S
tarting with night clubs and ending up with Playboy Ukraine’s
magazine, this isn’t just luck, but it is when hard work pays off
and Tina Sokolovskaya surely has her way with it. This Ukraine
based photographer now works with celebrities, famous artists,
and singers all over the globe. PRATEEK KASHYAP from Chiiz
gets in talk with her on her successful career and lots more.When did you first think of becoming a photographer and how did
you get into fashion photography?
Since childhood, I liked the art of photography. I did my first
experiment when I was very young, and at the age of 17, I seriously
thought about photography as a profession and began to learn it.
I was a student, living in a city away from my parents and needed
money. But soon, my work w recognised and people began to
notice me. Magazines and Television channels started approaching
me to work with them. During the first 1 to 2 years, I chose to focus
mainly on portrait and fashion photography.Also, tell us about all your beloved possessions and some tips for
fashion photography?
I love working with natural lighting and playing with shadows. I
always try to use all sources of natural light as much as possible,
and when I do not have it, I rent photo studios to avoid the impulse
flash as much as possible.It is important to keep in mind that 90% of the results of a
beautiful photo is in the model itself. If you are just starting out
in photography, train with professional models. They know much
more about the work, as you can focus only on the process and
learn quicker. Also, all the best shots are spontaneous, so relax
and just have fun with what you do. Love your profession or your
hobby.We hear a lot about the obstacles women face in the workforce, but
surely there are advantages. So what do you think are the benefits
of being a female photographers?Perhaps my words will not
sound right, but I really
think that it is much easier
for men to succeed in this
profession than women.
In addition, men are more
enduring. A photographer’s
work implies that you work
for approximately 15 hours
a day without food, with
almost 20 kgs of equipments
behind you. Not everyone
can do it, but I myself think
that I’m strong enough to
take it. And of course, there
are also a lot of advantages of
being a female photographer.
Many female models are
very shy, so it makes it much
more comfortable for them
to work with fellow female
photographers, or in some
countries, for example, in the
United Arab Emirates, male
photographers are not allowed
to take the photographs of female models for religious reasons.What do you consider the most important break in your career
and why?
I don’t know about the most important, but one of the last is my
photo “On the wave”, where a model is lying on the beach and the
wave is hugging her. It went viral in a matter of days after it was first
published, and has been published in more than 100 well-known
publications. It was a huge surprise for me.What is the one quality that you possess as a Playboy Ukraine’s
Official Photographer that sets you apart?
I was invited to work in Playboy magazine because I have a special
ability of observation of the female body and my own style of post
production. I always preserve the naturalness, and do not like a lot
of photoshop on my photos. And at the same time, I try to show
only the best side of a female model.What advice do you have for other female photographers who are
looking to get into photography?
The main advice that I can give them is to believe in themselves.
In the past few years, some of the goals that I had already achieved
seemed impossible to me, but by hard work, constant development
and self-confidence, it has helped me achieve what I wanted. The
main thing is to never stand still and always keep moving forward.In 2014, when the war hit Ukraine, most of the cities were in state
of utter unrest. Tina had to move to Kiev from Donetsk, where she
basically had to start from scratch. After a year in Kiev, she moved
to Odessa, where she met a wonderful makeup artist name Vika,
with whom she is now practically inseparable at work.Barkha Chandra
[email protected]
She is the laughter dose of Team Chiiz currently
rocking up the PR dept. She is always high on life
and hooked to freedom. A great philosopher, living in
her own imaginary world as she juggles through the
highs and lows of life.Fashionista Behind The Camera
Tina Sokolovskaya
88 Vol 2