Category: Personal & others

Elena seen by ph. Jo Tennant [Edinburgh, 2021]

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I recently had portraits taken of…me! This is the story. I wanted to frame a nice picture of me for my dad’s birthday, so I contacted Portobello based photographer Jo Tennant. From time to time I enjoy modeling: yes, I have a “peacock side”! When it comes to portraiture I am also very curious to observe other photographer’s working (especially if they are Professionals). Posing for Jo was good fun: she is 100% approachable & while we were working, we chatted all the time of the shoot!! I really felt comfortable and I am really happy to praise her work & artistic talent with this post. When I received the pictures I was blown away!! They are how I wanted them to be: spontaneous, gorgeous shots, filled with mesmerizing colour and with the a beautiful golden hour lighting!

Please find her website here: https://www.20.photos/

To do or not to do? [Edinburgh, 2021]

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One of my weakest points is not being constant, not producing articles or taking photo shoots regularly. I would like to write more often and on a regular basis. There are periods where my brain is filled with ideas and I readily jump into action whilst other times I am almost drained of initiative. I have always been ashamed of this side of my personality. I should push myself more forcefully (I can be lazy!) but sometimes I just lack the impetus. Over the past few years I brainstormed a lot about my Facebook page (and I also asked advice from my friends): how to direct it, what topics to publish, what could be perceived as more interesting but at the same time would also catch my interest and any others who follow me.

At the moment I have a sort of a mental block but I am sure it is only temporary! Generally speaking, I would say that variety is important, like talking about my photographic journey, my shots, other photographers’ portfolios & experiences, new ideas & trends, maybe equipments…but always about photography!

If you have nothing interesting to say, it is better to be quiet for a while but that’s not an original thought!!

2020, the end of a decade and the beginning of a new one

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2020 has undoubtedly been a ghastly and exhausting year and has felt as if it would never end. We have lived through what we could have never imagined as possible. Considering how events were progressing, on more occasions I feared that the “very worst” might happen but actually it never arrived. My family and the people I love are still here. I have been facing my fears, some doubts and decisions-to-be-made about my future and have reviewed a couple of relationships.

On the other hand, if this year has sounded slow, almost frozen, the entire decade has really flown by and a new one is about to start. So much has happened during the past 10 years: from being a student I became a professional, I had the opportunity to live in and discover different countries, I have met so many people and this has impacted on my life as a blessing. I have become more self-conscious, somehow some part of me has changed and my way of thinking is slightly different. My photography has evolved quite a lot in interesting ways.

I would describe my “2010 > 2020 phase” as psychologically tough, self-inquisitive, challenging, adventurous, idealistic, passionate, restless, fast. It was a stage of life that I needed to go through and I did it.

What do I hope and expect now for the next decade? Less moving around and to settle down!

P.S. I can reassure you that the picture is not a photo-montage😅, I really was in the garden. It was just taken with a very shallow depth of field!

Handling criticism [Edinburgh, 2020]

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I feel a bit uncomfortable to acknowledge this but…very often I take things on the personal side (yes, I am touchy!!). Accepting and handling criticism is a big challenge for me. This is applicable to my photographic experience as well as to my life’s journey.

I am here now thanks to a lot of hidden work that happened “behind the scenes”. We become who we are and we eventually succeed although other people won’t be able to see what has led to our present circumstances. Criticism does not necessarely need to be negative and positive criticism is an essential tool to allow us to challenge and improve ourselves. Even if it is “negative”, you can use it to achieve positive results.

I believe that criticism depends a lot on “Who”, “How” and “Why” it is made and if you want to receive it. How do you perceive the critic? Is he/she respected in the field of knowledge or just a “loud mouth”? What does this person represent to you? Is there an emotional bond between giver and receiver? In the end is criticism subjective or objective or both?

In my life I have received the “best “critics from people who loved me but sometimes also from those with whom I had little or no connection. I understood that in the end, they weren’t polemical notes against me, as they allowed me later to move forward. I think that a serious critic should have an in-depth knowledge of the topic or object under discussion and an honest attitude towards you. We all make mistakes but we should be self-aware enough to recognise them and turn them into strengths and a learnt experience.

