Lana Tsyhanok: Female Power

Svaki dobar editorijal (ili kampanja) počinje pričom — pričom o talentu, strasti i viziji. Za Lanu Tsyhanok, mladog modela čija karijera tek cveta, i Alinu Korobochko, fotografkinju koja kroz objektiv stvara umetničke priče, moda nije samo posao, već način izražavanja i istraživanja sopstvenog identiteta. Njihovi intervjui otkrivaju koliko su posvećenost, samopouzdanje i kreativna energija ključni za uspeh u industriji koja je i glamurozna i zahtevna.

Dok Lana deli svoje iskustvo poziranja pred kamerom i balansiranja privatnog života sa javnom pažnjom, Alina nas vodi iza scene, pokazujući kako emocija, estetika i energija spajaju odeću i ljudsku ličnost u nezaboravne fotografije.

Ova dva gledišta pružaju jedinstven uvid u svet mode iz dva različita ugla — onog koji oseća i onog koji beleži, pokazujući koliko su inspiracija, poverenje i strast nezaobilazni za stvaranje nečeg zaista posebnog.

Lana Tsyhanok

Kako je počela vaša modeling karijera i šta vas je prvobitno privuklo ovoj industriji?

Sa 17 godina otkrio me je Leonardo Ruta, koji je tražio nove modele za „The One Models Management Milano“, dok sam šetala ulicom Khreschatik (jedna od centralnih ulica Kijeva). U to vreme bila sam malo niža i moja visina nije bila idealna za rad u Italiji, pa sam prvo provela 6 meseci radeći na svom portfoliju u Ukrajini, a nakon toga sam imala svoj prvi dvomesečni ugovor u Kini. Kada sam se vratila iz Azije, moja visina je već dostigla 1,75 cm, što je bilo dovoljno da pokušam u evropskom tržištu.

Kako se pripremate za fotografisanja i modne revije – da li imate lične rituale?

Iskreno, zavisi od vremena koje imam za pripremu. Jednog dana model može dobiti obaveštenje da je angažovana za posao nedelju dana unapred, a drugog dana agent može pozvati bukvalno tri sata pre početka rada. Trudim se da svaki dan budem spremna – konzistentnost je ključ.
Prvo i osnovno, odlična kondicija kože je neophodna, pa pijem puno vode svakodnevno, trudim se da jedem zdravo, radim masaže lica Gua sha tehnikom da izbegnem zadržavanje vode i natečenost (posebno posle dugih letova), plus koristim svoje omiljene La Prairie tretmane lica. Takođe izbegavam isprobavanje novih kozmetičkih proizvoda ili preparata za negu kože pre posla, kako bih izbegla neprijatna iznenađenja, poput alergija.
Što se tiče oblika tela, pred posao se fokusiram na intenzivni aerobik i istezanje, dok u redovnom planu treninga dva puta nedeljno radim vežbe sa tegovima pored gore navedenih aktivnosti.

Da li se sećate trenutka kada ste prvi put stali pred kameru i shvatili da je manekenstvo vaša strast?

Imala sam oko 13 godina kada je moj dobar prijatelj dobio profesionalnu kameru. Proveli smo sate zajedno praveći fotografije, menjajući odevne kombinacije i isprobavajući različite uloge, i tada sam počela da volim fotografiju uopšte. Inače, volela sam koliko da fotografišem i zabeležim trenutke i različite raspoloženja svog prijatelja, koliko i da sama budem fotografisana i glumim pred kamerom.

Šta smatrate najizazovnijim u manekenstvu, a šta najviše volite?

Ja sam perfekcionista, pa šta god da radim, trudim se da dam maksimum i da stalno budem najbolja što mogu, što je naravno nemoguće – svi smo ljudi sa različitim raspoloženjima i lošim danima za kosu.
Ono što zaista volim je upoznavanje kreativnih i umetničkih ljudi iz naših timova tokom fotografisanja, rad sa talentovanim šminkerima i stilistima od kojih mogu mnogo da naučim, putovanja na nova mesta i doživljavanje izuzetnih iskustava – kao na primer tokom fotografisanja za Harper’s Bazaar, kada sam stajala na ivici krova u veoma visokim štiklama i suočavala se sa vetrom koji me je skoro odneo sa krova. To je zaista bilo nezaboravno iskustvo!

Kako balansirate privatni život sa javnom pažnjom koja dolazi sa manekenstvom?

