Felicia is a 21-year-old photographer living in Romania, who has discovered photography at the age of 13. Her list of awards and publications is amazing. So young and so talented, have you ever dreamed of being big dear reader?
MESS team is more than happy to share Felicia’s art with you, her thoughts and her ideas. Enjoy it, inspire yourself, dream…
Dear Felicia, the list of your awards is impressive, all exhibitions and publications what you can say about your success? Where does it come from, hard work or just making art from your heart?
First of all, thank you so much for reaching me, I am truly honored! 🙂
I believe recognition comes as an external reward for all the work and the dedication. It is therefore the outcome of both effort and passion, a result that may or may not happen. However, there is a beautiful, inward feeling that photography provides, a feeling that never fails us.
As we know from your biography you cannot stick yourself to one genre of photography however as an artist you might have a favorite one, do you?
Yes, I do. Although as a child I started with photo-manipulations, throughout the years I knew quite deeply in my heart that portraiture and documentary would be my greatest love. And now I am trying to lead my photography in this direction.
Where does you inspiration come from? Do you have a photography idol?
Inspiration comes from life, from the daily moments of joy, of questioning, of sadness, music and daydream. I do not have a photography idol, but I do admire a lot of photographers, among which SebastiĂŁo Salgado, Steve McCurry, Alex Webb, Sally Mann, Irving Penn, Tim Walker, Julia Margaret Cameron and the list may go on and on.
It seems like your project Modern Shadows shows us the routine of big city life. What was the main idea of that project? With the description of photos it feels like that there is no escape from this rush and depersonalization.
I made this series in a time of my life when I lived in a big city, right by the most crowded boulevard, where all I could hear was the noise of rushed cars and ambulances. Every day, thousands of people would cast their shadows upon the pavements, and I was able to witness their various rhythms, their relentlessness, hidden behind the window of my apartment. I tried to depict the general mood of the view I had, with different people in their daily routines; even at the most hectic hours, I found silence in the bird feeders, the lonesome homeless, or the ones waiting for the bus.
As we are fashion magazine lets talk a little bit about your people&beauty art:) What is your favorite part in fashion photography?
I guess my favorite part is being able to experiment and explore our creativity. I also love to play with colors to create surreal atmospheres in fashion portraits, while sometimes I absolutely enjoy the purity of a monochrome image, contoured by the natural light.
Do you think that fashion industry helps people to express themselves and avoid «Modern Shadows» picture? Or in this chase for trends and singularity we still loose our personalities?
I think it’s a paradox that sometimes, by trying to be unique, we lose what truly defines us. In the end, we must become what we are. But we can never get it quite right without making errors. I find it wonderful that through fashion, people can express their ideas, their feelings and their imagination; after all, to me, fashion photography is a truly creative and challenging process, and it has enriched the visual aspects of my work. But I do believe that people must never chase and desire to be something they’re not.
Can you say that you are trendy person?
I cannot really call myself “trendy”. My dress up is pretty basic, only guided by colors, patterns and shapes that delight my eye and fit my build. When I do my photography work, you will most often find me in boring, dull clothes, hehe.
What is your «mission” if i can ask that way? What is the main massage of your art?
I hope that my photography will wake a bit of emotion in people’s hearts, and maybe make them ponder for a little while; about beauty, about light, about play and simplicity.
What do you think about the future of fashion photography? Are there some new trends going to appear?
New techniques in fashion photography are being born, as a result of the continuous rise of technology, while on the other side, many are opposing the digital world, turning to alternative processes. I always see innovations in image-processing, but I have also noticed the minimalist style that is now often adopted, together with the use of mixed media, and references to famous artists, such as painters, sculptors and renowned photographers, are often made.
What is your advice for young photographers who are dreaming of being big one day?
When I first got into photography at 13, I never thought of becoming big, to be honest. All I would do was to create whatever my heart dictated me, never thinking about the result of all this. Growing up has stained a part of this purity, and now I am fighting to take it back. So I think my advice would be Just keep going. Don’t think about where, when, or how. Be true to your heart, and don’t let the mind fool you. One day you will wake up and realize that your dreams have taken you where you wanted to go.
You can find more Felicia’s works here:
