Long time ago I wrote this long impression about weather with an attitude.
At that time I was in the midst of mastering this theme — exotic backdrops and weather conditions. It brought the first serious attention to my portfolio and helped me to move forward. I learned how to immerse the model in her surroundings more naturally and I really learned color theory and composition. Going with the weather — snow, rain or storm — helped me to first differentiate myself from other photographers.
I also discovered that some models thrive under these conditions — rain or snow keep them awake and aware, they pose more dramatically and, understanding how brief right moment is, really give their best.
Travels are more complicated — they need to be processed in the right way. Just working with the model against exotic landscape will not get you far. What you want to do is to understand place’s visual aesthetics. When one travels to an exotic location it’s crucial to do the research, observe as well as involve local talents whenever possible.
But biggest inspiration for me are the places I have never been to — my imagination tells me the stories of folklore rituals of dark northern forests, humble tribes of deserts and wise monks of mountains. These places in my head don’t have everyday routine, only magical happenings.