Bilo je perioda kada sam delila svoj svakodnevni život na društvenim mrežama, ali iskreno, posle nekog vremena počela sam da se osećam nelagodno zbog toga. Sada više volim da moj Instagram bude foto-album gde delim samo neke trenutke iz privatnog života, ali uglavnom profesionalna dostignuća, saradnje i umetnička dela.

Kako moda i manekenstvo utiču na vaše samopouzdanje i način na koji vidite sebe?

Važno je imati zdravo, stabilno samopouzdanje, jasnu viziju sebe i razumevanje ko ste zaista, inače industrija lako može da poljulja ili čak uništi vaše samopoštovanje. Jednog dana ćete biti hvaljeni, a drugog kritikovani ili ignorisani od strane dizajnera. Kada prolazite kroz mnogo kastinga a ne budete angažovani za posao, važno je shvatiti da niste loši ili „nedovoljno dobri“ – jednostavno ste drugačiji od onoga što oni traže. Važno je nastaviti da se trudite i pokušavate, tako ćete pronaći nekoga kome ste upravo vi potrebni. Inače, ovo važi i za mnoge druge aspekte života.

Alina Korobochko

Kako ste otkrili ljubav prema fotografiji i kada ste odlučili da je pretvorite u profesiju?

Moja ljubav prema fotografiji počela je u detinjstvu. Moja majka je volela da fotografiše, i odrasla sam okružena bezbrojnim fotografijama iz detinjstva, na kojima sam uvek rado pozirala. Od malih nogu uživala sam u tome da budem „ispred kamere“, ali s vremenom sam takođe sanjala da budem „iza kamere“. Za jedan od mojih rođendana roditelji su mi poklonili moju prvu kameru — Nikon Coolpix L810. Imala sam oko 14–15 godina, i taj trenutak je za mene bio veoma poseban. Okupljala sam prijatelje, pozajmljivala majčine cipele, slagala odevne kombinacije i pravili smo fotografisanja u napuštenim mestima ili skrivenim kutcima mog grada.

Duboko su me inspirisali sjajni magazini — mogla sam sate provoditi listajući Cosmopolitan i Glamour, sanjajući da jednog dana budem deo tog sveta. Ali u Belorusiji profesija fotografa i kreativne karijere generalno nisu bile mnogo cenjene. Zato sam morala da taj san stavim „u kutiju želja“ i sledim put svojih roditelja — studirala sam pravo.

Pre tri godine, kada sam se preselila u Evropu, počela sam da se bavim modelingom i ponovo sam osetila povratak strasti prema fotografiji. Sve se zaista promenilo pre nešto više od godinu dana, kada sam priznala svom partneru da sam oduvek sanjala da postanem fotograf. On je organizovao moje prvo profesionalno fotografisanje sa modelom i dao mi jednu od svojih kamera koju je koristio za magazinske projekte. Od tada je fotografija postala moja profesija i najveća strast. Veoma sam srećna što sam konačno pronašla sebe. Bolje ikad nego nikad — i zahvalna sam što sam na mestu gde se kreativnost ceni i gde mogu da svoje snove pretvorim u stvarnost kreirajući prelepe priče kroz svoj objektiv.

Šta vas najviše inspiriše u modnoj fotografiji?

Najviše me inspiriše način na koji modna fotografija spaja umetnost, estetiku i živu energiju osobe. Volim da stvaram slike gde odeća i stil postaju deo priče, a ne samo predmet. Inspiracija dolazi i iz rada sa talentovanim ljudima — šminkerima, stilistima, modelima — kada zajedno kreiramo nešto veće od same fotografije. U tim trenucima, moda postaje umetnost, a svaka slika priča priču.

Kada fotografišete modele, šta vam je najvažnije da zabeležite — emociju, estetiku ili energiju?

Za mene je nemoguće izabrati samo jedno — emociju, estetiku ili energiju — jer je kombinacija sve tri ono što fotografiju čini živom i izražajnom. Estetika stvara vizuelni užitak, emocija dodaje dubinu i čini sliku ličnom, a energija je ispunjava pokretom i dinamikom. Ali ako bih morala da istaknem ono što najviše cenim, to bi bila iskrena emocija. Kada model prestane da „glumi“ i trenutak iskrenosti se pojavi u kadru, čak i najsloženiji stil dolazi do izražaja i postaje blizak gledaocu.

