Katerina, could you please briefly introduce yourself, and tell us about your first encounter with photography? Who has influenced you to start taking photographs?
My first acquaintance with photography was around 2008. There was a photography club near my school. I was given an old film camera with a brief explanation and I took pictures of everything that I thought was interesting and beautiful, and then I showed it in the dark room.
It fascinated me incredibly.
What is one last impression you want to leave in your photographs?
I like to idealize the world around me through photography.
I love not only photographing beautiful women, but also watching them, so I want the female beauty in my photo to be presented at the best moment in its best perspective.
You've clearly worked with a wide range of models, what tips can you recommend to models looking to expand their portfolio?
Advice to models - do not waste time on photographers and projects that do not represent a model of something really interesting and worthwhile.
It seems to me not a problem to have a larger portfolio today.
It's important to have a quality portfolio that works for you.
Therefore, to work not only on commerce but also on creativity.
A small, high-quality portfolio works better for you than a large, unsuccessful one.
What are the most important lessons you have learned about photography so far?
The most important lesson for me is that good organization and a team is important in photography. If everyone works on the same wavelength and everyone is interested in what we are doing, everything turns out great.
As soon as the team gets some kind of negative - everything goes across.
So in order for the photos to turn out right, you need a good and positive team and organization.
How long does a shoot day typically last and what is the preparation like?
Preparation always takes more than the process itself. After all, it is not so easy to come to an agreement with everyone and it takes more than one day.
I don't like too spontaneous photos.
The model must first of all be properly made up and dressed.
There is no specific time for makeup and hairstyle, it depends on many details and the appearance of the model.
In the same way, there is no specific time for outdoor shooting. After all, everything depends on the light and sometimes you need to wait and sometimes in a hurry.
But I can tell you for sure that you can't do anything in a couple of hours. I usually devote my entire day to one shoot.
It is very important for me to be prepared mentally and physically as well.
Of course, there are also large commercial projects that can take more than one day of filming, but this is less common.
Are you the sort of photographer who plans for every minuscule detail or are you more spontaneous with your creations? Where do you find the majority of your inspiration? Everything before shooting is discussed earlier. But nothing can ever be planned one hundred percent. The weather, the human factor - this cannot be thought through to the smallest detail. So I don't even bother with some. For example, there are photographers who in advance come up with poses for models without ever seeing this model in life. Well, how can you put a person in a pose for whom it may not be natural at all? I noticed the more you force the model to stand in your conceived position, the funnier she gets.
So, in posing, I like to work on the process of shooting, and communicating with the person. There is always an exemplary mood board, from which you start, but the result is something new, that I could not imagine. The same is with the location, you never know what awaits you on the day of shooting. After all, you plan everything earlier. And if there is no sun and fog comes out? The only thing I love is that the makeup and clothes were thought out perfectly, and everything else requires the flexibility of the photographer and the team. Inspiration comes to me from everywhere. From books, films travel about new experienced emotions.
You bring a very high production value to your work. What is your retouching/production philosophy? How important is Photoshop in your final images?
I love photoshop. I believe that this is an integral part of modern fashion photography. I'm not saying that you need to replace the model's nose or eyes, but there are times that need to be tweaked, not to mention light correction. There are no longer those photographs as they once were on film. And why are they? People have always loved to idealize both art and photography. Even when there were no cameras yet. Few people know that filters, for example, which we are used to seeing on Instagram, were invented many years before the creation of the first camera. Claude glass (or black mirror) - is considered the first filter which was made in the 16th century. Any modern camera already includes software that processes the photo in the process of clicking. So there is no question of naturalness in today's photography. If the light is well set and the model is painted correctly, minimal post-processing is often required. Now it is fashionable to see the flaws of the model. But if you take a closer look at these models, they are already perfect in themselves. They are carefully selected to show their wrinkles or "imperfections"
In your opinion, what is the difference between fashion and beauty photography? What's your favorite?
Fashion and Beauty are two directions that go side by side. The difference is in light, equipment, the technique of execution, and retouching. I do not have a favorite direction in photography, there are beautifully made works that please the eye or evoke emotions in me. In addition to fashion photography, I also love documentaries, landscapes, and street photography.
In your own eyes, what was the moment that your career took off?
When I was offered the first collaboration in a fashionable St. Petersburg magazine.
Russia introduced me to many interesting people in the fashion industry. After that, my fame increased. I also worked hard and hard on my portfolio, which allowed me to reach the European magazines that I still work with.
Outside of photography, what else blows your mind?
Aside from photography, I like to travel. Meet new people. Acquainted with new cultures and traditions. For the last two years I have been traveling less I like to explore the city in which I live. In Milan, numerous exhibitions and events related to culture inspire me and push me to new achievements. I spend most of my free time with my son who amazes and inspires me with his childhood fantasy. Unfortunately, when we become adults, part of our childish world disappears. But it was thanks to fantasies that the best books and paintings were written. And all art is created thanks to the fantasies and skills of people to translate them into reality.
Where can we see more of your works and get connected with you?
I often do posts or stories of the work process on social networks. Recently, I have also begun to fascinate with videos. During this year I hope to find a suitable space for my personal studio in Milan. You can see my work on my website katerinalarniani.it and
Instagram @katerinalarniani_ph
Photographer: Katerina Larniani @katerinalarniani_ph
Wardrobe Stylist: Anastasiya Chvala
Makeup Artist: Yulechkazykova
Model: Olga De Mar
You can read The MAIN ISSUE Vol. 22 here: