Albert Flaujat

The backgrounds of the experts prove that passionate people work at Fujifilm and specialise in photographic paper. The experts reflect on their own experiences and share their valuable photography market knowledge. This time we have interviewed Albert Flaujat during the Covid-19 lockdown at his home. He is responsible for quality control at the Spanish office of the technical Fujifilm Europe Photo Imaging department.

Who is Albert Flaujat?
I was born in Barcelona in 1959, where I completed secondary school. Following my father’s advice, I studied English for three years as a hobby (the foreign language we learned at secondary school was French), since it would be the language of the future. And he was right. Since I was young, my hobbies have been (and still are) photography, music, travelling and being in touch with nature.

What made you interested in photography?
My father. He immortalised all moments from my childhood and earlier with his Regula camera, that I still own. He taught me to frame, measure the light and correctly develop the film. While a member of a ramblers’ club, I started a photographic laboratory that was in disuse and I began to develop my work by learning on the job.

My hobby became my job and after a period as an event photographer, I started working in an industrial laboratory. I went from practising the art of developing at home to develop and print thousands of photos a day.

And I still collect antique cameras.

Albert Flaujat and Fujifilm, tell us how and when you started, and what your usual responsibilities are.
I exchanged the industrial laboratory for a small store with the first Minilab that Fujifilm set up in Spain. We are talking of the time when we developed in an hour. Through the good relationship with Fujifilm, I took the leap to join this great company, where I’ve been working now for 25 years.

I’ve always been in the technical department at Fujifilm where I install equipment, provide courses and training to customers and, currently, I’m in charge of quality control for the laboratories.

I have experienced all important changes in photography and cinema ranging from analogue to digital.

What inspires you in your work?
Photography and imaging are my passion and I enjoy working in these fields.

How do you assist Fujifilm customers?
By sharing all my experience with them and by giving advice on how to improve and optimise equipment results.

Albert’s key events and success stories at Fujifilm
The important changes that have taken place both in relation to taking pictures and printing them ranging from the dichroic (or interference) filters of the amplifiers and laser minilabs as developing media.

Why is Original Photo Paper the only one for you?
All existing photographic paper brands have passed through my hands during the years that I worked at a laboratory. The one with the green label had white purity and more brilliant and intense colours than the rest. Nowadays, it has been even further enhanced with a range of surfaces undreamed of for a long time.

How do you see the future of Original Photo Paper?
The team of young people at our factory in Tilburg (the Netherlands) has given our photographic paper an important push by offering new finishes and by adapting the product to current and future requirements. Therefore I believe it will be around for a long time.

Do you have an important personal memory that is depicted on Original Photo Paper?
I have hundreds of images, but the series of photos I took of my son each month in the same position during his first year to record his growth is close to my heart.

Photography as a hobby
Show us some photos that you’ve taken and that make you especially proud, for example of your holidays.