Kako vidite ulogu fotografa u kreiranju priče iza modne kampanje ili editorijala?

Za mene, fotograf u modnom snimanju je i režiser i pesnik. Uz pomoć odeće, svetla, prostora i ljudske energije, pretvaramo sve u priču koja živi u očima posmatrača. Uloga fotografa je da zabeleži nevidljivu nit između stila i emocije, da moda postane više od same odeće, već deo čitavog sveta u koji drugi žele da zakorače.

Da li imate omiljenu lokaciju ili atmosferu za svoje snimanja?

Nemam jednu specifičnu „omiljenu“ lokaciju, jer inspiracija može da se pojavi bilo gde — u užurbanom gradu, na krovu, u napuštenoj zgradi ili u mirnoj šumi ujutru. Najvažnije je kakvu atmosferu mesto stvara: svetlo, teksture, energija. Posebno volim fotografisanje na prirodnom svetlu i sa osećajem slobode — u takvim uslovima slike deluju živo i autentično. Ponekad čak i jednostavan zid može biti izražajniji od luksuznog enterijera, ako pomaže da se prenese pravo raspoloženje.

Koliko su hemija i poverenje između fotografa i modela važni?

Hemija i poverenje između fotografa i modela su osnova svakog uspešnog snimanja. Možete podesiti savršeno svetlo, kreirati jak koncept i stilizovati sve besprekorno, ali ako se model oseća napeto ili nesigurno, slika nikada neće oživeti. Verujem da je odgovornost fotografa da stvori atmosferu u kojoj osoba može da se otvori, prestane da „glumi“ i počne da bude iskrena. Kada postoji poverenje, pokreti postaju slobodni, emocije iskrene, i tada nastaju slike koje želite da gledate iznova i iznova.

English here:

Lana Tsyhanok

How did your modeling journey begin, and what first drew you to this industry?

At the age of 17 I was discovered by Leonardo Ruta who was scouting for “The One Models Management Milano” while I was walking around Khreschatik street (one of the central streets of Kiev). At that time I was a little shorter and my height wasn’t perfect to work in Italy, so first I spent 6 months working on my book in Ukraine and after that I did my first 2-month contract in China. After I came back from Asia, my height already reached 1.75 cm, so it was enough to try myself in the European market.

How do you prepare for photo shoots and fashion shows—do you have any personal rituals?

To be honest, it depends on the amount of time that I have to get ready. One day a model can get informed that she’s booked for the job like 1 week in advance, but another day she can get a call from the agent literally 3 hours prior to the actual work. I try to do my best every day to be ready anytime—consistency is the key. First things first, great skin condition is a basic requirement, so I drink plenty of water daily, try to eat clean, do face massages with Gua sha to avoid water retention and puffiness (especially after long flights), plus my favourite La Prairie facial treatments. I also avoid trying new cosmetics or skincare products before the job to prevent any surprises like allergies.
When it comes to my body shape, before the job I focus more on intensive aerobics and stretching, while in my normal workout plan there are weights twice a week in addition to the above.

Do you remember the moment you first stood in front of the camera and realized modeling was your passion?

I was around 13 years old when a good friend of mine got a professional camera. We spent hours together taking pictures, changing outfits, and trying different roles, so I started to love photography in general. By the way, I liked taking pictures and capturing moments and different moods of my friend as much as being photographed and acting in front of the camera myself.

What do you find the most challenging about being a model, and what do you love the most?

I’m a perfectionist, so whatever I do, I try to put maximum effort into it and wish to do my best all the time, which is impossible of course—we’re all human with different mood swings and bad hair days 🙂 What I really love is meeting creative, artistic people from our teams during photoshoots, working with talented makeup artists and stylists so I can learn many tricks from them, visiting new places, and having extraordinary experiences—like this time, during our photoshoot for Harper’s Bazaar, when I was standing on the edge of a roof wearing very high heels and facing the wind, which almost blew me off the roof. It was truly an unforgettable experience!

How do you balance your private life with the public attention that comes with modeling?

There was a period of time when I was sharing my daily life on social media, but to be honest, after some time I found myself feeling uncomfortable with that. Now I prefer to have my Instagram as a photo album where I share just some moments of my private life, but mostly professional achievements, collaborations, and artworks.

How do fashion and modeling influence your self-confidence and the way you see yourself?

