@lasfotosdegime

Instagram: @lasfotosdegime Facebook: www.facebook.com/lasfotosdelucero

1. What's your story? Where are you from?

My name is Gimena Zaballa, I´m 22 years old and I´m from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I´m currently working as a retoucher in a photography studio, but my true love is fashion photography. I also like to intervene photos of famous photographers, making collages, painting them with bright colours (since most of them are in black and white), and adding objects of everyday life

2. Tell us about your aesthetic.

If I have to describe my work, I would say that colour is the main creative component. I love to construct based on that, both as well as in shooting or retouching. I feel a deep love for pastel colours. Also, I like to take objects and give them new meanings. I love when models interact with those objects, so in some way, the spectator can feel identified with my photographs. Another thing I like to do in my photos, is to tell stories through the models. What is more, I am really connected with childhood, I feel I'm still a girl hahaha and I think this part of me, the childlike spontaneity, is reflected in my work. And in addition, I'm a huge fan of the '90s (aesthetics, clothing, films, music, and so on), and I'm inspired by those years to take my photos.

3. What is your favourite medium and why?

When I work, I take photos with a Digital-SLR and then I use Lightroom/Capture One and Photoshop to retouch with a Wacom tablet (that I LOVE!). To create digital collages, I use photoshop and Wacom as well. In my spare time, holidays, or when I'm with my friends, I love to take photos with my 35mm analogic camera.

4. What is your artistic process like?

Generally, as I told before, The ideas for the productions are based on the objects I take of everyday life. So instantly I imagine the location, who will be the main characters, why they would be in that specific place and moment, which palette of colours I' m going to use, and so I love to take care of everything in the productions, I choose the models, the location, the clothing, the makeup artist, I'm in charge of art direction, and lastly, I retouch each photo.

5. Who and/or what inspires your work?

Hahaha, I'm being repetitive, sorry! Everyday life objects. If I have to choose an artist, I deeply admire Tim Walker, who is my major inspiration. I am also inspired by the way that Jeremy Scott takes objects and turns them into haute couture. And finally, I don't want to forget to mention my grandmother and her sister, a well-known Argentinian artist, who showed me that artists can live off art. Two of them both, since I was a child, instilled in me all art forms. All of this is related to art. Regarding life, my mother is the greatest inspiration I have. She is the strongest woman I ever met and a real fighter.

6. What role does art play in your life? How does it change the way you view the world?

I think art, in every form, is part of my life since I have memory. When I was a child, I spent the time drawing. Then, I started to write, a therapy I am having still. I also study acting. Art, in general, always acts like a tool to convert negative things into positive, and I believe that this is why I have a positive view of the world.

7. Where did you study?

I studied Artistic Photography at Andy Goldstein and Advertising and Fashion Photography at Aloha Photo School. Both in Buenos Aires.

8. Where do you see yourself in five years? Working in an agency?

I can tell you what I want, but I'm not sure if that will happen.... hahaha I wish I could work doing what I love most, Fashion photography, and be published in magazines.

9. What about in ten?

Well, in ten it would be great to do campaigns.

10. What do you hope to achieve with your art?

I love to create photos that make everyone smile. I like it when people feel identified with the photos.

11. Now, tell us a little more about you as a person: what is your favourite food?

I think that if I could, I would live eating only sushi, pizza, potato chips, olives and kit kats hahaha.

12. Favourite book?

Actually, I used to read more when I was a child. Nowadays I read novels, (I'm a bit ashamed to say this, but I prefer Romantic stories, I'm "cursi" ahahaha) and essays, I don't have a favorite one. I like most movies. If you want I can tell you my fav ones: Clockwork Orange, This is England, 100 days of Summer, Ruby Sparks, and I could mention some more...

13. Favourite genre of music?

I listen to so many different kinds of music. First, I love indie rock Argentinian's bands, like Mateo de la Luna, Ligas Menores, Adrian Juarez (if you haven't heard about, really!, should google it and listen some <3) I love Franny Glass too (He is Uruguayan) And classic rock singers from here as well, like Charly Garcia, Miguel Abuelo, etc. I like international pop and hip hop, especially the music of the 90s.

14. What are your hobbies?

Well, take fashion photos obviously. But I love everything about fashion also. I like to make collages. I love drawing too, and recently I discovered I like to restore furniture. But what I love most of all, its traveling and all that entails: new cities and meet different people.

15. If you weren't an artist, what would you be?

I can tell you what I would do if I were not a photographer, but I can not think of a profession that is not related to art! Hahaha, I would be a producer, art director, fashion designer or actress. I also love to be a singer but that would only happen if a fairy concedes me the gift of singing (using magic) because I sing horribly! Hahaha.