It always a pleasure working with musicians. The passion the hate to the act of playing is so incredible to see. This is a part of a photo session that Erminia has hired me to do. Music is not her profession, but the love to art is as strong. She wanted to memorise herself with the her most favourite hobby.
Location shoot with the music band LSDD
Despite the global situation with Covid, I’ve managed to travel back home and make the most of my time there. My home city has always been an inspiration to me - form the beach, to forests and cityscapes all the way to… old airplanes? - why not!
I’ve had already arranged with the music band LSDD to photograph them on location. And “strangely” enough their upcoming second album is about a story involving a plane crash in an area around Varna. So it couldn’t be more perfect! The only big thing I needed to figure out was how to arrange everything and everyone. This was my very first time photographing a band and I can’t lie - I did feel very nervous. But what a better way to release a fear than facing it straight on? Luckily they are such a funny bunch of people and I’ve had way too much fun doing my job than I actually expected.
The plane itself was on my location list for a long time. I didn’t know how exactly it looks like, how big it is or what else is around it. But from what I had seen from others who had been there, I knew I want to go and create there.
I stared my preparation advance. I was going home only for 3 weeks and I had to fit everything in. I arranged the time, styling and feel of the shoot with the band in advance. Once I landed in Varna and before the actual photo shoot, I went to see the plane to gain an idea about the size and space around it. To see how I can work with this massive prop, that later on we turned into a photography set.
So 1 week later with 4 cars full of equipment, snacks and drinks, 7 of us went and had a blast. As it is an unsupervised area, there was a lot of rubbish I didn’t wanted on my photographs. So firstly we cleaned up the ‘set’ and covered up a few bad graffiti.
We shot in front, at the back, on the side, inside and on top of the plane from afternoon to after dark, catching the gorgeous, gold sunset light in between. As it usually happens on sets, we had some technical issues, but nothing major than could stop us of achieving the desired result. We brought a smoke machine and colourful stage light with us to add on to the feeling.
I had a great support by my assistant Jivko Manev, without whom it would’ve been much harder to achieve the results I wanted. Plus he did a great #BTS drone video of the whole shoot.
Overall, the shoot went well, we had loads of fun and I learned a lot more about woking on location, with group of new people and patiently managing every obstacle that comes round. I can’t wait to work agin with L.S.D.D. and Jivko Manev!
You can listen to L.S.D.D. on YouTube or Spotify.
And also make sure you check out Jivko’s music band
A Festive Self
Some time ago during a Christmas season I’ve started asking myself about the meaning of Family. I re-analyse all the family examples I know and all the information I’ve collected. From past to present, painting out to myself a detailed picture of the best family description I can give. I’m amazed how somewhere along the way family relationships can drift away from love and carrying. And yet how strongly connected to our truth we still remain.
There is a saying in Bulgaria - “The blood doesn’t become water”, which stands for the importance and connection between family members. In spiritual world is known that souls come to Earth in groups, in which their title changes, but the group remains together in every life. Which means our family is our “soul tribe” and we’ll also be together in the next life. So the issues we have with a family member is something that came from the past and if not sorted out, will continue to come back until it’s resolved. Or better - forgiven! A burden let go into the nothingness, causes the weightless feeling of love. What a relieve! And yet, how stubborn we could remain, letting the ego runs the show?
What a game life is!
This Christmas I had more time for myself than usual. Caught in thoughts I created my kind of festive season 2019. Lights down low, favourite tracks on. Let’s go…
I hope you’re having a wonderful time wherever you are this year, hope you’re joyful and merry! I hope you received the presents you most looked forward to and that you gifted yourself something meaningful too. If this wasn’t the best Christmas for you, don’t forget “this will too shall pass”.
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Decade Everyone!
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Location shoot with the musician Polina
The biggest pleasure for me is working with talents. A collaboration between energies for the co-creation of something beautiful, meaningful and honest is something I always look for a a creative.
This is Polina Antonova - an incredible voice, musician and woman. She is based in Varna, Bulgaria, but her voice will take you around the glove in an elegant effortlessness. The tenderness of her soul vibrates bright and clear through her personal work, and her exclusive weekly Spotify playlist just wrap everything up in a bundle of flavour.
We shot on location in a warm summer night. The green wall behind her is 100% real - one of my favourite locations in the city, which I always keep in my sleeve as an option. I wanted to compliment her outfit with a high contrast background. Something vivid and majestic but at the same time natural and organic.
On the way to our location I saw a great, old door that caught my attention. I had to take a few frames to experiment with the look of the shoot. Turned out to be another great contrast complimenting the vision.
More about Polina you could find on her Facebook page or simply follow her on Instagram @p.juniee.
Make sure you have a listen to her music on Soundcloud
And to finish the experience - tune in every week to her Spotify playlist Vibe With Me and let it takes you away…
Many thanks to my assistant Rosie from Ro Pro Studio, with who I often work on locations and without whom this would have become a very different type of photoshoot.
Published in Paul Wright's new book
I'm very happy to share with you my new publication. I've been working with Paul Wright on his new book "Paul Wright: Fifteen Years" published by Thompson Gallery. This is a work of celebration and a reflection of his work with the gallery for nearly two decades.
The work of Paul Wright has a special meaning to me. I was introduced to it at university as part of our curriculum and something in me shifted. It was the first body of work, after I moved to the UK, that pulled me like a magnet in such an incredible way. The vivd movement of colourful brush strokes in his portraits, connecting the viewer through the eyes of the subjects is the sting then pulls me every single time.
It has been an honour and a beautiful learning experience for me to work with Paul since 2013. Moreover, working with him on his book was a dream come true.
The exhibition along with the book include new, old and unseen pieces of Paul's archive and it will be on from 9th to 25th of June 2016.