Personal one - Kristina Yenko interview
How are you today?Exhausted after a big week of being on set, but feeling super grateful to be surrounded by creatives and the wonderful crew in our industry. Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your journey as a photographer? I'm Kristina, a Sydney based creative working predominantly in the
fashion, beauty and portrait realm. I have been a full time freelancer for the
last five years. I dove into it during the pandemic and decided to hustle as
hard as I could to get some regular clients and slowly build my
portfolio. I can honestly say the journey is a tough one, and the biggest
hurdle is believing that you can make it happen.
“ I think the most pivotal thing is how important it is to honour your thoughts, feelings, vision and create work outside of the brief
How would you describe your style or approach to photography? I would say my style is raw, honest, relaxed and present. I love capturing the many moods and moments of my subjects, as well as playing with layouts, scanning in prints and experimenting with coaxing out the 'tomboy' energy of the models I work with.When did you first hear about this exhibition?
Earlier this year from the wonderful friends and staff at Lunar Studios. Is this your first time participating, or have you been part of it before? It's the first show at Lunar, but I have participated in other shows run by Sun Studios. How did it feel to see all the works displayed together on the wall in past editions? A beautiful compilation of all the talent and many ways of seeing amongst our industry. It's the closest we can get to show and tell.
“ Slow down and really look
What does it mean to you personally to be part of this collective exhibition? It allows us to come together and celebrate the vast array of creative styles and give back to the community.
What do you hope audiences will take away from experiencing your work here?
Honestly, just a pause. A moment to look at something that has stood the test of time, overlooked day to day.
How do you see the photography scene today, especially with younger generations coming through? Cameras and access to equipment it no longer gate kept. Everyone can be a photographer. There is a huge influx of content and imagery flooding on all the social platforms. Standing out requires some intention and consideration to story telling. There's been a massive film revival which proves the younger gen craves something less sterile and polished. They want to see something raw and real. Has the exhibition influenced or inspired your perspective on photography in any way? I think the most pivotal thing is how important it is to honour your thoughts, feelings, vision and create work outside of the brief. Personal work is passion work.
Looking back, is there a past project you consider a milestone or turning point in your career? Probably seeing my work on a billboard in NYC last year. Super surreal moment, and definitely a milestone!
How has your photography evolved from when you first started until today? When I was starting out, I was super limited with my knowledge and relied on natural light for a while until I started assisting and learning about strobes and HMI's and how to shape light in a controlled space. Now I feel that building light is something that feels very natural to me, but I always love to revert to natural light when I can. It feels like coming home. What inspires you right now—whether in photography or beyond?
Lately I have been drawn to 90s films and coffee table books. Stripping concepts back to unwashed denim and stretch marks and beauty spots. I love photographing the female form. What equipment are you currently using, and why? I use a Nikon camera system. I love the sensor and the way it translates the colours. It has a beautiful medium format film look with undertones of green.
How does your gear shape your process or the kind of results you aim for? Best way to describe it is to consider our gear choices are emotional. We choose particular light modifiers to create a particular energy on set. Do we want a hard flash for something raw and undone, do we want a big wrap around light or something small, sharp and controlled? I tend to mix up what gear I need based on the shoot brief. It's always fluid and always shifting. Sometimes it's a shitty scanner and low grade newspaper prints, other times I want something more polished but soften the image using filters over the lens or shooting through another piece of glass.
Is there a photographer, work, or experience that has been especially influential in your path? I would say Peter Lindbergh coffee table books are always a delight to look through. I also love Cass Bird's work and how powerful intimacy and imperfection can be. Recently I have also been obsessed with Ren Hang's intense hard flash work -- an erotic and disturbing combination of nude, repetitive shapes and odd objects. On the flip side, working with fashion brands and big productions pushed me to refine the technical side of my craft — learning to manage lighting at scale, direct teams, and deliver consistency while still keeping soul in the work. Those experiences gave me both discipline and confidence.
What advice would you give to amateur photographers visiting the exhibition? Slow down and really look.
Click here to see more of Kristina's work.
