Ivan Kavaldzhiev
Ivan is a portrait photographer based in Sofia, Bulgaria. We talked about his passion for portraits and analog photography, his gear, why he pushes color film, and when photography comes to life.
Thomas Berlin: Ivan, you are shooting portraits and sensual portraits on film. Why portraits and how would you describe your style?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: I shoot portraits because I like the connection with people that this genre gives, the mutual efforts needed for creating something special. Portrait photography is a very different genre, because it involves at least two people – a photographer and a model. Every time when I make a portrait photoshoot I feel enriched by communicating with my model and by getting familiar with their character, personal visions, experience, etc.
Thomas Berlin: When are you happy with a picture? Are there some components or criteria?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: I am happy with a picture when it has an impact on me as a viewer. Usually I search for a set of criteria like ideal light, composition, color matching, having nothing distracting in the frame, good pose of the model. But even if I follow all these rules and the models expression for example does not touch me and triggers something inside of me, then I won’t be so happy with the portrait. Sometimes the opposite can be true. I would prefer a photo with bad light and composition, if the model or the picture as a whole is conveying a certain feeling.
Thomas Berlin: Do you want to express something with your images? Is there a mission?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: My mission is to show women’s beauty in a romantic and sensitive type of way. A lot of photographers, shooting erotic and sensual photography for example, do it in a kind of rude or elemental way, without expressing more complex emotions or having a deeper meaning in the shot, including a story for example. While I’m not perfect, I try to stand out by making my photography in the opposite way and portraying femininity in a beautiful and gentle way.
Thomas Berlin: How do you deal with light? Do you use only ambient light or also artificial light? What are your considerations?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: I believe that as long as the light complements a given shot, it does not matter whether it is natural or artificial. Most of my works include natural light but now because I shoot only on film I’m planning to get continuous LED light, so that I have more options to shoot in a variety of light conditions. In my opinion, light should present the model and the scene in the best possible way, so whether you achieve it with natural light or artificial light that’s OK. I often search for light that gives atmosphere to the whole scene, but gives greater emphasis to the model. Another important element in my photography is using a Sekonic light meter which is always with me.
© Ivan Kavaldzhiev
Thomas Berlin: Ivan, you switched from digital to analog photography. What is the special charm of analog pictures? Can't it also be generated digitally?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: Yes, I made the switch 3 years ago. I have been shooting only analog since then. The charm of analog pictures includes a lot of elements outside the images themselves. I find working with different type of medium format analog cameras a great joy. The option to choose among different frame ratios like 6X4.5, 6X6, 6X7 and even type of cameras (SLRs, TLRs, rangefinders) gives great flexibility and each type of camera completely changes your workflow, composing and end result. Besides the different cameras, everything is slowed down. I have to think more in advance, whether one shot is worth being taken and I compose more carefully and watch out for smaller details in the frames than before. While this makes for better photographs there are also disadvantages like bringing more gear which is often even heavier than digital and making the models to wait a bit more before the shot is taken. This sometimes distracts them or bores them, but once they get used to the process I really like the final results. Analog pictures also have more depth and 3D feeling than digital and I really love how the colors are rendered. Before switching to analog I used special presets to make my digital images look like film but at the end I gave up and started using film. Also, you don’t have formats like 6X6 and 6X7 on digital. About generating such results digitally – while you can add some cross processing, manipulate colors and add some monochrome noise I think that digital cannot substitute analog photography. In addition, shooting black and white film is also on its own level.
Thomas Berlin: What is your analog workflow?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: I develop BW films on my own, while I have my color negatives developed by a friend of mine. Then I scan the images on my Epson V850 Pro. I make small adjustments for the colors, contrast and brightness in SilverFast, then some final work in Photoshop, including retouching and additional color and contrast corrections. I spend a lot less time editing my images than when I shot digital.
Thomas Berlin: Which cameras / lenses do you use? And why? Is there a favorite you could do almost all your work with?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: Currently, I own 6 analog cameras – Pentax 645N, Pentax 67, Mamiya RZ 67, Norita 66, Rolleiflex 3.5F, Plaubel Makina 67. Sometimes it is very hard to pick the right cameras for my shooting, but before every photosession I carefully think in advance what camera would better suite my needs. Every camera or lens is a different tool for doing a particular job, so I like to have a wide range of choice. It would be very hard to pick only one universal camera but if I’d have to travel somewhere and choose one I’d probably pick up the Makina 67. It’s a rangefinder camera with 80/2.8 Nikkor lens and I would describe this focal length as pretty universal. It’s great for taking environmental portraits. It is very light-weight and compact since, it has folding mechanism for the lens.
