Interview: Julia Dimitrova
OCTOBER 2021 ● INTERVIEWS
At just 23 years old, Julia Dimitrova is one female photographer to watch out for. She is making waves in both the digital and analog communities with her immersive portrait work, natural landscapes, and catchy street photography. Originally from Bulgaria, Dimitrova studied communications and multimedia design in Austria at FH Joanneum, where she homed in the art of photography.
After she moved to Portugal at the beginning of 2020, she discovered analog and the surprises that come along with it. She started an internship with Kenton Thatcher, a well-known portrait and advertising photographer in Lisbon. Through this experience, Dimitrova was able to work alongside a strong team, see the photography industry from a behind-the-scenes lens, and work with new models and clients. She has since been published around the world, including spots in Mob Journal, Kaltblut Magazine, Pap Magazine, and has collaborated with international editors, designers, makeup artists, and photographers.
Dimitrova is not shy when it comes to capturing the unusual. She challenges you to focus on the unexpected. She finds beauty in hidden angles, through eccentric costumes, and in fairy-tale locations. Pay close attention to Dimitrova as her creative energies will continue to grow by introducing new cameras, ideas, and locations. We had the pleasure of talking to Dimitrova about all things analog, art, and lockdown.
When did you start shooting film?
The first time I got my analog camera was in Porto, so this makes it a year and a half, maybe even two. I always liked analog photography and I thought, “You know, I think it’s time to try it,” because in Porto I saw that there are so many shops that sell these vintage cameras. I bought my Ricoh and I’ve stayed with it until now!
Have you purchased any new cameras since?
After the Ricoh, I found my Yashicha in a street market in Lisbon. I think it’s time for another one now because the Ricoh is getting these light leaks all the time. In the beginning, it was nice and different, but now it’s annoying because all the photos have it and the leaks are placed in the same spots and have the same shapes.
What do you want to buy next?
I really want to buy a medium format camera– a Mamiya.
What was your process for learning how to shoot film?
So, in the beginning, even before I bought my first camera, I was watching a lot of YouTube videos on how to load analog cameras and how to shoot. And my first experience with loading the roll was a failure! I thought I put it in right, but when it was time to develop I forgot to rewind it and I just opened it. In the end, I think I only had two or three photos with damage, but I learned from that.
You had prior experience shooting digital. How has shooting digital influenced your film photos?
I think because I first started with digital and then moved on to film, I don’t know how they are influenced, but film changed my photography. I started paying a lot more attention to the details and the moment itself, because when you have a digital camera, you are just shooting; you can take as many photos as you want and you can catch all the moments. With this mentality, I think you lose the special spark you can get in a photo compared to when you shoot analog– when you know the right moment.
I always liked the art part of photography, but wasn't so much a fan of the technology aspect. If you have the vision, the idea, and you show your art to make someone feel something, it doesn’t really matter if you have the best camera or lens. If you have an idea you can make it happen.
I see you shoot editorials, street photography, self-portraits, and nature– what do you like to shoot most?
Recently it has been fashion and editorials. I like to work with the whole team on a concept and come up with something more abstract. I really like street photography, and I’ve always liked taking photos just walking around, but I never share them. But now that I’ve mentioned it, if I have to choose, I would say people. It doesn't matter if it's a street atmosphere or an editorial. I think you get a lot of emotion in a person even if they’re not looking at you.
Where do you find your models? How do you choose them?
Mainly through Instagram. I like people that give me something different; I see a specific emotion in them, or I look at them and think, “They look interesting – they have specific authenticity.”
How do you get them comfortable in front of the camera?
I always try to be super friendly from the beginning. I ask them about their modeling experience and then start asking what I wouldn’t call personal questions, but questions that allow them to open up and just start telling stories. I think that’s when they start feeling more comfortable. During a photoshoot, I don’t want you to act or pose, I just want you to feel natural and do random stuff. I always do the poses that I have in mind and make fun of myself.
What is your favourite photo?
I think my favourite one is Will doing the naked cartwheel. This photo is so perfect. The thing that I love about it is that I literally took one photo! I had the perfect timing, composition, and had the reflection in the sand. Everything was just perfect.
What camera did you use for that photo?
It was the first roll of film I used in the Yashicha, Kodak Gold 200.
I love your self-portrait series in your bedroom during lockdown. Did you plan it this way?