Ru & Ian, your garden is stunning! P. s. Thank you Fra for this lovely shot!

A “Thank-you” letter to the Queen, with a reply [2020]

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The Queen has a passion for photography and she has played a huge role in the contemporary history of this country but it is not just that…She has set the bar high, providing us with an example of a life grounded in a sense of responsible duty, free from selfishness. I have always wondered how she made it through several decades, being so stable and dutiful. I admire and respect her deeply, both on the professional and personal side.

In springtime I sent her a short Thank-you letter, saying how much I appreciated her for being a good example to others and for applying constantly a strong sense of justice, dignity, discipline and search for truth. And last month I was surprised and delighted that I got a response!! I am happy to display the letter here…God save the Queen!!

Explaining to myself the concept of Fine Art Photography [2020]

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It took me a while to discover the meaning of Fine Art Photography. Fine Art Photography is generally described as relating to the intent of the photographer since the photographer is using photography as a medium for a creative expression. The goal of fine art photography is therefore to express an idea, a message, or an emotion in an incisive way.

I agree with this and I like the idea behind Fine Art Photography. It is also an interpretation of our society, people, and the situations in which they find themselves. I firmly believe that Fine Art must be intended as “good quality” photography that is equally a question of taste, sensibility, a combination of elements, colors and feelings.

For me these two portraits fit well with the above description, They were taken at different times (in 2013 and in 2020), places (in London and Parma) and by the hands of different photographers (Matthew Bishop Photography and Maria Buttafoco). When I look at them, I feel rather proud to be the subject of a classy, beautifully colour-balanced and tasty composition but it is not just that. To me they bring memories of two different stages of my life that were meaningful and it is the personal factor that, for me, is vital in photography.

I gather that photography after all, as all the arts, is subjective.

What Social Medias I use

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When I started photography in 2009 it was a simple hobby without any expectations. I had no idea whether I would be good or not. I jumped into it with both feet because I liked taking pictures. After a few years, I had improved my techniques and equipment and I felt the need to get in touch with other photographers or photo-amateurs. I was looking for some inspiration and for their advice. I wanted to learn and grow and for other people to share our experiences and…the Internet was out there, calling for me!

However, narrating my photographic activity and documenting it on social media has been a long and nonlinear path…my hesitancy and perfectionism must have definitively kicked in the process!! Over 15 years I have been on the following platforms, with different outcomes:

  • 2007: I discovered Facebook
  • 2010: I created a WordPress blog which lasted 5 years. In that period I was also was using on a daily basis my Facebook page
  • 2015: I closed the blog (thinking it was something “out of date”) and opened an account on Flickr
  • 2019: Public profile on Instagram
  • 2021: Flickr being almost “dead” + got the feeling that just my Facebook page was not “enough”. Therefore, I went back to my first love, blogging!, as I was missing it and opened this website (that should be closed by the end of this year)… I am not convinced about its layout and navigability!
  • 2023: I opened this blog (the 3rd one) I am writing on now: https://elenaarvasi.com/ I am using and updating it as main tool for my photography

The platform I have loved most and that has given me the most satisfaction is WordPress. It challenges me to express myself, it pushes me to be active on the web and to consider myself as a conceptual artist. Social media has changed my attitude towards work and so many aspects of life. Now we are living and working, in most cases, inside of a technological bubble. Contacts are more frequent and it is easier to discover and follow somebody or something but these contacts can be very superficial. Creating a network on the web is almost essential but often lacks human connection and a deep interaction. A face-to-face exchange makes the difference.

I still believe that a blog is “your face” on the internet, is partly a reflection of your personality and choices and allows a fairly direct approach with the people who follow you. I am thankful to this platform for allowing me to achieve, through learning, developing and persevering, a personal fulfillment and demonstrating to myself that I am capable of reaching my goals, despite the obstacles that I have faced.

Thanks to Francesca for this lovely picture!!

Not a matter of age, a note about friendship [Edinburgh, 2020]

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I am turning 37 years old this week-end. I don’t believe that age is important in relationships and I am not ashamed to confess that I have had many friends who are over 60. Some of them are sadly no longer with us. They have a place in my heart.

I consider a part of myself an old, grumpy person. I can be a loner. Maybe also for these reasons I find it easy to establish a connection or a relationship with older folks.

