I think the lead I started from for this shooting was…a mysterious traveling maid from the middle ages or maybe it was a Fantasy reading! Well, it doesn’t really matter, as the sunset light was mystically breath-taking! Thank you, Raffa, for having posed for me!
Flavia was young but ahead of her age. I took a series of portraits of her in the studio, where she immediately felt at ease. I believe that from these shots she is able to thrill thanks to her artistic side emerges, her theatricality, her expressive force but also with her inner strength. Enjoy thee beautiful memories!
This shooting was my first boudoir, in which I was the model! And it was an honour for me to pose for Corrado Sacchi, a photographer and an artist who has a deep knowledge in the field of the Arts, has been in love photography since a young age and has the ability not to make the nude vulgar.
We met in his studio and I was nervous at first but we managed to communicate and the photo session turned out to be a pleasant entertainment that lasted about a couple of hours. Thank you, Corrado, I love the beauty and the taste that are part of your artistic vision!
This was my the shooting, so far, where I photographed both mother & daughter in what seems to be 2 different sessions (adults + kids portraiture) ! The idea was to take some portraits of Olga but, since Vittoria joined us fully dressed, it was impossible not to give in to her convincing smile! Olga is a natural, elegant model (I loved her outfits!) but Vittoria also enjoyed being the centre of attention, so it was a double pleasure for me spending a couple of hours with them. We gathered in the city centre, then, we headed to the Parco Ducale!
I don’t exactly remember how Silvia discovered me on the web but I do remember her email, where she asked me to take some shots of her, as she was loved the way I would look at women and capture them with my camera. She is married to the great Florentine photographer Corrado Sacchi, who I deeply admire, so my first question to her, once she got off the train from Florence, was: “Why would you like me to take your portraits?!”. She nodded, smiled and we started the shooting. The location chosen was Parco Ducale, which turned out to be good, because it allowed us to work between light and shade. I particularly am proud of the B&W shots: I see in them her brave, non-conformist soul, with a touch of a French style!
I believe that her expressivity and soul are in her eyes, which are beautiful! They are big, in a shade between green & blue. Endowed with charm and charisma, Federica also has a hint of shyness but once she gets involved, she brings out the best in herself! I loved this shooting which was fun indeed 😚
It was late January and the morning was really cold but the location (Botanical Garden!) and the light were absolutely heavenly, as outstanding was the beauty of the model, Nikita. Such a precious photo-memory!
Marion is Austrian but, many years ago, love led her to a southern detour (Italy!) and, since then, she has lived in Parma. She is a straightforward woman, who thinks in an uncomplicated way and she will tell you things to your face! She is an optimist with an active personality. Also, it is difficult not to surrender to the charm of her blue eyes!
One of the upsides of having an other photographer take your pictures is being able to observe how he works, plus, I have always loved the studio’s environment, as this is one of the things that makes me feel the call of the wild! I have discovered that, even in tight spaces, you can make miracles and the outcome can be remarkable, as in this case! I cherish these images taken by incredibly experienced and tasteful photographer Ph. Paolo Melegari: feel free to drop by his shop or admire part of his portfolio at his storefront!
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.
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!
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!
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 ❤️
Elena Arvasi Portrait Photographer 