Meet the lovely Mariya Pepelanova, a fashion photographer based between Paris and Copenhagen. Mariya has an unique visual language which plays along with the combination of visual arts and photography. Her environment really inspires her to develop a new sense of ideas which she touches on in her work. Mariya has worked with a range of clients from Balmain, Samsøe Samsøe, Heliot Emil, Numero Paris and more.
T. How do you feel photography as a tool helps you capture your vision?
M. My vision is captured through photography, the photography as a tool actually helps me form and define a vision. It feels like like living through photography.
T. What is one thing you learned throughout your career which you still take with you?
M. First thought flashing in my mind is that I learned the meaning of “being present” and seeing through the lens of what is.
T. Which project are you most proud of?
M. Photographing Olivier Rousteing’s creations for the house of BALMAIN. It was a huge deal for me, you know. All of a sudden being on a set as a photographer for a fashion house as BALMAIN is something I dreamed of would happen for my career. The beautiful outcome (beside that the images turning out good) was meeting the Balmain team. Actually, those same people I met at that first shoot are still supporting my work by word of the mouth. That campaign has made such impact on me, dreams really do come true.
T. Who would be featured in your dream shoot?
M. My ideal dream shoot would be to gather the people that had an impact on my life through my journey from Bulgaria, Copenhagen and Paris and do a group-shoot with them all. Of course, otherwise I dream of capturing Freja Beha, she has been on my mind since I started moving through fashion photography.
T. How would you define your visual language?
M. Change, curiosity, stillness, loudness, compassion, , playful ,humour, crossing through mediums as analog, collages and medium format digital camera. I feel my visual language develops along with the way as I do as a being.
T. How do you deal with a situation that does not go according to plan?
M. I shift to solution mind and don’t think about the original plan, I adjust and try to get the best out of the current situation, as there always is a positive outcome when it does not goes as planned.
