About you:
Q: You mentioned your wife is here with you in Chengdu, do you plan to settle down here, what’s your plan in the future?
[Raz] Settling here is definitely one of the options on the table and I’d be very happy with such an outcome. However, me and my wife tend to take it one year at a time – and we haven’t decided where we’ll spend our life.
在成都定居无疑是我们的一个考虑，我也很高兴能在成都安定下来。但我和我的老婆倾向于一年一年地打算，我们对在哪儿安度余生还不太确定。
Q: I heard you’re busy with your work, how can you balance photography with work? Or is there any possibility for you to work as a photographer and quit the current job in a IT company?
[Raz] Keeping balance is not easy. Work is very rewarding and I like spending around 10 to 12 hours every day in the office. So, in order to have time for photography, I arrange at least 1 month of vacation per year spent purely for traveling, adventure and photography.
To answer your other question: I enjoy my job a lot and find game development very gratifying. Photography, on the other hand, is a hobby done out of passion. Those two don’t compete with each other and I don’t see a scenario in which I would be compelled to turn photography into “work”. That could take the passion out of it.
保持平衡不是那么容易啊。我的工作是非常有价值的，我喜欢每天在办公室呆上10到12个小时。所以为了有时间去摄影，我每年都安排了一个月的假期去旅行、冒险以及摄影。至于你另外一个问题的答案：我非常享受我的工作，开发游戏令我感到十分满足。摄影，换句话说吧，就是我一个满腹激情的爱好。我的工作和爱好之间并没有冲突，我也没设想过要把摄影这个爱好强制转变成工作，假使这样的话我自发的摄影激情就被消磨了。
About your job:
Q: you mentioned you have 9 years of working experience, can you share with us your biggest achievement in those 9 years?
[Raz] Sure. It would be my pleasure to go down the memory lane and remember the most satisfying moments. If I had to choose: the past 2.5 years in China have been some of the most fruitful ones since I had the opportunity to build a stable QC department, develop tools that are now used at Ubisoft WW level and participate in making games that our audience will surely enjoy playing. Working in Ubisoft Chengdu has not only been a pleasure, but also an honor to be in the company of so many talented people.
Also, my previous 3 job functions in Ubisoft Bucharest provided me with unique opportunities to contribute to AAA titles like Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon. However, I hold in high regard the opportunity to have helped people grow, guided their career and provided my assistance in helping them achieve their goals.
是的。我很乐意去追溯我的过往，回忆那最让我感到满足的时刻。如果必需选择的话，我想在中国工作的过去两年半的时间里我收获最多。我获得机会组建了一个稳定的游戏测试部，带领游戏测试部开发了一些育碧WW级至今在使用的相关工具，参与了很多玩家喜爱的游戏的制作。在育碧成都工作不仅是我的一个乐趣，也是我能与很多优秀人才一同共事的荣幸。
不仅如此，我之前在育碧布加勒斯特工作室担任的3个不同工作岗位也给予了我极其难得的机会，让我能在育碧AAA级品牌游戏如刺客信条、细胞分裂和幽灵行动上做出贡献。此外，我也十分感激能有机会去帮助团队成员一起成长，指引他们的职业发展、以及尽我能力去帮助他们实现职业目标。
Q: can you share with us your daily work with us?
[Raz] A normal day includes overseeing projects that are either under development or in post-launch phase; also dealing with staffing, meeting people for brainstorming or creative sessions on how we can tackle various situations; and last but not least, the less glamorous administrative work on logistics and resources management.
日常的工作涉及：监督审查项目的各个阶段，无论是正在开发的项目还是已经发布的项目；人员配备事宜，和同事一起头脑风暴或者开展创新会议讨论怎样处理各种不同的状况；当然还会处理一些趣味性相对薄弱的行政后勤、资产管理的工作。
Q: when comes to work, which type do you belong to, workaholic? Strict to work?
[Raz] You got me here, I’m a confessed workaholic spending up to 16 hours in the office during crunch time.
你真是问到我心坎上了。我是个公认的工作狂，在项目的关键阶段我每天有16小时都在办公。
Q: do you play games? Which type of games are your favorite? Have you got any achievements in games? (no limitations among MMORPG, mobile, console, & handheld…)
[Raz] Playing games comes with the territory. Most of the time I play for fun, but many times it is for research purpose. The latter involves playing mostly any type of game on any platform.
When it’s for fun, I prefer: RPG, 1st person shooters and open-world games: Far Cry, AC, Ghost Recon, God of War, Max Payne and Portal.
玩游戏对我来说是天经地义的事。大多数情况下我是为了娱乐消遣去玩，有时也会为了调查研究需要去玩。做调查研究的话，需要大力去玩各种平台上各种类型的游戏。
但纯玩的话，我喜欢玩角色扮演、第一人称射击、开放世界类型的游戏，比如孤岛惊魂、刺客信条、幽灵行动、战神、英雄本色、传送门。
About photography:
Q: how did you start photographing? It seems there is a big difference between photographing and developing games, you learned by yourself?
[Raz] I’ve always been attracted to cameras and their capacity to freeze time capturing a moment that has a story to tell. I started experimenting with photography about 9 years ago, with a very simple camera. Along the years, I cycled through quite a few DSLR models and traveled to around 20 countries practicing my photography skills along the way. Indeed, it involved self-study and appreciating photos from fellow travel photographers, as well as award-wining ones.