The age gap can form a sort of a peaceful attachment. Older women especially have had a charismatic impact and a caring presence throughout my life. I have been guided and learnt and absorbed lessons like a sponge. There is no sort of competition or sense of judgement that can happen to people of my age.

Talking recently with a good friend (this week-end she will be 75!) she said: “What plans can you see for me at my age?”. When I hear this kind of sentiment, a part of me becomes grey and I feel sad but I got her point. Sometimes I also ask myself what is the purpose of my journey and what am I fighting for.

We are all human and I reckon that most of us can be frail at times. Age can allow us to see things in different perspectives and with more detachment.

What I have always appreciated in older friends is the fact of being a solid, experienced presence, with their feet planted firmely on the ground. They are like a reassuring oak tree in a society whose pieces are moving and dancing all the time. They are just there. Wise teachers. I am really thankful and I feel blessed for their friendship.

Breath of life, a powerful selfie [Parma, 2020]

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This is a selfie. My friend Francesca, the mum (aka the bump), took it a few days ago in the afternoon, while she was resting with her older daughter Irene (the little hand).

This image, in my opinion, could be suitable for an exhibition; even although it was taken with a mobile in an unplanned moment; even although it is a selfie; even although it is maybe a bit too dark ; even although the quality is not that high. Nothing is missing there. Everything is highlighted and concentrated. There is love, silence, darkness, waiting, hope. Three lives and three hearts close to one another, beating together in such a small, confined space. Everything is captured in this little square mobile upload but the three of them seem ready to jump out of the frame.

I asked Francesca if I could post it on my Facebook page and I hope that this intimate shot will be seen by many, otherwise it would be wasted because it is just perfect. She was delighted for me to do this.

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully

made; your works are wonderful,

I know that full well – Psalm 138 (139) : 13-14

About team work & relationships [Edinburgh, 2020]

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To me the basis of a good relationship and what makes it last is…that I have nothing to lose in it! I know, even although this sounds dry and cynical, it is not too far from the truth. I firmly believe that mutual esteem is the deepest form of love and respect towards somebody else. If you think somebody is important to you, it means that you have a good opinion of this person who is valuable, just because of the way he or she is and for the inner characteristics of his / her personality. A healthy relationship relies on the “good image” you have of the other.

This must be reciprocated. If this process doesn’t work both ways, there is no growth for the people who are involved, and no matter the kind of relationship we are talking about : it can be marriage, friendship, work etc.

I am usually attracted to somebody, when I have something to learn, when I receive a positive lesson. There must be an exchange, both on the mental and emotional plan. This is enriching and allows me to make steps forward. I want to grow and develop my inner self and I don’t have time to lose.

Maybe overrated to say, but true, unconditional, reciprocal love is rare. Most of the interactions are superficial and I accept that but I do take out the best of myself when I feel loved (aka esteemed) by the other. I have loved in depth only a few people till now. Honestly, only a few relationships can be life-lasting. When it happens, I don’t let them go. I want them to stay with me, by my side.

I have always prayed to the Lord to help me encounter and keep close to me people who would love, encourage, strengthen, inspire and teach me something good. People who wouldn’t be jealous when I achieve something, when I manage to get to the top of the hill (and trust me, I know what it means to struggle in daily life!). People who can reassure my insecurity, my anxiety. In exchange, I would commit to do the same to them, in a loyal way, the best way I can and in this case I can be generous because I like to give to others.

For this reason when somebody I love achieves success, this is also my success. The joy is mutual. I love to work on projects with others : subjects, photo-amateurs, photographers. I can learn from them. I can teach them. I can upgrade myself.

For me behind a project, I would dare to say, behind my life there is an ideology. I need to excel and realise something good. I strive to achieve a result and need to demonstrate to myself that I am able to make it, that I won’t be broken by the events. I don’t want to fight by myself, I hope that somebody is fighting with me. This makes me feel stronger.

What I find is quite sad and poor in our society (but I guess this is part of the history of the human kind) is this sort of parochialism that is the result of a jealous competition between individuals. I mean, if somebody is good, you acknowledge it. There is no need to make any polemics about a more than deserved success. Why shouldn’t I encourage people who have talents?

