NACHO KAMENOV: THE DOME UNDER BROKEN ANGLE

Geya Antonova

Nacho Kamenovwas born inpoorworking-class familyin the autumn of 1950. Coming into the world, his cryinggives the signalfor the first school hour at 15th September, as till today.

For the first timehe touches a camerawhen he is 3-years-old. His father was imprudent toleave the camera in the hands of his sonthat subsequentlywas fatal for the camera.

How did you find your interest to photography?
- My real interest to photography appeared in the summer of 1972. Then I received my first personal camera – as present from my father. I keep it till today.

What were the first photosthat you have made?
- As all the people I also have started to photograph little flowers and beetles. As a whole, everything that was interesting.

When did you start to photograph act-art?
- In the same summer of 1972 at Varvara which at that time was a little village, but powered with great energy and magic. I had a girlfriend and as a sworn nudist, I took the camera with me and I started to photograph her naked at the rocks and at the dunes.

People say thatNacho Kamenovcan photographonly black and white naked body?
- This is not my problem, but to those that think of me like this. In fact I earn my living with advertising photography and the act photography is my hobby. Through it I realize my fantasies.

From what moment you have started tooccupy professionally with photography?
- After 1978. Then I was working as a cameraman in the Cinema centre. In one moment they gave to me one diapositive topic. After the perfect presentation I decided that I could make money with the photography. This continued during the next 30 years. Like this, bit by bit, it took the place of the cinema in my life. I quit the Cinema centre and I decided to occupy only with photography. With Bobi Karpuzov, Nicola Akrabov and Grozdan Grozev - we established the first private studio in Bulgaria „Reflex” that still exists. We gathered all the technique and we started...

After not more than two years of work together we separated and everybody took his road.

At the beginning of the 90s, after successfully realized advertising brochure of the Japanese hotel, our team received a proposal for creation of advertising section in the hotel. I worked as a photographer there during six years.

When was created your studio?
- After these 6 years I made my studio – I opened „Area”.

What influences on your choice of the models?
- For me the woman is a supreme divine creature. I adore all the women all around the world as creatures. There isn’t ugly woman. There isn’t woman that isn’t perfect by her self. There aren’t non-photogenic people, there are bad photographers. In every one woman is set the beautiful by nature. Task of the photographer is to unlock this nature. To be obtained, man has to have the right attitude to the model.

How accept you your models?
- One of the most important things for the act photography is the complete confidence of the model to the photographer. This is some kind of giving that has to exist to be made to good photo. These are good energies that „round” in one orbit.

Is it difficult to becomea professional photographer?
- The photographing at tape learned me. At that time it doesn’t existed computers and Photoshop. You start to judge everything at the moment. I learned to develop my movies by my self, to copy my photos that doesn’t have analogue with the digital photography.

What is your motto?
- Let’s have fun!

Photos:
© Nacho Kamenov

Photo: © Private archives

Used sources:
Tsveta Stoeva
http://sovichka.blogspot.com

Read: 23662 times                                                  © Fashion Lifestyle Magazine, issue 15, October 2008

ANNIE LEIBOVITZ ETERNALIZED THE ITALIAN STYLE

Prof. Lubomir Stoykov

Surrealistic, magnetic, fantastic! Different can be the superlatives concerning the newest works of art of the world famous photographer Annie Leibovitz – the photos for the famous calendar „Lavazza 2009”. The bright premiere of its seventeenth edition was organized in Villa Miani in Rome and it passed under the sign of the theater, the music and the virtuous Italian culinary art. The set-scene and the production were a work of the creative team of the Academy „Teatro Alla Scala”. Among the celebrities were distinguished the photographer Annie Leibovitz, the world famous pianist Giovanni Allevi and the top models Eva Riccobonno, Alesia Piovan, Gilda Sansone and Kate Balo together with the hosts Francesca and Luigi Lavazza.