我一直为照相机那种凝结时间、捕捉精彩片刻的能力而着迷。9年前，我初始用一台非常简单的照相机尝试摄影。这么多年来，我尝试过不同的数码单反相机以及环游了20个国家去练习我的摄影技术。的确，学习摄影的过程中不仅需要自学，也需要从欣赏同行的旅游摄影师们的作品、以及摄影届获奖大师的作品中学习。
Q: do you like photographing people, scenery, or others?
[Raz] I dabble in each of those, also adding Macro photography to the list here. It really depends on the situation and environment. But, my main passion lies in capturing people, that human element which adds a story or intrigue to a photo.
我每种都有涉猎、也有尝试微距摄影。这真的得看情况和环境而定。但我更倾向于捕捉人像，照片会因为有了人的因素而更具故事色彩。
Q: you are living in Chengdu, which part of the city inspires you most so you want to take out your camera and memorize it?
[Raz] The parks are a very good spot thanks to teaming with kids and people of all ages relaxing and having fun. Couple that with the surrounding nature and it’s prime territory for photography.
公园是一个非常好的摄影地点。小孩子们和不同年龄段的人们聚集到这儿一起放松娱乐，情侣们以及周围的自然环境无疑是摄影取景的最佳选择。
Q: as an expat, how did you decide to hold a free photography workshop in Chengdu?
[Raz] It’s easy: I like to share my experience and photography tips with enthusiasts interested in this topic. I’ve learned a lot from the community and it’s time to return the favor by helping those who are just starting in this field, eager to learn more.
原因很简单。我喜欢向摄影狂热者们分享我的经验和摄影技巧。我从摄影这个社区里面学习到了很多，是时候向其他刚尝试摄影、渴望学到更多摄影知识的摄影迷们回报了。
Q: you have made a lot of achievements in photography, which achievement makes you most proud of?
[Raz] The collaboration with Chengdu International Photography Center and Sichuan Tourism Department brought together many good photographers. We were all very glad and proud to be able to contribute in the effort of promoting areas from Sichuan.
Also, another good achievement was made for this very workshop at Blue Roof Art Museum: a very generous sponsor (成都迪比特贸易有限公司) is helping organize and reward participants. We’re not just giving a lecture into macro photography, but we’re also providing participants for free with the very tools they need to improve themselves.
与成都国际影像艺术基地和四川旅游部门的合作让我结识了很多优秀的摄影师。我们能为宣传四川出一份力感到无比高兴与骄傲。此外，这次在蓝顶美术馆举办的摄影讲座也让我感到非常有成就感。成都迪比特贸易有限公司慷慨地赞助并协助组织了此次摄影讲座、提供了奖品。我们不仅仅是举办了一次关于微距摄影的讲座，也为参与者提供了一个可以免费提高自己摄影技术的平台。
Q: can you share with the readers some tips in photographing? You can keep it short and simple.
[Raz] It will be my pleasure. Here are some basic and very important tips: apply the “rule of thirds” and “rule of spaces”, shoot at the “golden hour” (sunrise and sunset), be patient and try to blend-in at first so that you don’t draw too much attention (this will ensure natural photos with people minding their own business).
我十分乐意分享。有一些基本但又十分重要的小窍门：应用“三分定律”和“空间法则”，在黄金时间（日出日落）拍摄，耐心地等待最佳时机并且试着融入氛围以免引起过多的注意（这会确保照片拍出来十分自然，照片里的人物都在自然地忙着他们自己的事情）。
About Chengdu:
Q: you mentioned you decided to stay more than the initial 1 year, can you share with us what made you stay? You can give us some examples. J
[Raz] People here are very nice, talented and easy to work with. We achieved many things together. Also, on a personal level I have to admit that I’m addicted to the spicy food 🙂
这里的人们都很友善、才华横溢，容易相处。我们一起做过很多事情。另外，我不得不承认我吃辣的美食上瘾了。
Q: how do you see the difference between Chengdu & Bucharest? (both in work & life)
[Raz] There’s actually not that much difference in term of work. It’s the same good vibe and productive stance towards getting things done.
In Chengdu I would say that people are very friendly and easy to work with. In Bucharest we value professionalism, good planning and work ethics; relationships are based on mutual respect and trust, while in Chengdu there’s more of a “big happy family” feeling.
工作方面其实没有什么大的不同。都有为了把事情做好的愉悦氛围以及制作标准。我觉得成都的人们非常友善和易于相处。在布加勒斯特，我们关注专业度、良好的规划和职业道德；大家的关系是建立在互相尊重和信任的基础上。但在成都更让我有在一个大的幸福之家的感觉。
Q: have you got used to Chengdu, such as food, life pace, language, friends…(or any other things you want to share)
[Raz] Yes. It’s easy to get accustomed to the life here when you enjoy it so much. I have Chinese friends who helped speed up the exposure to the culture. As a side note, those friends were very eager at first to see my reaction when eating spicy food 🙂 We got some good laughs on that.
The language is still something I strive to learn. For now, I know enough to get by in the daily life and also to be able to travel in China on my own.
的的确确。我很容易就融入了现在的生活因为我非常喜欢这样的生活方式。我有中国朋友帮助我快速了解本地文化。另外，我的朋友们刚开始十分热衷于看我吃辛辣美食的反应。我们在这个事上有好多笑点。
我还在努力学习中文。现在，我可以进行日常的基本交流以及可以一人独自在中国旅行。
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