4 minute read
Featured Photographer: Old Classic Photography
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER Old Classic
PHOTOGRAPHY
Over the past 15-20 years modern technology has given the public the chance to be their own photographer. Cameras are everywhere- cell phones, tablets, webcams, affordable digital cameras, drones- heck, even Barbie dolls have cameras in them! The accessibility of digital photography eliminated the need for actual film. Long gone are the days where you had to use up a whole roll of film and get it developed to actually see what the images looked like. To develop the film, most of us had to take the film roll to a store and wait a few days to see the final product. And Editing??? Forget about it! You had to hire a true professional for that! Nowadays, with all the digital cameras available, anyone can take a decent picture. With the plethora of editing software, apps, and filters available, anyone can turn that decent photo into a professional level work of art. In a world where photographers are everywhere and editing can be quickly done on a phone, it takes a lot to stand out.
Standing out is absolutely no problem for Old Classic Photography of Tampa Bay, Florida. Blending fun and stylish modern techniques with chic vintage aesthetics, this company brings a whole new level of art to photography. Owner Irinia Chernousova creates whimsical works of art by combining fantastical fairytale and doll-like ideas with traditional victorian style. Old Classic Photography specializes in child, fashion, family, and portrait photography. They are also one of the VIP photographers working with vintage inspired Children’s Fashion House- Dollcake. They offer competitive rates for both commercial and personal photography. Their versatility emcompasses everything from maternity, newborn, engagement, and family photo shoots to high fashion ethereal couture magazine spreads.
Irina Chernousova’s love for photography comes to her naturally. Her father is also a professional photographer, specializing in weddings. He always shared his experiences with Irina and she became fascinated by everything photography! Cameras, light, composition, posing and styling- it all mesmerized her. Chernousova’s daughter Nicole is a model and the cute vintage styled outfits she wore inspired her mom to start doing small photo sessions outside.
After about a year of practice, Irina submitted her body of work to many companies and secured jobs with a number of brands. Social media accounts connected her with Children’s Fashion vendors in need of photography and modeling work. That’s when Old Classic Photography really blossomed. The business majorly took off from there.
What Chernousova likes most about photography is “The ability to travel and explore with the possibility of creating something artistic.” She also enjoys sharing the best shots with her instagram followers. What surprised her most along the journey is the “Great amount of interest, feedback and support” from her instagram account followers.
When the Covid-19 Pandemic started, Irina’s workflow didn’t change too drastically. She credits that to the family nature of her business and the fact that she was already working remotely with fashion brands. Her daughter’s modeling experience helped and Irinia got technical assistance from her husband. She tried to stay optimistic despite the changing world. Irina jokes, “Initial Covid stay home orders allowed me to find parking spots much easier and there were less distractions for my street and urban photography.” In her free time Chernousova likes to design and bake custom special occasion cakes for her friends and family. Natural light photography is her favorite kind of photos to take. Being on the west coast of Florida with it’s white sand beaches and glorious sunsets over the water motivates her to produce amazing photos. She explains that there is a “Golden hour in beautiful Florida state parks and Gulf Beaches.” What inspires her most is a combination of both designing fashionable clothes for kids and the beautiful photo locations in West Central Florida.
When it comes to role models, Irina says, “ I don't worship any particular person… and I try to draw positive energy and inspiration from everyone I meet.”
Some of the most fun photoshoots for Chernousova were some of the earlier ones that she did with her daughter… sometimes those shoots required bribing the little fashionista with a bag of candy to complete! So far, the most fun part of the job for this talented photographer is “Communicating with little models and capturing the emotion of the day.” In the future Old Classic Photography would like to work with even more aspiring clothing designers and small businesses to help them reach their respective audiences and showcase their fashion products.
For Irina, the best part of photographing kids is that she can “Encourage kids to move naturally and capture expressions that show the real childhood emotion.” Her photography has always been centered around fashion clothing and natural light. She adds, “When I see the outfit I can instantly imagine the matching location, storytelling surroundings and interesting props.” The most challenging part is the “Unpredictable Florida weather.” She explains, “Unlike studio, natural light requires work in the outside environment that cannot be controlled. I have a real time weather radar app on my phone and learned to track every cloud to find the right moment… Nature also introduces bugs and mosquitoes that can distract the model.“
