The Images of Photographer Marina Denisova Express a Sense of Calm, Welcome, and Connection to the Subject

Name:
Marina Denisova
Photography:
Marina Denisova
Words:
Caroline Meeusen

Barcelona-based photographer Marina Denisova specializes in architectural, travel, and lifestyle photography, though a career as a photographer wasn’t always in her cards. She never thought about photography as a career, but from a very young age, had always been drawn to the creative world. As a child, Marina attended an art school for ten years and dreamt of being a fashion designer, sketching all the time and asking her mom to buy her fashion magazines. Later, she became interested in interior design, but growing up in Russia, being a fashion or interior designer wasn’t an option. So after graduating from art school, she chose to study management in Saint Petersburg.

After five years of a program that she didn’t enjoy, Marina went to Florence, Italy to take a course on interior design. During her studies, she worked at a fashion e-commerce company, where she discovered the roots of her future career. She was initially in social media management until she was asked if she wanted to try product photography. Eventually, this became her full-time job, but it felt very mechanical and impersonal to her.

After some years, she met Martino di Napoli Rampolla, the founder of Numeroventi design residency, who asked her to take photos of their spaces and artists. That was the moment that Marina realized that that was exactly what she wanted to do.

Now working worldwide, she has discovered and captured many people, places, and spaces, developing her own signature process and look. With her masterly play with light, Marina creates a mesmerizing and often warm effect with her images. Expressing her personality, her photos present a sense of calm, welcome, and a connection to the subject.

VISUAL PLEASURE Magazine:
How would you describe your images, and what do you want them to express?

Marina Denisova: It’s always very hard for me to put in words what I’m trying to express with my photography or to describe it. I think it just reflects my personality. I’m a very calm and quiet person. I love to observe. Most of the time, when I take photos, I’m sort of in this meditative mood. And I think I would like my photos to convey that state of peace I have when I take a photo. I would like people to feel the same connection I felt with a space or with a person I photographed. I want them to feel “welcomed” (if that makes sense) when they look at my images. There’s this quote from Julius Shulman that I really like: “I don’t change architecture but infuse it with a magic quality; it makes people say: This is a wonderful image. I want to live in this house.” This is what I’d like to achieve with my photography.

What’s your favorite subject to portray and why?

I think, in general, the subject of spaces and people and how they interact with them is super interesting for me. I love visiting people in their homes and studios. To know their stories, to learn about their rituals and workflow—how they relate to their spaces in a day to day life.

What do you love the most about your job?

The opportunities that it gives me. Places I go, experiences I have. All the people I meet who open their homes to me and share their stories, visions, and let me observe them working and creating while learning from them. All of this wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for my job. It inspires me a lot and helps me to grow professionally and as a person. And I’m very thankful for that.

“ I would like people to feel the same connection I felt with a space or with a person I photographed.”

What is the most difficult thing about photography?

I find it very challenging to photograph people. On assignment, there’s never enough time to really get to know a person and to connect. When you take a photo of a person, you’re just a stranger that is intruding in their personal space. And most of the people shut down. It takes a lot of energy and effort to make people feel safe and comfortable with you.

Do you have a different approach or process for photographing your different subjects?

Yes. A lot of my assignments (travel, architecture, studio visits) I do by myself or one on one if it’s a studio visit. And this is my favorite way of working. I like being sort of in my own world. Be concentrated on what I’m doing and not being distracted by other people’s energy. I feel most creative this way. But of course, when there’s a big production for a brand or a fashion shoot, there’s a lot of other people involved and the flow is completely different. It’s not that I don’t like it, it just requires more effort from my side.

What would you still like to accomplish in your career, anything on the bucket list?

I’m really happy at where I am now, and I hope I will be able to do it as long as possible. I just want to learn more and to get better.

What is a fun fact about you as a photographer?

I hate gear. I always try to use as little as possible. And I don’t like experimenting with cameras or any other equipment either. I still have the same camera as when I started. I even hardly use a tripod (unless I really need it). I like to move around freely and concentrate on the subject I photograph rather than on the medium I’m doing it with. Sometimes clients look very lost/disappointed when they see me showing up just with my little backpack. But in the end, this is my way of working, and they trust me, and that’s what’s most important.