In general, I like to take portraits with an analog camera– it's natural to do it like this. For this specific one, I was just at home and I had a whole roll just waiting for me to shoot. We’re in this fucking lockdown and I’m not shooting anything. I think I hadn’t shot for two weeks or something. The thing I wanted to do was somehow capture my inner-self and give an emotion to every shot. That’s why I shot different parts of my body, which helped make it even more personal. I think it’s very interesting to take photos of yourself alone, but not in the mirror. It’s like you’re exploring your own body and noticing every part and every curve. And the photo of my feet is way more personal than the one of me without my t-shirt.
Was lockdown an inspiring time for your photography or was it difficult?
It was both. In the beginning, I started this project called “Window To The World.” I was super focused on it, working on it every day. I gave people the opportunity to take photos the way they wanted from their windows. With this project, I really opened myself up even more and learned about people and photography, because every person takes photos differently and every person decides, for example, which angle to take the photo. But outside of this project, I was going for long walks and taking my point-and-shoot camera and capturing moments around me. Then, when I had the opportunity to go outside and meet people, I was super ready to shoot people and start creating things.
Tell me about the “Window To The World” project.
The “Window To The World” project started because of the whole lockdown/quarantine situation. I was staying at home thinking about different things and I always have these random moments of super intense inspirations and motivations come to me, but I don’t always act on them. But on this day I was thinking it would be so interesting to see what each person sees through their windows. How do they spend their days during lockdown? I thought I could actually see this and try to connect to people.
I posted an Instagram story asking people for photos from their windows. People started sending me their photos and I was really surprised! I got more photos than expected. I realized that I could turn this into my bachelor's thesis.
I decided to create an Instagram for the project and I also contacted an illustrator from Colombia. She joined me for the project and we were doing these little cartoon illustrations for the photos they sent me that represented all the people going on a virtual trip around the world. It was a really cool way to connect with people during times of uncertainty. People told me that it was something positive that they saw during that time. It was interesting for them to see a different photo every day from a different part of the world.
What was your favourite submission from the project?
A guy from India sent me a photo and basically his window was just a hole in the wall. It was looking at the neighbours and it was a house that wasn’t built-up and people were just sitting on the ground, but were super happy having a chat and a tea.
How many countries did you reach?
I think I collected photos from around 39 countries and all the continents except Antarctica.
Where can people see the project?
There’s an Instagram account for it (@wttw.club) where you can see all the photos.
What is Bulgaria’s film community like? And how has living and growing up in Bulgaria influenced your photography?
In the last year a lot of people started shooting film, but mostly with point-and-shoot cameras, taking photos of everyday life and their friends. It’s all super natural. It’s catching the moment of friendship, intimacy, and just a normal day, which I really like. And to your other question, I don’t really know the proper answer because I became interested in photography and taking photos when I was outside Bulgaria. But you’re always influenced by the place you’re from and its surroundings. I lived in Bulgaria for 19 years and all the things I have seen influence me. It will always be a part of my photography.
What is most rewarding about working with film?
It’s definitely the surprise effect. After you shoot, maybe you think the photos aren't too good, and then when you actually do see the photos and realize they turned out super nice, it's rewarding! Once it happened to me with an editorial. I shot it super quickly, just a few photos, and then I saw the photos, unedited, straight from developing, and thought they were super nice! I didn’t even touch them. You can literally have the photos ready to go without editing.
So with analog, do you avoid editing?
Most of the time I don’t. Obviously sometimes when the photo does not have perfect colors, I do, but not so much with light. But sometimes the colors look weird. Even though I might shoot one photo after another, they can look different. I don't edit the point-and-shoot photos especially.
When is your favourite time to take photos?
Any time, really. I always have it with me. I always have the point-and-shoot in my backpack! I just take spontaneous photos. I like to have it with me so I can catch these moments.
Do you spend time composing your photos or do you let your photos compose themselves?
I started caring more for the composition of my photos because I like taking just one shot of each subject. With analog, I only take one shot and will very, very rarely take two shots of something. And that’s mostly when I do an editorial. I always trust my intuition; when I see something, I just grab my camera and take it, but I’ve already seen it in my head– I have it precomposed in my mind.
What is one piece of advice you could offer to a new film photographer?
Well, I still consider myself a “new” film photographer! But for me, the most important thing is to just go and shoot and experiment. Go out on random walks around nature or your city, or wherever you like, and the more photos you take, the more you will come to understand what you like and what you want to focus on.
Julia's Instagram handle is @julieewildd and she can also be contacted via email at julieewildd@gmail.com.
This interview was featured in Y35 Mag Issue No. 10. To see all of the photographs Julia chose to present, check it out here.