Spectatori în Pia]a Unirii din Cluj-Napoca, Festivalul Opera Aperta, spectacolul de balet Zorba

Panoram\ cu Pia]a Unirii din Cluj-Napoca – în centrul imaginii Biserica Sf. Mihail

teatrului/operei sau ele te-au creat pe tine?

Cred c\ ambele direc]ii sunt corecte. Eu mi-am dorit foarte mult s\ fotografiez oper\/teatru, dar [i institu]iile au dorit s\ colaboreze cu mine.

Este o onoare, o mare responsabilitate [i o bucurie s\ fii fotograful oficial al Teatrului [i al Operei. Fotografiile f\cute sunt cele care r\mân în urma spectacolului, r\mån în arhiv\. De aceea ele trebuie s\ transmit\ emo]ia spectacolului.

Ce î]i place s\ fotografiezi mai mult?

Spectacol [i travel.

Te-ai n\scut [i ai crescut în Sibiu. De ce ai plecat din Sibiu? Clujul î]i ofer\ mai mult?

A[a a fost s\ fie. În ’90 am venit la facultate în Cluj, iar apoi m-am îndr\gostit de Cluj [i nu am mai plecat. Care sunt persoanele care ]i-au marcat cariera?

Wow! M\ emo]ioneaz\ întrebarea. Sunt multe persoane importante în via]a mea, de aceea nu m\ voi referi la ele. Vreau s\-l amintesc doar pe Alain, un bun prieten, care nu mai este printre noi [i care m-a luat sub aripa lui, la agen]ia de publicitate la care am lucrat.

De la Alain am înv\]at s\ nu ap\s pe declan[ator decât atunci cånd sunt preg\tit, s\ m\ concentrez pe compozi]ie, pe lumin\, s\ stabilesc corect set\rile aparatului… S\ nu ratez cadrul. În acea perioad\ de început lucram pe diapozitiv [i negativ. Livrarea unei fotografii pe film însemna livrarea unui produs finit. Nu puteai photoshopa, nu puteai tri[a... trebuia s\ expui corect, ce fotografiai a[a r\mânea.

Trebuia s\ fii sigur c\ ai încadrat bine imaginea [i c\ ai f\cut corect toate set\rile. When did you realize you were going to be a photographer?

I don’t know… In ’95-’96 I took a job at an advertising agency. That’s when I started to make a living from photography. Until then, it had been a hobby.

Was it destiny or sheer hard work?

It was a small bit of destiny and a lot of hard work. I started from the bottom. There was no internet back then. You could only learn from books and specialty magazines –and there were very few. I also had the magazines I used to receive from France – Chasseur d’Images and Reponses Photo – and the magazines I used to buy from Gara de Nord anytime I had a trip to Bucharest. I was printing the slides in Bucharest, at the Kodak shop in Unirii Square. And I would buy these magazines from the train station on the return trip.

What should a photographer pay attention to? Please give your advice.

First of all, a photographer should be prepared to make sacrifices if he loves photography. This job requires a lot of sacrifice. Then, he should be a good technician, he should know his gear very well, he should know what to ask of it, how to dial in the right settings depending on each context. I am self-taught, I worked a lot to discover the right settings for the various situations one encounters.

You are the “photographic history” of the Cluj-Napoca National Theater. Could you ever leave this job?

I began working with them in ’96 and then came my collaboration with the Opera, in ’97. My first contact with the National Opera was novel. I had to photograph all the instruments – front, back and side.

In order to take the instruments out of the country, the orchestra had to obtain a kind of passport from the National Institute of Heritage, for each instrument. This was my first job as a photographer for the National Opera of Cluj-Napoca. After this, I started to photograph the plays.

Few art institutions have an official photographer of your caliber. Was it you who created the need for a photographer or was it the institutions?

I think both evaluations are correct. I had a great desire to photograph opera/theater plays, but the institutions also wanted to work with me.

