After having photographed a couple of times Giulio, I had the pleasure of taking a few shots of his mum Francesca, a long-time friend. I believe that her mental strength and her irony come through in the photos below. Enjoy these winter memories, taken in a freezing December morning!
I find that Laura’s beauty is algid and iconic. She likes fashion and knows how to dress with gusto, in all circumstances. I am always keen on working with her and she has always been happy to pose for me as a model, perhaps because we both feel like we are going back to the past, when we played together as children. These shots were taken in Carlo Urbani Foto Studio, in December 2014.
Carlo was the first to give me photography lessons in 2010 and he rented me several times his own space to take portraits. His studio has always been a pleasant and cosy gathering place, where apart from taking photos you could also have a chat. On this occasion, he was in charge and he who took the below portraits of me, which I then edited.
The world of twins has always fascinated me, although working with young children is a double challenge! These cuties were conceived one after the other, they lived in their mom’s belly together, they came out and … Look, they are different, not only physically but they also displayed different personalities! One was a little more introvert, the other a little bolder, one dared to take a few steps alone, the other needed his mother’s support. For sure, they were both mama’s boys, to whom they gave great satisfaction! Once they realised that the studio was not a mystery place, they put on big smiles and the hard part of the job was achieved, even though I was left with the doubt of…having taken out too many toys!
Arianna was easy to deal with, she was personable, she smiled like an actress and, for being her age, gosh!, she was super confident! As she enjoyed being photographed, this shooting was a simple and quick task for me.
It is not a given to take pictures of kids in studio, partly because their expansiveness does not fit well in an enclosed space that tends to be shaded, and partly because indoors it can be more difficult for them to comply with the photographer’s instructions😁 Besides that, Giulio’s shots that follow below were taken in December 2014: they are colorful and funny, and reflect his spontaneous, lively and strong-willed personality. Enjoy these photo-memories!
Now back to Memory Lane in December 2014, with these archive photos of Silvia, taken at Carlo Urbani Foto Studio, whilst she was expecting her first girl. I love when photography shows aspects of the personality of the subjects. Reviewing some of these images, I smile observing Silvia’s lively wit, her enthusiasm and excitement about upcoming baby Matilde!
“Girls will be girls, boys will be boys”, exactly as the song says! It was a real delight to capture some spontaneous moments of playful and affectionate connection between these cousins, both lively and determined in mastering their activities! Also, their mommas are 2 stars 🌟🤩
Nigel: “Excuse me, can we adjust the attitude? Don’t make me feed you to one of the models” – “The Devil wears Prada”
As a child, I was never a super girly girl: I did not crave for pink, purple, sparkly, shiny things, I didn’t use to play with little jewels nor looked for twirly dresses or tutus. I was more into pets, I loved to swing and to bike 💕 I began taking pleasure in dressing “in a certain way” in the high school, even though it took me a few more years to overcome my legendary shyness to pose in front of the camera.
What I have recognized, over time, is that there is a silent and vibrant beauty in me and that I know how to dress tastefully. All this can be a strength, a power which sometimes…freaks me out! Have you ever felt scared because you felt real pretty or real good at something? Uhm, you will say: “Elena, this is contradictory and sounds crazy”, and I cannot blame you! The other aspect of my personality that you might ignore, as it is quite underlaid, is the level of ambition and competitiveness that I can have: it’s like a driven force motivating through events and situations, pushing me towards goals achieving. Sometimes I feel it is a bit unbalanced and maybe insane 😅 Last but not least, I confess: in my no longer girlish fantasies, I have dreamt ending up on the cover of Vogue magazine! And there is photo evidence to prove that!!
At this point, as I have already opened up too much, I am finishing this article with a big Thanks to my friend Maria who is a talented artist, who patiently took these portraits of me in 2014!
“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!
Claudia was a colleague, we worked together for a few weeks on the construction site. I still remember her genuine laugh and her simplicity. When she knew that I was into photography, she asked me some questions about my activity, I asked her to pose for me, she accepted and…we met in Labenne-Océan, where I lived. My place was real close to the Ocean, one of my dreams that became true (even though for a short while)! It was an unusually hot October afternoon, we were not far from 30 degrees. The beach was beautiful and relatively quiet, and the golden hour was just around the corner…
Trying to get serious but, hey, a few photo-bombers dived in our shooting!
I still remember the uncertainties related to that period but also the enthusiasm for the untamed nature of those beautiful place and those beaches that had captured me for their vastness and wildness. I was impressed by the professionalism and the confidence shown by photographer Stéphane Amelinck. I cherish his images!
In 2014, I worked in the Basque Country for a couple of months. This part of France has remained in my heart. I cannot forget the beauty of the hinterland, the green hills, but at the same time I was ravished by the beauty of the coast, by the vastness of beautiful beaches which are a Paradise for surfers. Nor can I deny a sense of belonging or closeness to the sea, which I still feel strong in me.
The change from photographing someone to being photographed as a model can be quick! Here I am, in these fancy pictures dated September 2014, taken by photographers Michele & Luciano Galloni. The difficult point for me it’s not choosing the smart outfit or having the hair in order as…showing up with a smile on my face, being convinced that I will make it! However, as they say: “It is hard, until it’s not!”, you just have to lean into it. Thanks, Michele, for these classy and sharp photos ❤️
I never stop being amazed by the facial power of expression of children and how suddenly it can change. This little girl, who had just turned 2 at the time of this photo shoot, said very few words but made herself understood clearly with her gaze! Her grandmother is a friend of my mother’s, so I offered to take some photos of her grand-daughter and we met in a park close by our neighborhood. The hour we spent together passed real quick, and after a short while, I noticed that the little one began to gain confidence and started to play freely with granny and Max (the smartest, kindest and most patient Poodle I have ever met), looking a bit mischievous but also as an accomplice! Enjoy these lovely memories.
Elena Arvasi Portrait Photographer 