HAPPINESS IN FOCUS: INTERVIEW WITH FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH OF EUGENE SURINA
Are you curious how real photographers manage so cleverly to notice the sincere emotions of a family? What do they say to their heroes, how do they cope with difficulties, what are the principles of the organization of their work and what do they value?
That is what we will talk about today with a wonderful family photographer Eugenia Surina. Many families enjoy communicating with her and are grateful to Eugenia for the wonderful photos of their loved ones. The works of the photographer participated in exhibitions, as well as in the international festival “Objectively about children.”
Today, Eugene will share with us the secrets of live family photography. In this interview some of her works are published. The rest of the photos can be viewed in LiveJournal of the photographer, as well as on its Facebook page.
Each of your shooting is a sincere story from the life of a family you did not know. Reveal the secret, how do you manage to get such genuine emotions?
It seems to me that I will say something banal, but this is my life position. In order to display genuine emotions, you need to feel genuine emotions yourself. A person who is bored can only display boredom. A person who feels joy and happiness is likely to display these feelings. Our whole life consists of black and white stripes, the question is what to focus on.
What does the photo have to do with it? Well, even the word came across a similar, focus. The photographer is first and foremost a personality, it is he who catches the focus. And the result of the work depends on the life position of a person, his goals and values. The technical side of the issue is the power to master any diligent amateur photographer with some persistence.
For me, family and children are a great value. It seems to me that this is why such sincere photos come out – I shoot something that I really love.
Usually once. We get acquainted, I ask the shooting heroes to tell something about themselves, about the children, about how their family appeared. It’s very important for the shooting that the heroes didn’t perceive me as a person “from the street” – I’m filming a report, and the psychological comfort of all family members is important to me, it’s important that they are revealed, and for this you need mutual trust. It seems to me that this is generally a very big credit of trust – when a person lets a photographer go to his home, to the holy of holies, his fortress. It seems to me that it is very important to take this in absentia with great respect.
I give advice on how to prepare, how to choose clothes, and the most important advice is to get enough sleep 🙂 Tired eyes are things that can not be corrected by any retouching.
Is your job a “clean” report? Do you correct anything in the current situation?
It’s hard for me to say about shooting as a clean report. When I shoot a wedding, then yes – the event goes on its own, without my participation, and I run around and shoot. I can call the family filming a report in the aspect that I rarely say – and now stand up here and make these faces. But I’m in communication with the characters, not on the subject of the photo – I just spend half the day with the family or the whole day, talk to them and take pictures. I try not to interfere with their lives and at the same time in difficult situations – to properly defuse the situation or just keep the conversation going.
In what situation, in your experience, do people feel most comfortable, and what might confuse them?
Everything is very individual. I always try to ask directly – where it is more convenient for you, where it is more interesting for you and so on. Each family lives its own, unique life, and I see great value in making the most of these heroes, and not just about the beautiful scenery. Confuses people, as a rule, what is alien to them.
And how do you relieve the situation when a difficult situation happens? When an adult (or child) begins to be embarrassed by the camera or you?
In difficult situations, I always lower the camera and begin to communicate. But at the same time I keep the camera ready. The child often shows the photos on the screen – the little ones like it a lot. You can offer to take a break for tea if we are at home, or take a walk and talk about pleasant things – if we are outside. If there is tension, then you need to defuse it, relax and then continue.
Do you have customers who later became your friends?
Of course have. And it is very nice. I want to note that thanks to my profession I met such wonderful and interesting people that it captures the spirit 🙂
A bit about photography. What equipment was included in your kit when you were going to the first photography?
The very first shooting was a long time ago – then there was still a film SLR and 50mm 1.4. Then came the Canon 30D – and the same lens in the kit.
