FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER JULIA BORODINA

Fashion Photographer

Julia Borodina is a fashion photographer who has been in the business for over ten years.

She works with a variety of personalities, styles, and concepts.

More than 2000 people were photographed, including models, celebrities, businessmen, bloggers, companies, families, babies, and regular and extraordinary people.

She had worked in a variety of countries, and she is currently based in Finland.

She is enthusiastic about what she does, and she will only work with you if she believes you both are on the same page. Furthermore, she needs to realize that both your perceptions of beauty and willingness to work together are the same

We talked to Julia about her career as a fashion photographer, to find out more about her inspiration, her origins, and how her journey as a photographer started.

From where do you get your inspiration

Recently I’ve watched a movie and it was so beautiful and dynamic, colors and lights – I will definitely use it someday – I still have pictures in my mind

Of course, It’s everywhere around. But for me, It depends on ideas which I have, or we discussed with clients – I look through successful famous campaigns or photographers, or painters, or movies, or history. 

And also travel – for me, it’s like opening a window and fresh air is rushing inside.

How do you look for the perfect spots?

Researching… Nowadays, it’s a bit easier with Instagram – you see a cool place – tap a tag, and you have it

It depends on ideas, and where is it? – usually, I find popular spots, go there and look around – how to make something not ordinary there. Or the opposite – I was somewhere, and when the time came up and right shoot – boom! I know exactly the place!

Describe a typical shoot.

Idea-moodboard-team-do it!

A lot of work, mostly before a shoot – preparation is important!

Everything starts with an idea. I work with examples – I need to show my team what I have in my mind – words can’t explain it right.

Then the team – right model, right makeup artist, right stylist – I know a lot of people, but some of them are perfect for specific tasks.

Place. Where is it going to happen? What else do we need? Fabric, paper, trees, or something else?

Plan – what will we do first? The second? Then next?

Most of the time, I come to a photo shooting a bit earlier than all the team – I need to look around, think step by step. 

When the model arrives – with the makeup artist we are discussing a plan – will our idea work exactly on this model? Maybe transform it a bit.

Same with a stylist.

And we go with the plan – first outfit, second, etc.

Were you educated in photography, or are you self-taught?

I’ve never finished anything like an art school.

I went to different workshops with famous Russian photographers. Furthermore, I learned practical things from it. Sometimes I just looked at how photographers worked with models, some of them were interesting for me because of the art part of their work…

The technical aspect of photography you can learn from camera manuals. But you would never learn vision from it. 

 I couldn’t find the right place to learn it back then. I did it my way. Self-taught, yes

What camera do you use most of the time?

Canon 5D Mark II – a good old friend

Which photo are you currently most proud of?

I’ve just updated my website and wanted to add some commercial photos. I looked through years on my drivers… And you know, I’m proud of all of them.
This was my way and it wasn’t bad

Comparing where you are now with where you are when you first started, what could you have done differently to get to where you are sooner?

Speaking of me – I don’t like this kind of question – I am who I am. I’m here right now. I can’t change or move back and change. Not only that, but I did it my way, and it was the only right way for me.

But speaking to someone who just started…

Probably I would say apply to some art school. I think that painting is very close to photography, and you can learn a lot from it.

Favourite photography book?

I like these huge books with a lot of photos like Patrick Demarchelier “Dior” or Peter Lindbergh, David Lachapelle, Tim Walker, and others) I have a lot of them.

And all of them are my favourites.

But speaking about books which you really might learn from..

I think Alexander Lapin “Photography as a…” and Johannes Itten.
I wouldn’t say these are my favourites. Furthermore, I read them for a long time – they are pretty boring… But they’re perfect for photographers.

To know more about Julia, please visit: Julia Borodina