In her concept for the new calendar Leibovitz did her best to reveal the leading values of the Italian culture and art, as to offer herself – at some places a little ironical interpretation of the eternal Italian symbols. Seven are the photos that beautify the calendar. The leading photo is „Venice”, where with the mastery of renaissance painter Annie Leibovitz accentuates on the cup - mask, referring to the spirit and to the passion of the Venetian carnivals. The other not less impressing pictorial photos are „The she-wolf”, „The fashion”, „The genius”, „Seduction”, „Spaghetti” and „The cinema”. „The she-wolf” is photographed in the Coliseum itself. “The fashion” through two original and magnificent evening dresses, as with the typical design atmosphere is „sealed” in the atelier of Dolce & Gabbana. „The genius” is Leonardo da Vinci and its Vatruvian person, immortal sign of the harmony and the beauty, this time is put in enormous coffee cup. The next photography is „Seduction” that shows an authentic passion kiss of two lovers at one of the bridges of river Tiber. The typical for the Italians spaghettis are eternalized by the Leibovitz’s objective with wonderful naked woman’ body in the middle of enormous plate with background of the lovely hills of Toscana. „The cinema” is staggering photographer’s remake to the famous movie scene in the fountain „Grasses” (with the participation of the sex-appeal Anita Ekberg from the cult Fellini’s movie „La dolce vita”).
When I asked Francesca Lavazza what is her favorite photos, she answered - „Venice”. Francesca was sincere: „It is my favorite, because it is unexpected and it acts unexpectedly. At first together with Annie Leibovitz we decided the leading image to include only the face of the model with the mask. After that we decided to put it at the stage and in this way we achieved theatrical perspective. It came out something unbelievable, mysterious and hypnotic! It isn’t possible for the people to starring at her face and do not feel this magic. This is a kind of natural elegance. The model personifies the perfect icon, symbolizing the never-fading Italian beauty. It is about one different code of the beauty, but it is very contemporary.”

During the years the idea to be invited the most talented photographers in the world to unleash their creative fantasy, making the next calendar „Lavazza”, evaluated very much. We remember that among them bright the names of such aces of the photo-art like Helmut Newton, Ellen von Unwert, David Lachapelle, Eugenio Recuenco, a number of others and now Annie Leibovitz. Becoming famous with her photo of John Lennon and Joko Ono in the day of his murder, as also becoming famous with the cover of magazine „Vanity Fair”, showing the pregnant Demi Moore, now Leibovitz with success welcomed one more challenge. Here what she shared especially for the media: „The calendar of „Lavazza” is one great tradition and chance for every photographer to use his imagination. The idea was to be revealed the process – or the making of the calendar in some of the photos. The process has always fascinated me and of course we just couldn’t stop drinking coffee „Lavazza” during our work. Really.”

The models – the choice and their behavior in front of camera are determinant for the end result of every photo session. When I asked Alesia Piovan from agency „Elite” what she remembers of her work with Leibovitz for the photo „The cinema” (in the fountain „Grasses”), she answered me :„I was so excited, as very nervous, because maybe you know how responsible is the work with Annie Leibovitz. This isn’t something that happens to you every day. But she was wonderful and with her help the photos passed very easy...”The wonderful photography takes at Leibovitz, her model Alesia and the whole team half a day, including the making of the set-scene, the styling, the making-up and the others preparations.

As phenomenal experience can be valued not only the charming premiere of the new calendar „Lavazza”, but also the art product itself. The patron relation between the world brands and the big creators is useful, because it dynamics the art and it stimulates the culture. Italy and its aroma „Lavazza” proved this for consecutive time....In typical Italian style!

Photos:
1. „Venice”
2.„The she-wolf”
3. „The fashion”
4. „The genius”
5. „Seduction”
6. „Spaghetti”
7. „The cinema”
Photo: © Annie Leibovitz
8. Luigi Lavazza, Annie Leibovitz and Francesca Lavazza
Photo: Archives of „Lavazza”
9. Lubomir Stoykov together with the top model Alesia Piovan
Photo: Private archives of Lubomir Stoykov

Read: 23564 times                                                  © Fashion Lifestyle Magazine, issue 15, October 2008

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