“Lighting Can Change Everything” – Photographer Vadym Yatsun Discusses Elevating Imagery With Experimental Lighting
How accidentally moving to London and a chance encounter with the Trevor Sorbie team accelerated his career.
 Vadym Yatsun |
“I became a photographer by accident; I started my career as a musician. I needed photos for my work but struggled to get a good photographer, so I started doing photography, and then it just took off for me. That was more than 10 years ago now! In Ukraine we didn’t have any photography schools, so I was trying to find information on the internet, and I had to just analyse all the shoots I saw; how the lighting could work, where the lights were placed, how they could be directed – and that’s how I developed a good relationship with lighting.
I’m always prepped, but slight differences on set might change everything quite significantly. This is what I love about the creative process – it starts by working on the presentation, with the mood board, storyboard, all the looks, hairstyles, makeup and so on. Everything is carefully planned and I’m happy with how it changes on a set. The model will bring their own energy, and everything may change, but this is the magic that fascinates me. |
Vadym Yatsun |
| “I became a photographer by accident; I started my career as a musician. I needed photos for my work but struggled to get a good photographer, so I started doing photography, and then it just took off for me. That was more than 10 years ago now! In Ukraine we didn’t have any photography schools, so I was trying to find information on the internet, and I had to just analyse all the shoots I saw; how the lighting could work, where the lights were placed, how they could be directed – and that’s how I developed a good relationship with lighting.
I’m always prepped, but slight differences on set might change everything quite significantly. This is what I love about the creative process – it starts by working on the presentation, with the mood board, storyboard, all the looks, hairstyles, makeup and so on. Everything is carefully planned and I’m happy with how it changes on a set. The model will bring their own energy, and everything may change, but this is the magic that fascinates me. |
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“I like challenges, I find this work challenging and that’s what brings something special to my life.”
Since working in the hair industry, there have been lots of learning experiences. I believe that all photographers and people on set should know almost everything about their colleagues and the specifics of their work. As soon as I got into the industry, I started communicating with my colleagues, hairstylists, and make–up artists. I learned everything about their processes – which hairstyle should be the first, what would be the next, all and all the processes working with wigs. Now I love wigs most of all, because they make everything flexible.
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Getting into the UK hairdressing scene was an interesting development, as I had worked with lots of hair brands and hair magazines in Ukraine. I love hair because it creates shapes – it can save simple looks or fashion shoots! I moved to London two years ago by accident. I wasn’t supposed to move here, but I started looking for different people to collaborate with, to get a job, and any connections, and then the Trevor Sorbie team found me. I followed someone from the team, and then they followed me, which led to being invited to shoot their new collection. And that’s how things started in London!
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My first career highlight was this cover story for Schon! magazine with Indira Varma. She was in Game of Thrones and this was the first magazine shoot with a big budget, big sets and big brands. It was really lovely to have the trust of quite an important magazine.
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Lighting is something that always goes with me, it’s something that can change every set – you don’t need anything sophisticated, just the white cove, and lots and lots of lights.
Credits
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Hair: Paul Donovan
Hair assistant: Jessica Kell
Stylist and art direction: Ignacio de Tiedra
Stylist assistant: Enol Garçon
Art direction: Margo Mayor
Make-up: Justine Jenkins
Set designer: Sam Edyn
Set designer assistant: Jeremy Rwakasiisi
Model: Indira Varma
Nails: Mica Hendricks
Photography assistant: Simeon Asenov, Leo Corfu
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Hair: Danilo Giangreco
Photography assistants: Iryl Mugas, Nicola Sclano
Stylist: Adele Cany
Stylist assistant: Cordie Watson
Make-up: India Rawlings
Model: Rahi Chadda
Set design: Sam Edyn
Set design assistant: Jeremy Rwakasiisi
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