Personal & others – Page 3 – Elena Arvasi Portrait Photographer

My golden years [Edinburgh, 2020]

4 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, life, Personal & others, photographyLeave a comment

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]

4 August 20254 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged gifts, Personal & others, photography, successLeave a comment

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

3 August 20253 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, Personal & others, photography communityLeave a comment

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

3 August 20254 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, about posing, Personal & others, personal note, photography communityLeave a comment

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.

The invisible line between past & present

3 August 20254 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2009, 2020, past & present, Personal & others, photographyLeave a comment

To start in a biblical way : in the beginning (of my photographic journey), there was…me and a lot of mess bubbling around.

The other day I rediscovered this video while surfing the web (it is a succession of pictures from my early portfolio). I remembered it, although I hadn’t seen it for ages.

When I came to photography, I was moved by good intentions and was stubbornly determined to achieve decent results. However it can be said that, at that time, my ideas were totally unclear. Lots of grey clouds were running around in my head. I enjoyed hanging around, carrying the camera in my hands but had no clue what subjects to choose and to work on or with & what direction and shape should be given to my work.

Comparing past & present, inevitably reveals a quick self-assesment and after that, I see myself as I am now. And I whisper : “Oooh”. This “Oooh” implies both positive & negative feelings & prerogatives. Looking back at my early work stage, the first photos I took, make me smile (this is a positive, tender feeling) because I realise the improvements, the step-forwards that have been made, both from a technical & knowledeagble point of view, but also considering the development of a vision, of a more stable, defined and consistent line of approach to photography.

On the other side, I almost feel “embarassed” with these shots. They seem so naive, unprepared, unspecial. Like thrown out by accident. Luckily I have understood that these kind of thoughts are self-defeating.

I am a strict judge of myself and my work. I am my own worst enemy. But I have learnt from experience. This tells me that persevering is positive, only if it is of help to develop our self-consciousness. We need to be self-conscious, this is fundamental to our growth and is the key to self-confidence, this can make us stronger. After this step, my true values are humility and the will to act in a honest way, to express a concept about myself that is true.

We are the result of genes, upbringing and what we have experienced. We are a “line”, a connection between past and present. But I would add that we are also a series of elaborations, tries and processes that we imposed on ourselves. We did it because we wanted to grow and to improve. We are a living process, we are a stream. We cannot deny ourselves and our past expressions.

In all that I do, there is a search for love. Photography has, for me, been a healing process and a blessing, it has rescued me in so many ways. It has encouraged, strenghtened and fired me up to do something that I love. It has opened doors by exchanging ideas with other people. It is a great form of communication..

Watching this video, brings back memories of those who encouraged me in my quest and I have included below (see pictures!) some of those who helped me through my initial struggles. They are a part of my journey and my life. I thank them all dearly!

To where is our visual intelligence moving?

3 August 20253 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, Personal & others, personal note, photography community, visual intelligenceLeave a comment

One of the questions I asked myself, when I first started photography, was : “Why do some pictures easily capture our attention and stay in our mind while others are just labelled as banal and dull?”.

I realised that a photo is a relationship between the subject(s) and the surrounding space. The unicity of an image, apart from what can be its meaning or the sentimental value carried in it, is based on the spatial disposition of the subject(s) and how they appear in space. Maybe even more than the “What” is important the “How”.

I never liked maths as a subject at school. It has always been ditchwater for me. As my mother would say with regret, I am a “literate spirit”, without doubt. I knew that in photography the setting of the subject(s) is a vital element because our attention needs to be brought to a specific point. So when I started taking pictures, I feared that a lack of “geometrical sense” might be a handicap or a devalue when it comes about to prepare a shot and to take a portrait, for instance. But I eventually understood that I had confused “numerical” with “geometrical” and the two things are not the same.

In photography as well as in other fields, I consider myself a traditionalist but on the other hand I am not scared to experiment and I don’t dislike the lopsided, the wonky, the asymmetrical and the unbalanced.

The key is that our eyesight is selective in the way it sees what is around us and photography has rules that are quite clear about symmetry and geometry in a composition (for instance the rule of thirds, the positioning of the subject, the use & choice of light) and you can get yourself into trouble when you break the rules or take “extreme” shots. You can have fun and achieve success taking unbalanced shots but you will raise lots of criticism and somehow the eyes may not agree on the final results. Our visual pleasure needs to be satisfied by what is perceived as a positive equilibrium of the elements.