It is important to have healthy, stable self-confidence, a clear vision of yourself, and to understand who you truly are, otherwise the industry can easily shake or even destroy your self-esteem. One day you will be praised, and another day criticized or ignored by a designer. So whenever you walk through lots of castings without being booked for any job, it’s really important to understand that you are not bad or “not good enough”—you are just different from what they are searching for. It’s important to keep pushing and trying so you will find somebody who needs exactly you. By the way, this applies to many other aspects of our life as well.

Alina Korobochko

How did you discover your love for photography, and when did you decide to turn it into a profession?

My love for photography started in childhood. My mother loved to take pictures, and I grew up with countless childhood photos where I was always happy to pose. From early on I enjoyed being “in front of the camera,” but over time I also dreamed of being “behind it.” On one of my birthdays my parents gave me my very first camera — a Nikon Coolpix L810. I was around 14–15 years old, and that moment became very special for me. I would gather my friends, borrow my mother’s shoes, put together outfits, and we would do photoshoots in abandoned places or hidden corners of my town.

I was deeply inspired by glossy magazines — I could spend hours looking through Cosmopolitan and Glamour, dreaming of one day being part of that world. But in Belarus, the profession of a photographer and creative careers in general were not really valued. So I had to put that dream aside “in a box of wishes” and follow my parents’ path — I studied law instead.

Three years ago, when I moved to Europe, I started modeling and once again felt that passion for photography returning. Everything truly changed just over a year ago, when I confessed to my partner that I had always dreamed of being a photographer. He organized my very first shoot with a professional model and gave me one of his own cameras that he had used for magazine projects. Since then, photography has become my profession and my greatest passion. I’m very happy that I finally found myself. Better late than never — and I’m grateful to be in a place where creativity is appreciated, and where I can turn my dreams into reality by creating beautiful stories through my lens.

What inspires you the most in fashion photography?

What inspires me the most in fashion photography is the way it merges art, aesthetics, and the living energy of a person. I love creating images where clothing and style become part of a story rather than just an object. I’m inspired by working with talented people — makeup artists, stylists, models — when together we create something bigger than just a photograph. In those moments, fashion turns into art, and each image becomes a story.

When photographing models, what is most important for you to capture—emotion, aesthetics, or energy?

For me, it’s impossible to choose just one — emotion, aesthetics, or energy — because it’s the combination of all three that makes a photograph truly alive and expressive. Aesthetics create visual pleasure, emotion adds depth and makes the image personal, and energy fills it with movement and dynamics. But if I had to highlight what I value the most, it would be genuine emotion. When a model stops “acting” and a moment of honesty appears in the frame, even the most complex styling comes to life and becomes relatable to the viewer.

How do you see the role of a photographer in building the story behind a fashion campaign or editorial?

For me, a photographer in a fashion shoot is both a director and a poet. We take clothing, light, space, and human energy, and turn them into a story that lives in the eyes of the viewer. The photographer’s role is to capture the invisible thread between style and emotion, to make fashion more than just clothing, but part of an entire world that others want to step into.

Do you have a favorite location or atmosphere for your shoots?

I don’t have one specific “favorite” location, because inspiration can appear anywhere — in a busy city, on a rooftop, in an abandoned building, or in a quiet morning forest. What matters most to me is the atmosphere a place creates: the light, the textures, the energy. I especially love shooting where there is natural light and a sense of freedom — in such conditions the images feel alive and authentic. Sometimes even a simple wall can be more expressive than a luxurious interior if it helps to convey the right mood.

How important is chemistry and trust between a photographer and a model?

Chemistry and trust between a photographer and a model are the foundation of any successful shoot. You can set up perfect lighting, create a strong concept, and style everything flawlessly, but if the model feels tense or unsafe, the image will never come to life. I believe it’s the photographer’s responsibility to create an atmosphere where the person opens up, stops “acting,” and starts being real. When trust is there, movements become free, emotions turn genuine, and that’s when the images are born — the ones you want to look at again and again.

TEAM

Photographer : Alina Korobochko @korobochko.ph

Model : Lana Tsyhanok @lana.pototskaya 

Stylist : Maksim Adziarykha @maxaderiho

Makeup artist : Harry Jefferson @HarryJMakeup

Hairstylist : Adrian Lasota @lasotaadrian

Photographer’s assistant : Karina Lagun @lagunnn

Stylist’s assistant : Pola Misiuk @pll.mk

Makeup artist’s assistant : Sebastian Kopeć @Sebastiankoopec