Foteini Zaglara is a 1995 born (self)-portrait artist from Athens ,Greece. She has studied at the University of Ioannina, in the department of Early Childhood Education.
Her work explores concepts of fantasy and surrealism and photography has given her the opportunity to tell stories and to dive deep into the world of emotions. She has distinguished herself in many photography competitions (1st Greece National Award at Sony Photography Awards 2022) and her work has been exhibited in USA and Europe. [Official Website] [Print Edition] [Digital Edition]
Can you tell us a little more about yourself? How did you get interested in photography?
My name is Foteini Zaglara and I’m a 27-year-old (self)-portrait artist from Athens, Greece. My photography journey started roughly around 2014-2015. In the beginning I was capturing almost everything, my dog, flowers, still life etc. and I started uploading my images in a website specialised in photography, called Flickr. It’s a big photography community with so many talented photographers, one of them is Rosie Hardy who is a self-portrait photographer. And that was it! I fell in love with her work and self-portrait photography in general and that’s how my own journey started .
How would you define your general style photography? How do you get such a personal style?
My style is closely related (to) but not limited to fine art photography. About my personal style, I wouldn’t say it has a specific description. I’m in a phase where I’m experimenting quite a bit so it’s a “process in progress.”
Tell me about your process of making a self-portrait? o Can you tell us about your cover photography recently published in our magazine?
I start by drawing my idea into my notebook. After that, I create a moodboard,I look for props or sometimes make them, find the right clothes / makeup and when it’s time for the shoot I get into the mood of the concept since I am the “protagonist” and the “director” at the same time. Last but not least , it’s the editing part which is equally important with the previous part.
For this my self-portrait “Rolling Boil” it took several clicks as the smoke was created with the help of an electronic cigarette and since I am not a smoker, I had to take several pauses because I was constantly drowning in smoke. Although I hate cigarettes it was the only way for my self-portrait to look more realistic.
Your idea of a perfect portrait?
The perfect portrait is one that tells a story about the subject and evokes emotions in the viewer.
Would you please tell us anything about your technique and creating process?
For the technical part I utilize some tools such as a tripod and the Sony app in my phone which gives me the benefit to change remotely the settings in my camera .The only thing that change in my creating process it’s the source of the inspiration , then I follow a structured process with specific steps in order to create my art as I have described in detail in the previous question.
How important is a good website foteinizaglara.com for your art? And what role have social networks played in your photography?
Having a good website can be very important for an artist, as it provides a platform for showcasing and promoting their work. My website gives me the opportunity to reach a wider audience, as it allows people to easily view and learn about my work from anywhere in the world. It can make it easier for potential buyers or clients to contact me and inquire about purchasing my work.
Social media is a great place to showcase your work and artistic identity , connect with people and create an audience. It’s also extremely helpful for networking and getting in touch with potential clients. Almost all my collaborations came via Instagram.
What future plans do you have? What projects would you like to accomplish?
With all that is happening around us, I do not make plans for the future. My only plan right now it’s to finish a personal project that I have been working on for the last few months.