About Experimental Stories Process
During the lockdown, I was finishing up my studies at VGIK and worked. It became gloomy later, but still, I liked the period.
There were many projects. I do the whole process myself as we don't have a team. I can rarely afford to work with a stylist or someone else, as I love freedom and controlling the whole process. I never plan the concept ahead or how they should turn out, that's why I call them Experimental Stories.
I love the past, for the inspiration. I often turn to old movie posters, from the '50s up to the '80s. I don't mean to copy them, but I like old magazines and their texture. We do not know what will happen, but we do know what happened before. I collect that time and create that colour grading and texture appropriately. I use old paper and with a bit thicker gsm to create that layering. My work is like a time machine. I do not enjoy very much shooting on film, as I want to know straight away how the photo showed up. I work with Sony A7RII. I don't usually change the lens to keep the natural look, but sometimes I do.
I don't travel much to Istanbul, when I do it is due to family reasons. I would like to move to London or Berlin at some point. Some people don't understand some of the details I make in my work. We think my work will find a better resonance in Europe.
My move to Russia was strictly because of vgik.
dilara sahin
worst habit: eat a lots of sweets
DILARA and Domino effect
At the moment, my favourite project that I've been working on is probably a photoshoot with Yurii Borisov. I created a promo and posters for them. But I also really enjoyed working with Fedya (FEDUK), Cream Soda and GOGOL CENTER.
It so happens that sometimes I find my clients unintentionally, by a turn of a chance.
Before signing for a project work, we talk to the prospective clients to make sure they understand my work-concept/philosophy and my (working-)style. It all depends on my mood on any given day- if I feel depressed, my shots reflect it. So when I am asked to do lighter shoots, and I do not feel like it, I feel pressure. They already know exactly what I do, do not hire me if you want me to do something completely else. It is better to explain right away as it is not guaranteed that they would get exactly what they envisioned.
We shot Filipp Avdeyev in August, and I was editing it for 2 months because I had no clear vision of what to do with those photos. When I feel good, I feel like it is a waste to edit. I need to suffer a little. Because when I edit and I rage, the outcome is always better - it is with a soul.
From Russia, I would love to shoot Zemfira, Valerij Meladze and Putin. Not due to political reasons, but he is a historical figure - it would be an interesting shoot.
When they choose me, they are my clients. When I choose them, they just exist.
favourite publication? @lookatthisrussian
When I reach out I just simply say I want to shoot you. No briefing, no preparation, the location is spontaneous. We always go to the centre and find something. From different editing I do, people can't even recognise if we have used the location before. Moscow is a huge art decor, super cinematic why use anything else than its streets. (I hate studios).
Moscow = Art decor playground
I've been shooting for about 10 years now and have been doing college for a year and a half.
First of all, I am a filmmaker - photography is great, but we need to keep moving.
So for the past 4 months, we were thinking about our experience. How we are constantly running around to different shoots, and how we make new acquaintances.
I started from 0 there was a background of photography but to the world of celebrity, we arrived pretty recently. With each person it is a separate story, there are some absurd situations so now we (me and my manager Julia) thinking about why not to create a tv show about it. Explain the story of how we started. I think me being a foreigner in this country also adds a bit of comedy to it. We still didn't discuss the script but, that will happen any minute. However, we do have people that offer us help already at this point. The most important thing to find a good team.
Another of our missions is to shoot Zemfira. Every meeting I go to we have a bad background in terms of understanding how popular the client is. I don't know most of the celebrities, only Zemfira..If you see this I was also born on the 26th of August.
Photography is a hobby for me. I want to shoot movies within 25 frames, primmer auteur cinema or the porn industry. I don't enjoy short films.
soundtrack of your life? Flunk: indian rope trick
With baubles people are led
I like uniforms I find them pretty. When I was little I was a fan of Michael Jackson. He was also wearing uniforms while performing, not explaining to anyone any background about it. But he made people understand that it is a rod style. You feel official, authority, strong it works as armour. In case of my work is the same thing. It is not about politics and never will be it is about art. It works so that a person feels powerful and charged energy.
Military uniform went with stickers, and we somehow started to push it as a trend. We always bring stickers and sometimes plasters. There is no meaning it is all just about pure aesthetics. Half of the jackets suits or pants people wear during my shoot is from my racks.
The writing on collages is also random. I always say ahead what is represented in the photo and then simply give a call to Vanya or Yulya, ask them what they feel about my recent work, and they just share some phrase. Grammatically they help me out lots. The font we use is mine or Vanya's.
Whom would you like to sleep with? Zemfira, Valerij Meladze maybe Renata Litvinova maybe...
In the world? Gary Oldman, Cate Blanchett, Anthony Hopkins, Harry Styles, Martha Stewart she can cook me some pasta in the morning...there are plenty.