In photography, as in many other fields, we would really need to exchange ideas and stand together, to encourage one another, to bring things together when it is about achieving success or growth. We need to know how to work as a team. One is big only when there are people behind. Unity versus jealousy and competition. This is greatness.

One of my obsessions, Oliviero Toscani [Edinburgh, 2020]

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It’s the moment to confess it : he has been one of my secret obsessions and a model to follow for so many years and he still is! He has inspired me, a lot. Why’s that ?

As a creative, a front-runner he was able to foresee new perspectives in the photography industry and to preceed many others in the development of new schemes and themes. He has been able to mix old with new communication vectors, capturing immediately, sometimes harshly the attention of the spectators.

He has broken up with the iconic figure of the traditional photographer and has created a multi-purposed and nuanced one. An marketing strategist, a communicator, a photographer and a teacher, he has made his fortune creating a new, polyvalent role.

He has played, tried and explored in his curiosity several options, making some conflictual choices but he has always kept his feet firmly on the ground. He has wisely combined commercial to social projects and in his work there has been a consequential and logical evolution.

The key behind is success ? His open-mindedness, his audacity, the capacity to decide and to astonish, the timing and the focus, the opposition of the contrasts and the rules and a powerful imaginery. The idea that the concept, the project, come before the techniques and prevail on the subjects. These become one piece, they are a “detail” in the composition of the artistic masterpiece.

In most of his studio’s portraits, the background made of one solid, single color, can be flat, boring even although this is irrilevant since it has been put in place to allow the subject to empower the scene.

I have always loved his work and I believe he has deserved the succes. I am also proud that an Italian photographer had such a global impact on the western society. To me he represents commitment apart from being driven by an idea that he is capable to develop in a clear, unconventional form.

My golden years [Edinburgh, 2020]

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Cliché to say but still true, every year and every life’s season is different for each of us. Our life is changing due also to the fact that we are evolving. Depending on different factors, feelings, moods, meetings and events that we are experiencing, we react in distinct ways since we are in different stages of our life. We try to keep our equilibrium and take some advantage from our experience, sometimes willing to find a new vision or goal.

I often think about what I have accomplished or achieved in the past. So just to recap “what” and “when” I have practiced and learnt during my photography activity, I can label some years as brilliant as well as others less rosy.

Talking strictly about the progression and structure of my hobby, I started to take a serious interest in photography in 2009 : this was my “initiation year”. My mother knew that I liked to take pictures so she gave me, as a present, a Canon EOS 500D (using her Esselunga’s clubcard points). In 2012 I realised that even although I had started covering different subjects such as architecture, street photography, landscape and still life, I preferred portraiture. In 2017 following the advise of some friends, I evolved mainly into working with children and their families.

I believe that the development of some of my ideas and the artistic quality of my work, so far, produced my golden-years between 2015 and 2018.

And talking about my personal life, my “golden years” coincide, so far, with the decade between 1999 and 2009!

Defining success [Edinburgh, 2020]

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I have often reflected on the meaning of success. The first point that comes straight to my mind (on which we all probably agree) is that this is a subjective concept. What each of us means by “success”? We would ultimately provide different replies to this question. Also, there are different spheres to which this concept can be applied (business, career, wealth, fame, couple / family happiness, self-development…).

The concept of success has evolved in me, over the years. When I was younger, I would stick it to being considered cool, getting the attention and becoming famous. However, over the past decade, I realised that success is not strictly related to professional life or to making a fortune.

Success, to me, is related to a decisional factor or power. It means to figure out who you are, what you thrive for. It means to find your path and to decide what & who you want in your life (and very often this doesn’t come natural to me!!). I am not implying that the financial asset is irrelevant but I would highlight that also our impact on the social sphere is key, aka the capacity of establishing healthy, inspiring and useful relations (in work, as in private life) are reflections of achievement & realisation. Persevering is also a powerful tool that can grant us success.

Photography has always been a passion and never a profession for me, however I consider myself a photographer. I am not powerful under a financial point of view, as I am not a sales person and I have never pushed into that direction, of making profits thanks to my photography. I believe that God gave me this talent as a purpose and also as a tool to serve others, and that this gift has allowed me to be more self-aware and confident, opening me up to life. Photography has really linked me to other people!

