Camilia Akrans: From Rihanna to Harpers Bazaar.

I knew my love for Rihanna would bring more than inspired costume ideas for birthday parties! The picture below was taken last birthday themed “Legendary” and was held at a bar called (wait for it) Legends! Can’t get any lamer at thirty, that’s for sure!

Back to the topic at hand, here’s what I stumbled upon when I searched for the photographer who took this picture of Rhi Rhi (yes, we’re on nickname basis). Turns out, former Swedish graphic designer turned photographer Camilla Åkrans is the talented lady behind the lens. Having been featured in numerous publications like Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Numero and New York Times, she’s got an impressive portfolio and clients that any photographer would just die for! Included is a few snippets of an interview with Camilia by Swedish Institute.

– Your photographs are acclaimed for their strong artistic skills. Do you consider fashion photography as an art form?

– Everything is in the eye of the beholder – I work with pictures and it’s up to the viewer to decide whether it’s art or fashion photography. The boundary is diffuse and there is no need to be categorical. You also have to take the context into consideration; you might not experience a photo in the same way when you see it in a magazine compared to when you see it in a gallery.

– What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a fashion photographer today?

– When I was young I wanted to be an artist or graphic designer. By chance I made my student internship in a photo studio, and after that there was no return. You can’t really study fashion photography – you have to learn it by starting working as an assistant, as I did. You have to get to know the fashion world, the people in it and how it works. Being a fashion photographer is about so much more than just acquiring technical skills. Fashion photography is not about documenting reality, but creating an illusion and a vision. That vision can’t be taught at any school, it can only emanate from the photographer.

– We see more and more moving images in the fashion world. You have for example made a short film for Filippa K. Will you consider making more fashion films in the future?

– I don’t see myself as a traditional film director, but with the new technology it’s so much easier to make films. The difference between taking a photograph and making a film today is so much smaller, since you can almost use the same equipment. There will definitely be more fashion films in the future, and I look forward to being part of that evolution.

– Where do you find your inspiration?

– In many places. The fashion world itself, of course. A specific mood in a fashion show can capture me, like old fashion photos. Music is also a big source of inspiration. But I think that what really inspires me the most is cinema.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: fashion, Fashion photography, Harpers Bazaar, New York Times, Photographer, photography, Rihanna, Swedish Institute