Foto: Taavi Verbo
Nimelt avaldas BEIGE BROWN soovi intervjueerida Portaili peatoimetajat Aljona Eesmaad. Pikka mõtlemist muidugi ei olnud, kuna intervjuu raames avanes Aljonal võimalus proovida selga BEIGE BROWNi erinevaid moepalasid ning lasta lemmikud komplektid enda seljas ka jäädvustada. Milline sai aga intervjuu ise? Seda saate ingliskeelse variandina lugeda BEIGE BROWNi kodulehel ning eestikeelsena kaeda lausa videoformaadis:
Marianna on romantik, kes usaldab intuitsiooni rohkem kui reegleid ning leiab ilu nii naerukortsudes kui ka ootamatutes tehnilistes vigades. Saame tuttavaks loojaga, kes ei karda “flow-seisundis” stuudio inventari otsa komistada ega otsida tähendust ka kõige argisematest hetkedest. Autentsuse huvides avaldame intervjuu inglise keeles.
Name: Marianna Gunja or Mara
Age: 39, but 25 in heart
Location: Tallinn
Preferred camera: Canon 6d and Fujifilm XT3, but anything that shoots really
Instagram: @noxdies
Marianna, what first pulled you into photography?
You know, it was not always so easy for me to start a conversation and approach people. I was getting anxious and overthinking about what I was going to say and it was pretty scary, so at one point I realised that photography could be a way for me to come closer to a person and give us a topic to engage in. Actually, Susan Sontag wrote about this in one of her essays. When I first read it, I had this “omg, that’s me” moment. And secondly, I wanted to tell stories and build my small worlds.
You mentioned Susan Sontag’s essays helped you see photography as a way to bridge the gap between you and other people. Now that you’re experienced, do you still feel like the camera is a “shield” that helps you connect, or has it become something else entirely?
Not anymore. I realized a while ago that I needed to find a new meaning for it. The original reasoning – that the camera is a tool that gives me permission to get closer to people – is no longer the main thing. Instead, the desire to create a world is something I’ve always had. I want to dive deeper now and take on more of a creative director role.
What is it about fashion and beauty photography that excites you the most?
The collaborative moment is definitely my favourite one. Everyone is giving a part of their craft and their soul and then everything is coming together as a visual story. It’s the best feeling in the world!
How do you usually get into the right mindset before a big shoot?
I wish I could say that I do morning yoga and cold showers because it would be healthier, but actually I just walk to one of my favourite cafes to grab a cappuccino if I have time and then I put on my headphones and put some music on while I’m on my way to the shoot location. What exactly can depend a little on the mood on the shoot and on my energy levels this day, but my choices can vary from Imagine Dragons to Massive Attack or Moderat or even Noëp. Sometimes when I have a lot of random thoughts I actually start my morning by going through the mood boards for the shoot, which helps me get organised and think of some new ideas on how I can approach certain moments during the shoot.
What’s something people would be surprised to learn about what happens behind the scenes?
I guess, people don’t realise that some things might not work out as planned even though there was so much planning and prep involved. Sometimes, models feel unsure about their outfits and feel reserved while posing in them, or the outfit just doesn’t work because of their body type. Sometimes the photo equipment starts misbehaving suddenly, while everything was perfectly working a moment ago… And the only (best) thing you can do is not to be frustrated about it, keep positive for yourself and for your team and adapt. The original plan goes out the window and intuition and trust in team work take over and the most memorable moments are born.
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Also, during the shoot I can go in such a deep “flow state” that I do not see anything else beyond my subject and beauty I aim to capture. So I can be completely oblivious about my surroundings, stumble a lot physically and bump into studio equipment, walls and other objects near me. It happens a lot, so I just joke about it with my team.
Studio or shooting on location?
That’s a good question. I think it might be a seasonal thing. As we are living in a colder climate, weather is a bit unpredictable at times and some locations are hard to get, photo studios are more reliable, for sure. Yet, in the spring time I yearn for a change. So, maybe a mix?
What has been your most memorable or favourite project so far?
My favourite project is always the next one. But there have been a couple of really cool and memorable shoots all over the years. Like the first time I shot for Karmen Pedaru’s brand, it was a whole day shoot and we had a big team and a lot of things to shoot, but the energy was just so good! Secondly, last autumn’s shoot with Hannes Rüütel was something I enjoyed a lot and the story he had in mind for it was quite unexpected. And if I would pick an oldie but goodie, I would pick my first jewellery shoot ever for Hyrv, where we had two models portraying a mom and a daughter. There was just something so sincere and simply beautiful about it.
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Which do you lean towards more – fashion or beauty?
I like the playfulness in fashion, but if we are talking about meanings behind every image, fashion can be more complex and the language of beauty is more universal. I am also a dreamer and a romantic at heart, so I am always looking for beauty everywhere, even in mundane situations.
Is there a person, face, or type of character you’ve been dreaming of capturing?
I have been involved a lot in shooting model tests for some of Estonian modelling agencies for the last couple of years. I am pretty grateful for that time, because I learned a lot about the industry outside our country, but at the same time I think it left me yearning for something different. I think more mature characters, with smile wrinkles in the corner of their eyes and a bit of devilish mischief can be my type of therapy at the moment.
And to finish – what’s a phrase you often use to sign off your emails?
There are two versions. To the people I want to connect with and make something beautiful together, it’s “Hope to hear from you soon”. Because I truly do! And to the people who know me, it would be “Best wishes” or “Love, M”.
Hooaja enim tähelepanu pälvinud suund? Loomulikult 90ndatest inspireeritud puhta joonega ovaalsed päikeseprillid aka Carolyn Bessette Kennedy ikoonilised raamid, mida sai näha ka sarjas Love Story. Tema stiili uus tõusulaine on tänavu moemaailma kindlalt enda haardesse võtnud ning see jätkub isegi nüüd, kui sari on end ametlikult kokku pakkinud.
Manage silme ette ovaalne raam ja toonitud klaasid, mis mõjuvad korraga vaoshoitult ja enesekindlalt – täpselt nii, nagu üks korralik 90ndate aksessuaar mõjuma peab. See on look, mis ei vaja liigseid selgitusi: piisab valgest särgist, lihtsast jakist või hästi istuvatest teksadest ning ülejäänu teeb prillipaar ise. Minimalistlik, puhas ja kindlasti CBK.
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Kui tahad endale sarnases 90ndate võtmes päikeseprille, tasub vaadata Kaubamaja Ilumaailma prillivaliku poole – Portaili lemmikeksemplarid leiad galeriist!