It shall also be added that we constantly live under rules of fashion that are changing. Talking specifically about portraits, I remember about 10-15 years ago, there was this tendency to cut the lines in a picture obliquely, to give a different shape to the subject, to look for a new perspective. At that time this looked so innovative and energetic. Now this trend is almost over. We are trying now new dirtections.

Having an original approach to the form to be given to the image is appreciable but, at the end of the day, our eyes are looking for a “peace of the senses” when we look at something. There are rules that need to be respected, a logical sense and discipline, in order to avoid to be kicked out of the game.

To finish this article, I am attaching below a beautiful, classic and symmetrical picture of one of my favorite photographers, Horst Horst (1906-1999), as well as some snap shots I took randomly with my mobile a few days ago in Edinburgh…

Remote photography [Parma > Edinburgh, 2020]

3 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, edinburgh, maria buttafoco, parma, Personal & others, portrait session, remote photographyLeave a comment

This is the story. There is a corner of my room that receives a beautiful contrasted light during bright mornings. Interesting shadows are created here and I can admire them for hours till the sun moves away.I already wanted to take a few photos here by myself.

Then I spoke with Maria and she mentioned having recently taken pictures remotely using her mobile. So I asked her if she wished to take my portrait and we gave life to a Parma / Edinburgh FaceTime photo session! It was not meant to be a highly professional or a “serious” experience but she had clear ideas on what she wanted and directed me well. At the end we were quite impressed by some good shots that were taken. It was weird to work together at a distance but was worth it!

Ph. Maria Buttafoco

Roots-images: why old photos are very much “alive” and give us strenght

3 August 20253 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged connections between past and present, Personal & others, photography, roots imagesLeave a comment

I find that pictures have a huge emotional power. I like to carry photographs of myself and my family when I travel, I call them “roots-images” and am staunchly attached to them. When I look at pictures that I love, this gives me an immediate strength. It is a powerful mechanism that releases such a positive feeling. Certainly for me, images speak more than words. I prefer prints because I have them to hand and have the pleasure of touching them. I like to have them on my desk or on the wall.

I confess that one of my passions is old, vintage pictures and family photos. There is life and vibrancy emanating from them. Not only are they a bridge between the past and the present, between our ancestors and us, they also invite me to persevere on the path. At the moment I don’t have any of these type of photos with me and I thought: “How do others relate to these pictures?” So I asked some friends if they were attached to family photographs and how do they affect their everyday life. Do they have pictures that have an emotional impact on them, that may have a reassuring effect or give them strength? These replies have been received by emails, mobile messages or vocal notes…

Spring in the back garden [Edinburgh, 2020]

3 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, edinburgh, pandemic, Personal & others, springLeave a comment

Early morning portraits from the garden, when the flowers are still sleeping. In tiny things, there is always something exceptional!

Elena seen by Maria Buttafoco [Parma, 2020]

3 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, digital photography community, maria buttafoco, parma, Personal & others, portraitsLeave a comment

This time it was my turn to be in front of the camera…Having had my hair drastically restyled (great job Immagine Hair Creative Lab!), I asked an old friend, Maria to take my photograph. IIt was important to me to mark this occasion with relaxed, natural shots which I will be able to look back on later in life and reminisce. As Maria and I have known one other for over a decade, I felt at ease standing in front of her and her camera. It felt great to be able to leave the worries of the outside world behind and just be myself. And I believe this reflects in the quality of her images.

Pressure, expectations and hopes behind a successful shoot

3 August 20253 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, parma, Personal & others, photographyLeave a comment

Prior to a shoot, there is a tension dwelling inside me. I ask myself : “Will it be a good one? Will I be able to get a winning shot?”. I always have high expectations when I take the camera in my hands and start to work with somebody, even when I don’t want to admit it to myself. I feel thrilled but at the same time I am under pressure of what I call the “achievement factor”. I am really committed to be successful, to reach a satisfactory quality level and am always looking for some stunning shots from each session.