Thomas Berlin: In my opinion, the colors of your pictures are part of the mood of the picture. Are these the unchanged colors of the film used or do you adjust the analog color significantly on the computer?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: Before a particular shoot I try to pick the best color film for the given situation. For example, Kodak films have warmer color and I tend to use them when I shoot at sunset, while Fuji Pro 400H gives great white and neutral tones with saturated tones. If I want great blue color I would also pick a Fuji film. The flatbed scanner I use (Epson V850 Pro), while being pretty good is not the most accurate in terms of representing the true color of the film (especially under specific light scenarios), so sometimes I remove some color casts in Photoshop or even add additional color toning which better suits the image, but nothing too drastic or significant. Most of the times, however I tend to leave the original analog color of the film. I often push the color negative films 1 or 2 stops, which makes for bigger contrast and some color shifting (often magenta tones in the shadows), so I also have to deal with that sometimes.
Ivan Kavaldzhiev
Thomas Berlin: How do the models react when you shoot analog which means with a camera from the last century which need more time to work with and which cant show the shooting results immediately?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: For my surprise my models get fastly used to the idea that I can’t show the images immediately, however I can feel that sometimes it is annoying for them that I have to focus manually, think more things in advance, etc. They have to hold their expressions longer and that is tiring. I try to improve the things in that direction. Not being able to show the results immediately for me has the benefit that I and the model don’t get distracted and I just continue to be focused on my shooting.
Thomas Berlin: How do you prepare for a shoot? And do you create mood boards or specific ideas before shootings?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: Before a shoot I try to clear the concept I have as much as I can, so that every detail is thought in advance, like looking at pictures of the location (if I have), thinking about the light (should I bring studio light), different poses, color combinations. For my bigger projects, involving teams, I create a mood board, so that everyone is on the same page. Sometimes, however, I tend to experiment more and make rough guidelines about the concept and the location and think for the details at the moment of shooting. Some of my favorite images are created by improvising and experimenting. The success rate is higher when everything is prepared in advance, though.
Thomas Berlin: Your images show beautiful young women. How do you behave towards models?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: I behave with great respect to any of my models. With some it is faster and easier to get along and start producing good images, but nevertheless I keep calm and positive attitude toward my models. The model should be and is the hero in every portrait shoot.
Thomas Berlin: How do you find your models / people in front of your camera?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: Mainly I use social media like Facebook and Instagram. Sometimes my models are friends of a friend, so it depends.
Thomas Berlin: How important is social media and your website for your success and inspiration?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: Social media is important for me in terms of connecting to creative teams and finding new models. I don’t find my inspiration so much in social media but more in photo books of legends like Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, which I have at home. Also I find inspiration in the portfolio of modern authors like Tim Walker, Sasha Samsonova, Ruslan Lobanov and two of my favorite authors, which inspired me to start shooting on film – Jan Scholz and Ryan Muirhead.
Thomas Berlin: Have you already published a book or have you exhibited your work? Or do you have plans for these ways to physically show your work?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: Unfortunately, not yet. I strongly believe that photography gets alive once it is printed and viewed on a physical media. I have a dream to get my work exhibited, however I’m still in the search for that perfect theme that would collect my work in a way to be presented in an exhibition.
© Ivan Kavaldzhiev
Thomas Berlin: Ivan, can you tell me your best reason being a portrait photographer?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: It’s hard to pick just one, however, I want to say that being a portrait photographer is not just for getting pictures of people, but for experiencing and remembering those funny and exciting moments that happen on the backstage and during the shoot. When I see a picture from my portfolio I immediately remember when and how the shot was taken and what were my emotions during the shoot. I also have made a lot of friendships by being a portrait photographer and this genre connects me with new interesting people.
Thomas Berlin: Is photography your job or your passion? Do you have another job?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: Photography is probably the biggest passion of mine. I work as a programmer and have a degree in Informatics, so this is my primary job. Photography lets me develop my imagination and think in an artistic way, which is very different from the more technical and precise thinking I use in my every-day job. I think these two activities combine really well in my case.
Thomas Berlin: What are your hobbies or interests besides photography?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: I really enjoy listening to music, but on high-fidelity music systems. This is one of my biggest hobbies, other than photography. I also like playing sports – for example table tennis and football. I love being among the nature and enjoy going for a walk there. Last, but not least, I enjoy watching films, which often are also source of inspiration for my photography.
Thomas Berlin: Do you want to say anything else?
Ivan Kavaldzhiev: I want to encourage anyone starting in photography to follow their own internal desires and passion and that would lead them through their true creative path. Also, don’t be afraid to try shooting on film!
Thomas Berlin: Ivan, thank you for this interview!
Ivan can be reached on his website. Feedback is welcome here.
Images above: © Ivan Kavaldzhiev