It is an honor, a huge responsibility and a joy to be the official photographer of the National Theater and of the National Opera. After the play has ended, the photographs remain –they remain in the archives. This is why they must capture the emotion of the play.

What do you most like shooting?

Plays and travel. You were born and raised in Sibiu. Why did you leave your hometown? Does Cluj have more to offer?

That’s how it was meant to be. I came to Cluj for university and then I fell in love with it and never left.

Who are the people who influenced you?

This is a very emotional question. There are lots of important persons in my life, hence I will not refer to them. I will only mention Alain, a good friend who is not with us anymore and who took me under his wing, at the advertising agency I worked at.

From Alain I learned to press the shutter only when I’m ready, to concentrate on the composition, on the lighting, to use the proper camera settings… To not miss the shot! At that early stage I was working with photographic slides and negative formats.

Delivering a photograph on film means that you have to bring a finished product. You cannot cheat or use Photoshop, so you have to use the correct exposure. What you shoot on film is what remains! You have to be sure that you framed the shot correctly and used the right settings. It was much harder to be a photographer back then. You couldn’t afford to waste the film!

I learned something from all of my friends - not only about photography. The personality you develop by learning from friends transforms you as an individual and takes you in a certain direction. If you get advice from someone in the know, this can help you become a good photographer - otherwise, you can become a dreadful photographer.

Photographers are a close-knit bunch. How do you feel in this family?

I am between friends here. I always felt at home within this group.

There are famous photographers who still use the Smena. What is the relation between talent and having access to professional equipment? How would you list those in the order of importance?

It depends on what you’re shooting. Until ‘96-‘98, before the advent of digital photography, there was a very limited range of exposures to work with - ISO100, ISO200, very rarely ISO400… There were scenes we just couldn’t capture on film, because the lighting was insufficient for the sensitivity of those negatives. The technology of today already does half the work. But you can also get exceptional results on film. I am nostalgic - I sometimes take my old cameras out of the box and take some photos. The satisfaction you have when shooting on film is akin to a sculptor’s satisfaction when he models clay with his own hands.

Facebook and Instagram have developed their platforms to fit as many photos as possible. Now people shoot with their phones and they post “doctored” images. What’s your take on this?

I try to manipulate my photographs as little as possible. I try to show the world as it is. I rarely leave my house without a camera. I seldom shoot with my phone.

While we’re at it, what weapons do you take with you on war?

At least two cameras, all of my lenses, flashes, my tripods… 20 kilos worth of gear! I leave a lot of stuff at home when going on holiday, but I still end up looking like a sherpa.

Which of your photos is your favorite?

Don’t make me choose! They are all my

Nicu Cherciu pe acoperi[ul cl\dirii Teatrului Na]ional Lucian Blaga [i a Operei Na]ionale Romåne din Cluj-Napoca

Era mult mai greu atunci s\ fii fotograf. Nu î]i prea permiteai s\ irose[ti filmul.

De la to]i prietenii mei am înv\]at câte ceva. {i nu m\ refer doar la fotografie. Personalitatea pe care o dobånde[ti înv\]ånd de la prieteni te transform\ ca individ [i te duce într-o direc]ie sau alta, iar dac\ sfaturile sunt de specialitate, ele te pot ajuta s\ fii un bun fotograf, sau dimpotriv\, unul de duzin\.

Voi, fotografii, sunte]i o cast\ unit\. Cum te sim]i în aceast\ familie?

Ca între prieteni. Întotdeauna m-am sim]it bine în acest grup.

Sunt fotografi celebri care continu\ s\ fac\ fotografii cu Smena. În ce ordine a[ezi componenta talent în raport cu componenta tehnic\?

