Back to the days when my silhouette was flawless and I considered myself glamorous! A grateful Thanks to Luisella of the brand Izabel Narciso for borrowing me this stunning tulle dress and to Alessandro for capturing wisely these shots that are a treasure!
“How can you have lived for so long and still not get it? This self obsession is a waste of living, It could be spent surviving things, appreciating nature, nurturing kindness and friendship, and dancing. You have been pretty lucky in love though, if I may say so” – Eve from Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
I love Corrado’s approach to photography and his pictures. I also like to pose for him. Don’t ask me what the theme of this session was because he’ll tell you! I have fond impressions of this experience in his studio and I also believe that, posing in a loose way, can benefit us women at a young or more mature age.
My paternal grandmother had an artistic streak. She wasn’t ware of it but I was. Even though she never fulfilled it, this would pop out, from time to time. One of her passions was going to the cinema (where she would cry if the movie was moving or captivating), she was a narrator (actually she was a chatterbox!) and she also knew how “to play the part” that suited her best. I would often go at her’s for a coffee and a chat and now that she is gone, I am glad to have photographed her several times and also details of her flat, from which a piece of her soul emerges.
I had a bizarre idea which became a peculiar photo shoot. I have a skinny cousin (who is perfectly healthy), and I would say he is carved in his body. The week before I had paid a visit to the Cathedral where I had seen the Deposition from the cross by Benedetto Antelami (dated 1178 AD). I merged ancient sacred art with photography by connecting them. I asked my cousin to pose for me and guess what he said…
I asked Luca to take some portraits of me in his studio, back in June 2015. I was delighted by the outcome, he was masterful!
Minù was a little furry witch. She was curious, funny, intrusive, touchy and played a role…basically with everything that was around her! I loved to spend some time with this little devil who, apart from being cute and mischief, was also adored by her human mum Laura!Enjoy these memories!
“If you want something done, do it yourself”…How many times have I heard this phrase in my life? Luckily for me, I have never lacked of good ideas, as well as the ability to ask for help in case of need, so in November 2014 I hired my neighbours, who are friends, to help me promote my photography business. The pictures below can prove our motivation…Hip hip hooray, teamwork!
Before reading the article, you can find just below the Vimeo web link of a SUPER CUTE video advert made 10 years ago by brilliant film-maker Alice Carcelli, who is a friend mine. EAP stands for Elena Arvasi Photography and I am pretty sure that nowadays, this ad could pass for a “vintage” thing 🤪 Oh man, I still love so much that tune! My Italian accent whilst speaking English a bit less!! In your place, I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to watch it!
Between 2012 and 2014 I seriously considered working as a freelance photographer. At the time this thought caressed my mind on several occasions! However, after careful reflection, I realized that this wouldn’t be an appropriate or fitting choice for me, on a long term basis. I believe that being a freelance is a matter of character. When you do this kind of job, you need to have the ability to financially support yourself. You have to be willing but also naturally predisposed to fight all the time, and this is a constant. You must be driven and an inner energy is pushing you towards reaching your goals. You need to establish a solid business mindset to deal wisely with numbers and pricing. You have to believe firmly in yourself but you also have be lucky when it comes about making good encounters and establishing purposeful connections (people or customers).
In hindsight, I do not regret my choice of keeping photography as a side hustle whilst my first income comes from a stable office job. I no longer feel the bitterness and the sense of frustration that hurt me years ago about the fact that my life’s purpose was not matching with my dream job. Over the last decade I have evolved, I have become more aware of myself and I have even discovered other passions! Don’t get me wrong, a big part of my heart is in photography and this activity gives me a purposes, it is a devotion, a kind of “service” that I am doing to other people. I have understood and accepted that the fact of not earning my life by “living the dream” doesn’t diminish my qualities or my talent nor label myself. Most of us, we have some form of artistic talent or skills, the important thing is to bring it out, somehow, to make an enriching experience it, to share it and to let it enlighten us.
