Ron Shoshani presents high-gloss Tel Aviv

5/11/12

Ron Shoshani presents high-gloss Tel Aviv - May 2012

Ron Shoshani presents high-gloss Tel Aviv 3 May 2012

Israeli photographer shows the world the first modern Jewish city in all its true beauty, revealing its landscape in aspects very different from traditional notions of Tel Aviv.

Photo: Ron Shoshani

By Olga Lavi Ron Shoshani is a professional photographer w hose photographs appear regularly in the Israeli magazine Time Out Israel. Within a few minutes after the appearance of a new photograph, hundreds of "Likes" are recorded on Facebook.

The secret of his popularity is that Ron Shoshani does w hat no one did before him.

Ron grew up in a family w here a lot of attention w as paid to design. This contributed to the development of his interest in photography, especially in the tourist genre. At some point Ron noticed that there is a big difference betw een the w ay cities like New York, London and San Francisco are presented in glossy international magazines and the images representing Tel Aviv.

"It w as really sad. On the one hand are glossy pictures of cities w hich, believe me, I have seen in reality and at close range, and they do not look as fantastic as in the magazines.

But the sell is successful - tourists come from all over the w orld.

"And w hat about Israel? How do w e look in the eyes of the w orld? Again and again, there are images of a market w ith oranges spilling all over, a couple of Hasidim w ith sidecurls, people w ith bronze skin on the beach, a soldier w ith a gun, the Wailing Wall - and that's it.

What, w e have nothing more to show ?

"Now adays every self-respecting city is interested in tourism and has a portfolio of photos show ing its potential and the beauty of its landscapes. Tel Aviv has as much to offer as those other cities, I'm absolutely sure.

"Current trends in photography can turn any place into "eye candy", w rapped in brightly colored w rappers, and, in the case of Tel Aviv, underlining the dynamism and urban energy, the special magic for w hich the city is famous. And, most importantly, these photos create an irresistible desire to see the city and the country w ith one's ow n eyes. To see the living miracle, to communicate w ith the city directly, not vicariously or virtually.

"I realized that my city deserves such a portfolio, deserves it as a modern developing city, endlessly interesting for tourists. A city of business and entertainment, the sea and nightlife, w onderful parks, fascinating museums, and diverse architecture.

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5/11/12

Ron Shoshani presents high-gloss Tel Aviv - May 2012

Tel Aviv (Ron Shoshani)

"So I decided to make Tel Aviv high-gloss, w orthy of attention and inspiring the urge to drop everything and come to know it personally. My motivation w as particularly influenced by the publication of a ten-year city development plan, w hich involves dramatic changes in the shape of Tel Aviv. Therefore, the urgent need to capture the moment, the beauty of the city in w hich w e live, here and now , before it grow s into a small Bangkok, to capture it from above, unchanged, nostalgic and familial. " Shoshani began his project about tw o years ago, and it continues to gain momentum. It's a process of revealing Tel Aviv's landscape, its contours, in aspects very different from traditional notions of Tel Aviv, like the difference betw een w alking along the street w ith your head dow n, or w atching the city from the w indow of an airplane during takeoff or landing. Shoshani gives us a brief glimpse of the city from another dimension. He's taking his time in photographing the Israeli metropolis: he not only w ants to show a portrait of a modern city, but he also finds amazing camera angles, and the usual, familiar Tel Aviv buildings often look completely unrecognizable.

Shoshani has ambitious plans - he's going to come back to the same places in ten or fifteen years to capture changes in the shape of the city. Dynamics of development are important to him; he captures them w ith his photographic eye, every shot conveying love and respect for Tel Aviv, intimate and very personal.

It's hard to believe, but the richly colorful images do not go through much post-shooting treatment. "I'm doing an easy color correction, and the w hole process is barely ten minutes per image," says the author.

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5/11/12

Ron Shoshani presents high-gloss Tel Aviv - May 2012

Tel Aviv (Ron Shoshani)

His special secret is dramatic lighting and natural phenomena, going to shoot very early in the morning or in the midst of a storm, returning time and again to the same point to capture his ideal image.

"I love my city. And I w ant to show it to those w ho have never been here, as w ell as to those w ho have lived here for years and have not seen all its matchless beauty. Once a girl from Thailand w rote me that, after view ing my pictures, she decided to come to Tel Aviv and see it w ith her ow n eyes. And w hat do you think? She arrived w ith her friends and they asked me to be their guide through the places they loved in my images... It w as very touching, and in fact, this is the best affirmation of w hat I'm doing. "

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