Valokuvaaja Tatsiana Avakyan

—Ennen kaikkea - kenet voit nimetä parhaaksi kuvaajaksi kaupungissasi? :)

—This is a hard question, isn's it? It depends on so many aspects like style, editing, way you work with couple, vision, etc. I personally have some favourites whose works I admire, but I am keeping as a secret, I am letting everyone else to choose for themselves.

—Oletko valokuvauksellinen?

—From my childhood I have this idea in my head that I look horrible on pictures... you know fake smile from your first schoolbook picture? I generally consider myself as a non photogenic person. But I believe that anyone can look good on pictures if camera is in right hands.

—Miten päädyit valokuvausalalle?

—It all started in 2012, when I took my first dslr camera to my brothers wedding. I was following the photographer as her assistant, trying to find interesting angles, watching her work with the couple, asking million questions (I can only imagine how annoyed she must have been). I managed to take 3 really nice portraits from that day, which I still like now. This was how it all begun.

—Mikä on sinusta tärkeintä hyvässä kuvassa?

—Right composition, perfect light, moment and colour are basics of great photo; following these points and combining them in one image, will always end up in an attractive picture.

—Tykkäätkö matkustamisesta?

—I definitely do, traveling is always fun for me. It doesn't matter if I go to another country or closest city. Traveling is experience, time for thoughts and always learning new things.

—Mistä pidät eniten ammatissasi?

—I guess being a part of someone's happy day is already joyful in itself. It's amazing to be able to capture couple's emotions on wedding day, see them in love, see them on top of their happiness. Another favourite part of being a wedding photographer is constantly meeting new people, communicating, learning their stories.

—Mistä pidät vähiten ammatissasi?

—There is definitely nothing that I hate about it. And I can't really think of something I dislike, but I guess as any usual job, being a photographer has its own difficulties, hmm let's say like carrying around heavy bags full of equipment.

—Mikä on valokuvauksen tulevaisuus?

—Classics will always stay classics! There obviously will be new trends appearing, changing constantly to something new on and on, but I know most definitely that classic pictures will always be on top.

—Mikä on sille valokuvauslajille erityistä, johon olet erikoistunut?

—Wedding is a one of kind thing, you can't rewind, ask someone to repeat their actions, you have to be here and now! this particular moment, you have to be alert and ready for your best shot.

—Kuinka suhtaudut kritiikkiin?

—Constructive criticism is they key to improvement!

—Onko valokuvauksessa trendejä?

—Yes, most definitely there are, they are changing every season to keep wedding industry alive, new and interesting.

—Minkä kriteerien perusteella asiakkaan pitäisi valita valokuvaaja?

—They should love the majority of photographer's works, they should feel like these are the images that they would like to have, they need to agree with photographer's style not to be disappointed when they will receive pictures.

—Mikä on ehdottomasti kiellettyä kuvauksessa?

—Ruining the moment to get a picture!

—Mitkä yksityiskohdat, jotka yleensä jäävät huomaamatta, valokuvaaja voi tallettaa?

—It's the morning before wedding, normally guests are not involved into this part of the day. Photographer can capture all the exciting moments before the ceremony.

—Mikä vaikuttaa kuvan arvoon? Mikä kuvissa on tärkeintä?

—It's uniqueness, the moment, feelings and composition of course.

—Kuka on sinun mielestäsi 2000-vuosisadan symboli?

—In each era there is one, but it's too early to judge yet.

—Ketä haluaisit kuvata?

—Grace Jones is number 1 on my list

—Kuka sinua on inspiroinut elämässäsi ja miksi?

—I've never had a muse or an idol to look up to, I always try to take inspiration from people around me; there is always something we can borrow as an example from each other

—Miten ja millä perusteella määrittelisit menestyksen?

—Success is being respected, feeling good about what you are doing, enjoying your job, feeling happy.

—Kun lähdet matkalle, mitä otat mukaasi ja miksi?

—I normally take just most necessary things to avoid having and extremely heavy bag, but of course my camera is number one to take with me!

—Oletko koskaan toivonut, ettet olisi ostanut jotain omistamistasi vempaimista? Miksi?

—Fish eye lens! Bought in in 2014 for some reason, thought I could do some fun things with it, but it turned out to be totally not my style, so I sold it few months after.

—Miten opettelet ottamaan parempia kuvia?

—Reading articles, trying they things with camera, shooting often.

—Minkä yhden asian olisit toivonut tietäväsi, kun aloitit kuvaamisen?

—Business and marketing, boring but useful!

—Mikä motivoi sinua jatkamaan kuvausta?

—Willingness to improve!

—Jos voisit palata ajassa taaksepäin, mitä tekisit eri tavalla?

—If to speak about my life events I would choose to study a different subject in university and would go in photography even earlier then I did.

—Uskotko, että muilla planeetoilla on elämää?

—Hell's yeah!

—Milloin olet täysin tyytyväinen työhösi?

—When reality exceeded my expectations.

—Uskotko miesten ja naisten perinteisiin rooleihin?

—I believe in gender equality!

—Mikä on typerin asia, johon olet koskaan suostunut?

—I have done too many!

—Jatkuuko elämä avioliiton jälkeen?

—Yes definitely! Wedding is just another event in your relationship. So if you focus on each other and keep caring for your partner it will get better and better day by day.

—Parasta elämässä on:

—People who surround me.

—Mitä haluaisit muuttaa maailmassa?

—If I could, I would erase racism from face of the Earth.

—Haluaisitko antaa vinkkejä aloitteleville valokuvaajille?

—Start out as an assistant! Practice a lot on couple photoshoots, not necessarily wedding, learn how to work with 2 people in picture.

—Jos Maahan saapuisi avaruusolioita ja he näkisivät sinut ensimmäisenä, mitä sanoisit heille?

—''May I take a picture of you?''

—Huomenna aion...

—Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! Edit! Edit! Edit!