I guess this is normal, it stimulates and motivates me, pushes me to be pro-active and to develop my strenghts. However I realise that it is important to keep this winning tendency under control : all the elements have to be balanced (expectations & fears, reality vs ideas, projects vs eventual unexpected events) and I need to make the scales stable. What I find helpful, is to understand what project I am working on, who are the people I am working with and then let this process slide in the smoothest way.

I remember having a good feeling before meeting Ross & Lynsey’s family. I did not know them but wanted to give them a good impression and I really hoped they would like and trust me. The shoot had been planned a few months earlier. Heading back from a week-end trip with a friend on the west coast, we stopped in Lochgilphead and met Lynsey, Ross and their three beautiful girls : Milly, Ella and Pippa. We only had a couple of hours to spare and I wanted to make the most of it. I knew that they had a garden and it was a beautiful spring May day, sunny and warm, with a blue sky. I thought we could take the pictures outside, since the girls would have been freer and be at their ease. Once I got to know them, after a chat and a drink of coffee, my hopes and expectations came to reality. They were welcoming, uncomplicated and genuine people. The two older girls (the little one was 7 months old at that time) were well behaved, respectful, lively and spontaneous in their enthusiasm. They were excited about the idea that somebody would “officially” take their portraits. I felt like a truly “important” person, having the role of being their photographer. I asked the girls to pose for a couple of shots but most of the time I was following them, the camera in my hands, while they were having fun and playing with each other.

After editing the photos throughout the following days, I saw my work through different eyes. Instinctively there were some photos that captured my attention, they looked really alive, natural and unplanned and I saw the girls characters shine through. Two photos were accepted for publication on PhotoVogue’s website and when this happens, to me it feels like winning the lottery! I recently asked Lynsey which picture from the shoot she cherished most and she chose the one below I have attached, including her message.

At the start I felt hopeful of successful images, together with some tension. At the end, and this happens to me all the time, I experienced a beautiful and peaceful sense of accomplishment. And then I can tell myself : “It’s done, chapter closed. The people you have worked with and for, are happy. You handled it pretty well. Hopefully there will be an other shoot coming soon”.

About inspiration [Parma, 2020]

3 August 20253 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, digital photography community, inspiration, parma, Personal & othersLeave a comment

I wonder from where other people take their inspiration. For me inspiration comes from a reaction in my mind and is something more visual. Such a reaction is created from studying other people’s work.

I am inspired by :

– listening to photographer’s tips and interviews ;

– focusing on certain kind of colors ;

– looking at images ;

– walking in the nature or when lying in bed ;

– the solitude through the night.

The following photographers have had a huge impact on my hobby: Robert Doisneau, Martine Franck, William Eugene Smith; Jacques Lowe, William Klein, Eudora Welty, Walker Evans, Letizia Battaglia, Jane Brown, Horst P. Horst, Arthur Tress, Francesca Woodman, Oliviero Toscani, Ferdinando Scianna, Vaughn Sills, Hans-Peter Feldmann

You can only be inspired by other people!

Narcissus, Parma, 2015

My photo influencers [Parma, 2020]

3 August 20253 August 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2020, digital photography community, Personal & others, photographyLeave a comment

It can be argued that either men or women had the greatest impact on the history and the development of photography. In my case I can say that I have been influenced more by male photographers. My early portraits were taken by Franco, a colleague of my mother who is a passionate photo amateur. All my technical understanding of the camera was explained to me by Carlo Urbani. Last but not least it was a couple of artist friends who suggested that I focus on children’s portraiture because the little subjects were quite relaxed, spontaneous, vibrant and empathetic. I realized that empathy is critical and it is the key to successful images. A big thank you to Corrado Sacchi and Stefano Cavazzini!

Children at the seaside, Livorno, 2011

This one was selected by PhotoVogue!

Elena seen by Michele Galloni [Parma, 2019]

29 July 202530 July 2025Posted in Personal & othersTagged 2019, digital photography community, foto studio galloni, parma, Personal & othersLeave a comment

In April 2019, I posed in front of the camera of a my friend and talented photographer, Michele Galloni in his studio. Back then, the most challenging and tumultuous time of my life had begun. Looking at these images now, these shots make me smile, as I relive my unawareness and somewhat naivety. Thank you, Michele, for these memories and long live to photography as a medium that won’t let us forget what we have been going though and achieved!