Public Republic

Jasmina Tacheva Talks with Photographer Sofia Pavlova

Hi, Sofia, where are you right now and what have you been working on?

Hello, I’m in Sofia – I’ve left the city just a few times since I moved here, and never for more than a week. Currently, I’ve been working on a new idea that came to me during one of my visits to a home for children deprived of parental care, where I go every week thanks to the “Give a Book” program. One of the few fair initiatives I know.

How did you discover photography as a mode of artistic expression?

Actually, photography discovered me, like most real things in life, and it happened spontaneously and with no plan or design whatsoever. Martin Karbovski was the first person who told me I was good. He is responsible for my first exhibition.

What kind of camera do you prefer?

Canon.

I can’t help but notice a certain affinity for black and white photography in your photos. Do you prefer it over color photography?

Yes, I do. To me it is the real, authentic photography. I rarely take color shots, unless it’s for a customer.

I also noticed that your lens often captures bodies, faces and people in general. What fascinates you most about humans and makes you want to photograph them?

I think that everyone is interesting in his or her own way, as long as you can perceive what it is that makes him or her intriguing, and bring it out.

Who or what do you dream of photorgaphing?

I am a person who doesn’t like to be a “fan.” If I want to shoot someone or something, I just do it. I don’t dream of a celebrity posing before my camera, my dreams are not like that.

You say that, “No beauty can ever save the world.” What do you think of beauty and does it have a place in your work as a photographer?

I try to make beauty the leading figure not only in my work but also in my life. I don’t find beauty in conventional forms; as far as I am concerned it can be anywhere, in a variety of shapes.

Is there anything else that could possibly save the world? And where on the continuum between optimism and pessimism do you think you fall anyway?

People should first try to rescue themselves and their own souls and then proceed to save the world. As for pessimism vs. optimism, I think both are equally harmful, so I prefer realism instead.

Can you define inspiration? Do you have a recipe for it?

I do not believe in inspiration, I choose to rely on the safer things in life.

What is the role of art in the world around you and in your own life?

A major one.

Photo from the exhibition “Interior Decoration”

Can anyone make a living out of art alone in Bulgaria these days?

Yes, if you know how to sell.

What makes you stay in Bulgaria? Do you see any hope?

I’ve been seeing hope in the people in front of the Parliament every day for a week now.
They are wonderful young people who know why they are there and what they are fighting for.

Photo from the exhibition “Interior Decoration”

Which part of the process of taking and processing photos is most inspiring and exciting for you?

Most photographers say that 90% of the success of an image comes through its processing. I think the opposite is true, so I process my photos using just Lightroom, no Photoshop.

Will we be able to see another exhibition of yours anytime soon?

Yes, I am preparing for a new exhibition which, I hope, you will be able to see in the beginning of this fall.

Photo from the opening of “Interior Decoration”, 2/2/2011