Tokom godina, moj rad kao fotografa odveo me je širom sveta — od Evrope do Saudijske Arabije i Katara. Fotografisala sam hiljade žena različitih kultura, uzrasta i životnih priča. Ipak, ako postoji jedna stvar koja im je svima zajednička, onda je to sledeće: gotovo svaka žena je u nekom trenutku posumnjala u svoju lepotu.
Živimo u izuzetnom vremenu. Pre samo dvadeset godina, profesionalno fotografisanje bilo je nešto što se dešavalo svega nekoliko puta u životu. Ljudi su angažovali fotografe za venčanja, godišnjice ili posebne porodične prilike. Biti okružen profesionalnim kreativnim timom bilo je privilegija rezervisana za glumice, modele i poznate ličnosti.
Danas se ta stvarnost potpuno promenila. Moderno fotografisanje više nije samo stvaranje lepih fotografija. Ono je postalo iskustvo — iskustvo koje ženi omogućava da sebe vidi iz potpuno nove perspektive.
Poslednjih godina primetila sam zanimljivu promenu. Sve više žena dolazi kod mene bez posebnog povoda za slavlje. Ne udaju se, ne očekuju dete i ne obeležavaju važan rođendan.
Dolaze jednostavno zato što žele da urade nešto za sebe. Mnoge od njih prvi put ulaze u profesionalni studio. Neke priznaju da nikada ranije nisu stale pred profesionalni fotoaparat. Ipak, već nakon nekoliko sati fotografisanja često čujem iste reči:
„Osećam se kao da sam na naslovnoj strani časopisa.“ Taj osećaj je možda jedna od najznačajnijih promena koje je fotografija donela u živote žena poslednjih godina. Ono što je nekada bilo dostupno samo javnim ličnostima i slavnim osobama danas je dostupno gotovo svima.
Profesionalno fotografisanje danas je pažljivo osmišljena saradnja čiji je cilj da pomogne osobi da otkrije najbolju verziju sebe. Proces počinje mnogo pre nego što se kamera pojavi. Razgovaramo o atmosferi i viziji fotografisanja, prikupljamo inspiraciju, kreiramo mood boardove, biramo stajlinge i odlučujemo koje emocije želimo da zabeležimo i proslavimo.
Zatim dolazi ambijent — od minimalističkih studija do elegantnih enterijera koji podsećaju na stranice modnih editorijala. Šminker kreira beauty izgled. Stilista bira garderobu, obuću i modne dodatke. Asistenti, snimatelji i drugi profesionalci rade iza kulisa. U jednom trenutku žena se nađe u centru procesa u kojem je svaki detalj pažljivo organizovan upravo oko nje. Za mnoge je to iznenađujuće nepoznat osećaj.
U svakodnevnom životu većina žena navikla je da brine o svima drugima. Posao, porodica, deca, obaveze, beskrajne liste zadataka. Toliko se naviknemo da sebe stavljamo na poslednje mesto da zaboravimo kako izgleda biti glavna junakinja sopstvene priče.
Zato najvredniji rezultat jednog fotografisanja nisu same fotografije. Naravno, fotografije su važne. One ostaju sa nama godinama, čuvaju jedan trenutak u vremenu i podsećaju nas na to ko smo bili. Ali još važniji je osećaj koji se rađa tokom samog iskustva — samopouzdanje, osećaj sopstvene vrednosti i tiha spoznaja da zaslužujete pažnju, divljenje i brigu.
Tokom svoje karijere gledala sam kako se žene menjaju već nekoliko minuta nakon što stanu pred objektiv. Njihovo držanje postaje sigurnije. Nesigurnost nestaje. Pojavljuje se iskren osmeh. Žena koja je stigla govoreći: „Uopšte nisam fotogenična“, odjednom počinje da uživa u tome da bude viđena.
Tu se događa prava magija fotografije. Ne zato što kamera ima moć da promeni čoveka. Već zato što nam je ponekad potreban samo novi način da pogledamo sebe. Fotografija ne stvara lepotu. Ona nam pomaže da prepoznamo lepotu koja je oduvek bila tu.
I kada bih svakoj ženi mogla da poželim samo jednu stvar, to bi bilo sledeće: pružite sebi priliku da makar jednom u životu budete heroina sopstvene priče. Jer ponekad najvrednije što nam fotografija može dati nije prelepa slika, već podsetnik na to ko smo kada sebi konačno dozvolimo da budemo viđene.
English here:
Every Woman Deserves Her Cover-Star Moment
Over the years, my work as a photographer has taken me across the world — from Russia and Europe to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. I’ve photographed thousands of women from different cultures, age groups, and walks of life. Yet if there is one thing they all seem to have in common, it is this: almost every woman has questioned her own beauty at some point.
We live in a remarkable time. Just twenty years ago, a professional photoshoot was something that happened only a few times in a lifetime. People hired photographers for weddings, anniversaries, or special family occasions. Being surrounded by a professional creative team felt like a privilege reserved for actresses, models, and celebrities.
Today, that reality has changed completely. A modern photoshoot is no longer just about creating beautiful images. It has become an experience — one that allows a woman to see herself from an entirely new perspective.
In recent years, I’ve noticed an interesting shift. More and more women come to me without a specific occasion to celebrate. They’re not getting married, expecting a child, or marking a milestone birthday. They come simply because they want to do something for themselves.
Many of them are stepping into a professional studio for the very first time. Some admit they’ve never stood in front of a professional camera before. Yet only a few hours into the shoot, I often hear the same words: “I feel like I’m on the cover of a magazine.”
That feeling may be one of the most significant changes photography has brought to women’s lives in recent years. What was once available only to public figures and celebrities is now accessible to almost anyone.
A professional photoshoot today is a carefully crafted collaboration designed to help someone discover the best version of themselves. The process begins long before the camera appears. We discuss the mood and vision of the shoot, gather inspiration, create mood boards, select looks, and decide what emotions we want to capture and celebrate.
Then comes the setting — from minimalist studios to elegant interiors that resemble the pages of a fashion editorial.
A makeup artist creates the beauty look. A stylist selects clothing, shoes, and accessories. Assistants, videographers, and other professionals work behind the scenes. At some point, a woman finds herself at the center of a process where every detail is thoughtfully arranged around her.
For many, it feels surprisingly unfamiliar. In everyday life, most women are used to taking care of everyone else. Work, family, children, responsibilities, endless to-do lists. We become so accustomed to putting ourselves last that we forget what it feels like to be the main character in our own story.
That is why the most valuable outcome of a photoshoot is not the photographs themselves. The photographs matter, of course. They remain with us for years, preserving a moment in time and reminding us who we were.
But what matters even more is the feeling that emerges during the experience itself — confidence, self-worth, and the quiet realization that you are deserving of attention, admiration, and care.
Throughout my career, I have watched women transform within minutes of stepping in front of the camera. Their posture changes. Their hesitation fades. A genuine smile appears. The woman who arrived saying, “I’m not photogenic at all,” suddenly begins to enjoy being seen.
That is where the real magic of photography happens. Not because a camera has the power to change a person. But because sometimes we simply need a new way of looking at ourselves.
Photography does not create beauty. It helps us recognize the beauty that was already there.
And if there is one thing I would wish for every woman, it is this: give yourself the experience of being the heroine of your own story at least once in your life. Because sometimes the most valuable thing a photograph can give us is not a beautiful image, but a reminder of who we are when we finally allow ourselves to be seen.
Photographer: Nastya Gia
Talent: Aliya
Stylist: Julia Frolova
Dress designer: Nesty Odina
MUA&hair: Darina Lihacheva
