Kamelia Atanasova: For a photoshoot or a selfie, rely on the most important accessory - your smile!
In the last days of the year, when people are taking photos en masse next to Christmas trees, she generously shared advice on her Facebook page about how to make photos better. She does this from the position of a professional photographer for over 20 years. Her focus is on portraits, but she also shoots wedding and erotic sessions. She works with Nikon, convinced that the camera is as important as the lenses and lighting. We present to you the photographer Kameliya Atanasova.
The Beginning
Kameliya Atanasova became interested in photography at the age of 10. She was inspired by her father's amateur attempts behind the lens and still cherishes her romantic feeling for the beginning.
"I started with classical photography - a film camera with only 36 exposures and printed photos, developed in the "darkroom." Romance. We waited outside for it to get dark to work. It's a bit funny, but my first portraits were of cats. I secretly took my father's camera and photographed. I directed cats in the grass, a cat looking at itself in a mirror, and so on."
As a teenager, her photographic interest shifted to her girlfriends. And although she completed her secondary education at an art school with a focus on drawing, at New Bulgarian University she returned to photography and her specialization. She worked as a photojournalist, and the knowledge from her second higher education - art history at the National Academy of Arts - she again applied to her photographic work. Several solo exhibitions followed, and from 2009 - she worked primarily in the field of wedding and portrait photography.
"I mainly photograph people. I am a portrait photographer. If we divide this into themes, I have several favorites: boudoir, portraits of people with animals, mainly cats and horses, thematic art photo sessions, and I also shoot many business portraits. Now I shoot boudoir, and a project like “Chicks with Chicks” fits perfectly, quite understandably."
The project provokes with its name, but behind it lies the noble idea that half of the amount for a photo session of a woman with a cat is redirected to homeless animals.
The Technique
Kameliya has long left the film camera in the past. Now she works with Nikon Z6 II.
"It's interesting that this question is mainly related to the camera you shoot with. I use Nikon, but I think it doesn't matter at all. For a professional photographer, both the lenses and how and where the light comes from are important."
In her studio, Kameliya Atanasova has both flash and continuous lighting, but in her words, "there's always something I still don't have."
"I mostly shop at Dynaphos and eagerly await new developments in the market on the topic."
The Theme
As it has become clear, themes in Kameliya's photos are very important. She lists her favorites as: boudoir, portraits of people with animals - mainly cats and horses - thematic art photo sessions, and business portraits.
"I love to get to know people through my photos. To communicate with them. You can always learn something new," she says.
But she admits that for her, a question about the most interesting moment of her work behind the lens this year, for example, is very difficult.
"I don't know if I can even answer. Every photo session is so different, and almost every one is very interesting."
In December, among the interesting themes for sessions are those related to the holidays, with the Christmas tree often being among the favorite mise-en-scène for photos. On her Facebook page, Kameliya also shared some tips for people who will stand next to the Christmas tree to capture the festive anticipation of the new year.
"Opt for a festive color palette – red, green, gold or white, and the most important accessory – bring your smiles!"
Self-Portraiture
Kameliya Atanasova's advice for what she considers the most important accessory for photos also applies to taking self-portraits.
"Self-portraiture has always been very interesting to me. But this year I really paid very special attention and expanded a lot on the topic, so much so that I even conducted a workshop on self-portraits at Dynaphos. For any type of self-portraiture, first and foremost I would advise paying attention to styling."
This, of course, depends on the chosen theme and subject, adds Kameliya Atanasova.
You can view themes and subjects from her photographic work in the photos she provided to us for publication with this article. And see more on her professional website, as well as on her Facebook and Instagram pages.
