Saturday, May 31, 2008

theFashionSpot: julia pogodina, featured photographer | from law to fashion... [excerpt]

Q: What's your perspective on women in fashion photography since it sometimes seems to be a male-dominated industry?

A: Alas, that is what it looks like. There are some big female photographers – like Ellen Von Unwerth, Bettina Rheims, Annie Leibovitz, and Sarah Moon – but they are very few. I always wondered why that is. Maybe because fashion is mostly about women and there is a perception that there is no one better than a men to show the best side of the feminine?

That's why it flatters me so much when people say that my photography is very masculine. By just looking at my pictures you wouldn't guess that they were photographed by a woman. My female models usually have strong personalities and apparent sex appeal, while the men may look softer and sometimes even feminine. I don't really think about it when I shoot, it just comes naturally.

Q: Do you feel any advantages in being a woman in fashion photography?

A: Absolutely! I think many guys, while being good photographers, totally forget about the fashion part. They either don't know it really well or just don't care, leaving everything to their stylist or art director.

In my case I am not sure which part I like more – fashion or photography. And thank god I don’t need to choose! I love fashion and I know it well. On my own shoots I am always taking part in the process of styling, and sometimes even totally take over. It definitely helps because you need to know (and love!) the clothes to photograph them right. And let's not forget that an ultimate goal of any fashion photograph is to sell that dress!

Also, being a female photographer definitely helps you to establish level of trust and intimacy with a model who later on will bring out the most she can give during the shoot. This is especially true when it comes to nude and lingerie shoots.

Full version of the interview read at: http://www.thefashionspot.com/finishing-touches/5/julia-pogodina-featured-photographer-204

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