Depinde ce fotografiezi. Pân\ la apari]ia digitalului, toat\ lumea lucra pe film cu sensibilit\]i limitate, de 100 ISO, de 200 ISO [i, foarte rar, de 400 ISO. Erau scene de spectacol pe care nu le puteam fotografia pe film, nu aveam lumin\ suficient\ pentru sensibilitatea acelor negative. Tehnica de ast\zi face jum\tate din treab\. Dar po]i avea performan]e [i pe aparate pe film. Sunt un nostalgic, le mai scot din cutii din când în cånd [i mai pozez cu ele. Satisfac]ia pe care o ai fotografiind cu un aparat pe film e, cumva, echivalent\ cu satisfac]ia pe care o are un sculptor care modeleaz\ cu måna lui lutul.

Facebook [i Instagram [i-au dezvoltat platformele pentru a înc\pea cât mai mult\ fotografie. Acum se fotografiaz\ cu telefonul [i se posteaz\ imagini m\sluite… Cum comentezi acest fapt?

Eu încerc s\ manipulez fotografia cât mai pu]in. Încerc s\ ar\t realitatea a[a cum este ea. Nu plec aproape niciodat\ de acas\ f\r\ un aparat foto. Nu fac fotografii cu telefonul, decât foarte rar.

C\ tot veni vorba, cu ce arsenal pleci la „r\zboi”?

Cu cel pu]in dou\ aparate, cu toat\ gama de obiective, flash-uri, l\mpi, trepiede… cu un echipament de 15-20 de kilograme. În vacan]e reduc mult din echipament, dar uneori tot ar\t ca un [erpa[. Care e fotografia ta preferat\?

Nu m\ pune s\ aleg! Toate sunt copiii mei! Dup\ fiecare [edin]\ foto am cåte o fotografie preferat\, dar nu pot s\ spun niciodat\ c\ aceea e cea mai bun\ fotografie. Nu fac diferen]\ între „copii”. Am mari probleme atunci când trebuie s\ fac selec]ia de fotografii pentru expozi]iile mele. Am foarte multe favorite [i îmi vine greu s\ fac o diferen]iere între ele.

Cum inten]ionezi s\ te dezvol]i? Vei r\mâne un fotograf de reportaj sau te vei repozi]iona?

În prim\vara viitoare doresc s\ fac o nou\ expozi]ie dedicat\ pandemiei [i lockdownului, s\ marchez doi ani de la instalarea st\rii de urgen]\, [i lucrez la un nou proiect, fotografia de balet – baletul v\zut din alt\ perspectiv\. Lucrez de cå]iva ani la acest proiect, sunt fotografii f\cute de deasupra scenei, de pe pasarela de lumini.

Care sunt situa]iile care te-au marcat în activitatea ta de fotograf, situa]ii periculoase sau inedite?

Am trecut prin multe momente simpatice, dar [i prin situa]ii periculoase.

Trebuia s\ fotografiez la ni[te ferme recoltarea cerealelor, s\ fac fotografii aeriene [i trebuia s\ zbor cu elicopterul. M\ gândeam c\ nu va fi nicio problem\, c\ voi zbura cu un elicopter modern, dar m-am trezit cu un elicopter botezat Ivan, un elicopter b\trân de vreo 50-60 de ani, care era folosit la stropirea câmpurilor. Era un elicopter cu dou\ elice, care avea [i chestii legate cu sårm\.

A fost o experien]\ „sport extrem”.

Alt\ dat\, pentru a realiza un set de fotografii aeriene, am zburat pe deasupra Clujului cu elicopterul jandarmeriei. A fost o experien]\ unic\. De cå]iva ani urc în turnul bisericii Sfântul Mihail [i de doi ani pe schela de lâng\ biseric\ de unde fac fotografiile pentru Gala de deschidere a TIFF. Urcatul pe teatru de 1 decembrie e tot din categoria sport extrem. Am avut parte [i de situa]ii haioase, la un raliu am fost îmbr\cat din cap pân\ în picioare în noroi, ma[ina era în derapaj [i a aruncat o ploaie de noroi lichid peste mine [i aparat.