Young freelancers, please note that this article doesn’t mean to discourage any of you from embarking on a beautiful and challenging career’s type. On the contrary, I admire, respect and cheer for some of you, but at the same time this is a realistic invitation to reflect on your character and needs, as life’s call demands us to discover ourselves and to open up to the world, to understand who we are and what our deepest, truest meaning is, staying honest and loyal to ourselves.
About the photo below, although you cannot see Alice’s face, hidden behind the camera, you can tell you that she was smiling!!
This post is not to forget that, yes, we can! It is also meant to be a reminder to always thank ourselves for all the good stuff, the ideas, the braveness that we can have, for each meaningful action that we do, during each day, in every phase of our lives. One of my nemesis is to show-up and to share valuable contents. When I am going to write an article or to prepare a post, I always ask myself: “Shall I do it? Is it worth it?”. If I can inspire or motivate someone, or my words might have a positive impact on someone who is sharing even a slightly similar aspect during his journey or might be able to relate because of a personality’s aspect, then my purpose is fulfilled.
Posing in front of a camera is always intimate, it is hard and when they say that the first 15-20 minutes are awkward, they are completely right. It was summer 2013, I had moved to England (Newbury) a few weeks earlier, I was recovering from the end of a relationship and…look at it, I just got a drastically-short haircut! I felt the need to have some nice images of me, plus I wanted to document this period of change. Browsing on the web, I found Matthew Bishop and fell in love with his work, so on a late afternoon he came down from London, in order to take some portraits of me in a forest area, close to the Kennet canal. The glow of that evening was simply breathtaking. I felt comfortable working with him, because of his calm and also because he had a vision, about what he wanted to achieve. To this day, I am still grateful to him for these lovely outcomes. That’s why I hired him, a few months later, for a winter session in London 😁
It was a 25 April spent in companionship: we went to Thule and Dario’s house, in a hamlet in the hills above Torrechiara. A walk in the midst of nature and to finish, some music (with pictures)!
I have a complex personality and I am full of contradictions. I believe though that these contradictions have always been and still are a fertile ground that allows me to understand myself better, as well as others. I am shy and reserved but, at the same time, I am attracted by the beauty of the body. Throughout the early years of my photographic journey, I really was interested in boudoir photography and, for a short while, I thought that I would specialise in this genre. I have always admired statues in museums, seeking the perfection in their symmetry and in the naked body. So far, I have undertaken four intimate shoots and these are some of them. Most of us in the West don’t have a positive perception and we are embarrassed with our bodies. It is a taboo to undress in public. I am not suggesting that you should bear all, but try semi-naked to start 🙂 Also, this is fine art to me, there is nothing vulgar in it.
This is how Maria Buttafoco saw me. These pictures are dated April 2013.
Snow has always aroused my excitement and enthusiasm (despite my sincere aversion to the cold and to winter). That’s why on that freezing January day I wasted no time and went out with my Canon to take some shots of the white landscape just outside Parma. Enjoy this memory!
In October 2012 I flew to Hamburg to catch up with friends. This was also an occasion to spend some time with the family I had been Au Pair girl. The father of the little one shares a passion for photography and he created his own little studio in the living room (a principle which I cherish and is one of my plans in a near future). He offered to take some portraits of me. Find below the results, yes, it went a bit crazy with the very wide angle lens!
The owner of the house where I lived in Saint-Omer had two passions: vintage cars and…the aéroclub de Saint Omer! Luckily, I have never suffered from vertigo, so when he offered to take me out, on a ride on his microlight, I accepted without hesitation. Actually I was really excited about that! Don’t ask me how I managed to take pictures while we were flying over the countryside (without letting the camera drop!). Whilst we were up (it was a glorious summer evening), I wasn’t scared but I still remember the very strong impact of the air on our bodies.
Powerful bodies
That was ours!
Ready, steady…fly!
Sunset was approaching
Safely back to the ground, we are almost there!
Elena Arvasi Portrait Photographer 