To sum it up, “my success”, regarding my photo activity, relies in:

– having defined the subjects I want to work with (specialising in a photography type);

– having developed my own style (this took quite a long time!);

– having drastically improved the quality of my shots.

– last but not least, a very outstanding factor is shown by the fact that people chose me, they still prefer to work with me, even after many years and considering the huge available competition! At the end of the day, a photo session is not just a question of taking good pictures, it is also a human exchange & experience!

All these factors have been developed over time as success is, very often, a long & hidden path!!

The first photo I remember being part of

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My parents flat is loaded with photos. On the walls and on the furniture, there are framed portraits showing the different stages of my childhood. Photos of their youth & wedding, and there are also images of old members of our family, who are no longer with us. I have always seen pictures floating around me, since I have memory. They were something that was impressed in my mind while I was growing up. As of today, when I go to somebody’s house, if I don’t see pictures around, for me there is a “hole”, a sort of “empty” place where somebody or something is missing. In the late 80’s, early 90’s, when I was a child, my dad would enjoy playing with the camera in his hands, more to play with me rather than taking pictures, and my mother was committed to document and to keep our family memory alive.

Have you ever asked yourself : “Which is the first photo that I remember being part of? Which is the first portrait where I was aware being the protagonist?”. In my case, it is a shot dated late spring 1988, I was almost five years old at that time. My mother had asked her boss, Franco, who was a passionate amateur photographer, to take some portraits of me. For the first 5 years of my life, he was my “official” photographer.

I can’t recall the whole afternoon but I have recalled some details of it :

– I remember it was a sunny afternoon and that our gathering was at a park close to our home ;

– My mother made me wear a dress that she loved ;

– We went to the park by bike and I was sitting behind of her ;

– I remember feeling observed, running, jumping and going on the swing ;

– He asked me to look into the camera.

It is strange. Somehow I am surprised at having a partial memory of that episode that happened when I was such a tender age… but other times I ask myself how is it possible that I don’t remember pictures that were taken previously to this one, when I was even younger?

About portraits & the connection line between model & photographer

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To pose, or not to pose? That is the question. To this hamletic doubt, my opinion is that it is better to pose and, when in front of the camera, you need to know how to pose. A portrait photo session can be a pleasant treat that we can give ourselves and it can produce rewarding shots, but from my experience, this can be comparable to living a trauma. It may not be so easy or it may not come so natural to feel comfortable in front of the camera. This can be even harder if the session is taken in a studio : usually the room is not big, you are put under the lights and around you everything is dark…all this can be really intimidating.

As I have recently read on the web, posing is marketing. I agree with that. The way you pose, how you look into the camera, how you are dressed, your make-up and gestures : all those factors are transfered, viewers are registering and codifying them. You are sharing a message about yourself and who you are.

If you have a public profile on social media or just if you want people to know you, you need to present yourself visually, this becomes your signature, it is like a business card. You are how you show yourself and how you choose to appear.

To see the procedure from the photographer’s perspective, there are two possible scenarios : 1) taking spontaneous pictures ; 2) taking “posed” shots. It all depends on what your models or customers are asking, what kind of images they are looking for.

I frequently receive most requests from the first category. People prefer to be taken in a spontaneous, non-intrusive way, usually outdoors or in familiar surroundings where they feel more secure and relaxed. However if I could choose, the second category is my favorite. I love working in the studio because I have so much to learn while at the same time most things are under my control, such as the lighting, the setting, the posture, the expressions and the concept. It is usually up to the photographer to direct the subject(s) but prior to that, you might need to establish a connection with the model(s), otherwise it is unlikely to work. The “human touch” is key as well as communication.

The pictures I have added to this article were taken in Parma, back in 2015. It was the first time that Massimo came to the studio. He is shy. The most difficult piece of the journey is the start of any shoot and Massimo was feeling awkward. However after a short settling-in period (inclusive of a chat and a few jokes), he switched, and actually began to enjoy the whole experience and he became the protagonist.

I cherish these photos because I find them elegant and classy and he looks really good. I didn’t expect him to take the stage in the role of an actor! The results were unexpected & rewarding for both of us.