Snapshot: Katya Koroscil Talks Fashion Photography
Fashion magazines are in the unique position of acting as picture books for the style-hungry. Most read them not for the written content, but for the striking visuals and editorials that spur creativity and inspiration. The dog-eared pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar provide memorable photos, often torn out and pinned to inspiration boards- so what is the process like for the creators behind these remarkable images? I chatted with the impossibly chic Katya Koroscil, a third year photography student at Ryerson and aspiring fashion photographer to find out.Koroscil on… Deciding to become a photographer: “I wanted to be a designer. I loved sketching, but I couldn’t really sew. One day I picked up a camera and just liked it. I wanted to create something beautiful…[Richard] Avedon was the first exhibit I saw and I just fell in love with photography.”Her inspiration: “I start at Chapters. I buy like 10 magazines and rip out tangible things to make a storyboard…when I come across a good story, I wonder how I could make that fashion related and my own. Pinterest is also a go-to for inspiration. Then I sketch out storyboards and colour palettes, trying to make everything cohesive.”
Photography: Katya KoroscilPrep work: “Location scouting comes before models. Then, I hire some assistants, normally first or second years, and also makeup and hair people. We meet up and try to get on the same page. By this point, I have some contacts that understand what I want and my vision, but I also want them to be creative.”Styling: “I do all the styling and props myself, and The Bay is my number one source for styling. They have Topshop if I’m going for a younger, funkier look, or if I want something more glamorous and high fashion, I’ll go to The Room. H & M and Zara work well too…I wouldn’t personally wear the stuff in my shoots, but to an extent, my style influences my creative eye and what I find pleasing.”
Photography: Katya KoroscilShooting: “Usually the call time is 9AM, and we set up the equipment and start shooting. It makes for a long day….After I have the photos, editing usually takes about a week. I choose not to edit the face too much. I try to make it as real as possible.”Her aesthetic: “[My style is] more muted and dark…European in the sense that it’s raw and not so perfect…Tim Walker is the photographer I strive to be; his colour palettes and use of props to tell a narrative are incredible.”
Photography: Tim Walker
Criticism: “I finished a series, Alter Ego, right before Christmas. It was a vision that I had had for about a year, and it came out exactly as I imagined it, which is so rare…My toughest critic is myself, and as much as people can say, ‘That’s a great picture’, there’s always room for improvement…criticism is great, I love when people are honest because it makes me think, ‘Thank you’! It makes me want to prove them wrong.”The future: “I want to be in Europe. I want my photos printed in Vogue Italia or W…that’s a really big dream of mine. I know it is gonna happen- I may not be very good right now, but one day, I know I’m gonna get there.”For information and to see more of Katya’s work, visit www.katyakoroscil.com.Yours creatively,Sanam Yar, Online Contributor