Atunci am jurat c\ nu voi mai fotografia niciodat\ f\r\ filtru pe obiectiv.

Revin cu întrebarea – care au fost întâlnirile care te-au marcat, nu doar profesional [i emo]ional, ci [i din punct de vedere al dimensiunii întâlnirii?

Prima acreditare am avut-o la Cluj cu ocazia vizitei pe care au f\cut-o, în ’96, Regina Ana [i Principesa Margareta.

Atunci am înso]it familia regal\ în vizita pe care a f\cut-o la Cluj-Napoca. A fost prima întâlnire cu o oficialitate de rang înalt. Dup\ aceea au urmat multe, cu foarte multe oficialit\]i din lumea cultural\ [i politic\.

Familia în]elege ce sacrificii faci pentru munca [i pasiunea ta?

Da, so]ia m\ înso]e[te de multe ori, la teatru [i oper\, la evenimente, la festivaluri…

Cum decurge o zi din via]a ta?

Chiar m\ gândeam c\ aveam zile în care imediat dup\ ce ie[eam de la balet, de la spectacolul Lacul Lebedelor, ajungeam direct la Super Speciala de noapte de la Raliul Clujului, de la Shakespeare direct la meciurile de fotbal ale CFR-ului, de la teatru, la fotbal…

Aveam situa]ii în care trebuia s\ m\ resetez de câteva ori pe zi, s\ fiu odat\ sensibil, iar în momentul urm\tor s\ fiu agil, dinamic!

Parada Zilele Clujului

children. I have a favorite picture from each photoshoot, but I never think that some picture is my best picture. I don’t choose between my children! It’s very hard for me when I have to make a selection of photos for exhibitions. I have many favorites and it is hard for me to choose.

What are your plans for the future? Will you stay with reportage photography or will you do something else?

In the upcoming Spring I want to have a new exhibition, dedicated to the pandemic and the lockdown - marking two years since the onset of the state of emergency. And I’m working on a new project, ballet photography - ballet seen from another perspective. I have been working on this project for several years, I’m shooting from above the stage, from where the stage lamps are.

What are some situations that left a mark on your photography career – dangerous or novel situations?

I’ve been through lots of funny situations, but also through dangerous ones.

I was supposed to photograph some farms and do some aero shoots, so I had to fly in a helicopter. I imagined that everything would go smooth, that there will be no problems, that I would be flying on a modern helicopter – but I found myself in an old helicopter baptized “Ivan”, which they used to spray weed killer. It had dual propellers, and some of the elements were kept together with wire. It was an extreme experience.

Another time, I flew above Cluj in the gendarmerie’s helicopter, and it was an adrenaline-fueled experience. For some years, I have been climbing the stairs towards the tower of the Saint Michael’s Church and, for two years, I have been climbing the scaffold next to the Church to shoot for the TIFF Opening Gala. I’ve also experienced amusing situations – at a rally I got covered in mud from head to toe; the car was drifting and it splashed a rain of mud all over me and my camera. At that moment I swore I would never go shooting again without a lens protector.

To return to this question – what are the meetings that left a mark on you, not just in professional and emotional terms, but also in terms of the caliber of the meeting?

My first appointment was in Cluj, in ’96, on the occasion of Queen Ann’s and Princess Margaret’s visit.

I accompanied the Royal family for their visit to Cluj. That was my first meeting with high-ranking officials. After that, many more appointments for many cultural and political figures followed.

Does your family understand the sacrifices you make for your job, your passion?

Yes, my wife often accompanies me to the theater, the opera, to events, festivals…

What is a day in your life like?

I was just thinking about this – I had days when I would go straight from the ballet, the Swan Lake ballet, to the Cluj Rally Night Special… from Shakespeare straight to the football matches of CFR Cluj… from the theater to the football match…

Sometimes I had to reset my mind a couple times a day – at one moment I had to be in an emotional state of mind, and at the next moment I had to be agile, dynamic! Marcel {tef