Alex Dani is a multifunctional artist, working across lifestyle and fashion documentary, producing emotions through his images and he is always happy to share some advice for upcoming image-makers.
Why did you decide to change your name?
My name is Oleksiy Ponezhda, but in the fashion industry I am well known as the famous photographer Alex Dani. The story started more than 10 years ago. I have been living in Bilbao and it was very difficult to pronounce my name and even to make people remember it. So Oleksiy has changed to Alex and I needed something short to compliment the name. I always wanted to name my future son as Dani. So I became Alex Dani.
What first drove you to photography?
When I was 20, the first cell phones with cameras came out. From that moment I snapped everything I saw around, the quality was very grainy. But as old photographers used to say, the best camera is the one that’s with you. I graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, with a degree in philology, but deeply inside I wanted to take photos and study art. After that, I went to Bilbao, north of Spain to finish my PhD. I bought my first used Nikon camera and started to shoot in night clubs, reportages for news agencies, taking portraits of strangers, and the vague idea of fashion imagery started to conquer my mind. I decided to abandon my job and education and switch to professional photography.
Who was your first mentor?
I studied at Viktor Marushchenko’s School of Photography in Ukraine. There I met so many great young photographers. It was more about the philosophical aspect of photography. Viktor has taught me to search for what really matters to me and what I love to shoot. It took me some time to realise that couture cloths, colorful makeups and fashion poses truly inspire me. But to work in fashion one has to live in a fashion city. IED Milano institution was my second step that shaped my vision and opened the doors to creative international networks. I am very thankful to Alessia Glaviano from Vogue Italy, just visiting the Vogue office is a true experience and inspiration. Her portfolio review of my works and advice were very useful. Nick Knight is another cornerstone of my education. I always wanted to have a proper art education, 3 years in Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan plus its bachelor degree gave me the opportunity to start the career at another level. The city matters a lot, if you want to shoot fashion there are 4 main fashion cities – Milan, Paris, London and New York.
What inspires you creatively?
My main inspirations are people around me, beautiful clothes and location scouting. I love to wander around, drink coffee and create moodboards for future shootings. Ideas are everywhere and you never know what can push you for new creative projects. Sometimes it is something personal, sometimes it can be just a random image or event that you see in the streets of a city. Mondadori bookstores in Milan are the main fashion hubs where you can meet other creatives or just browse through new editions of fashion magazines. I could spend hours just standing and flipping all new editorials.
What has been your most memorable shoot or event, and why?
It is really hard to choose just one, but working with top models is always challenging and unexpected. I remember how exciting it was to be at Prada show and shooting all the celebrities there. Seeing Giorgio Armani backstage and shooting his models is an amazing experience as well. Watching how Philipp Plein changes the light bulb 10 minutes before his show or taking photos of Tilda Swinton and then seeing them in a magazine with your name under the publication. Maybe shaking hands with Alessandro Michele in Rome and not knowing what to say. It takes some time to get rid of nervousness in front of famous people in industry.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming photographers looking to start in the industry?
Don’t be afraid of difficulties, criticism and opinions of other people. Fashion photography is about character, ideas and the love of the process of image-making. It is important not to forget why you want to shoot and what is your final goal. It’s also very important to experiment and to show to other professionals the result of your work and to have different point of views. There are no rules in fashion, but you have to know rules if you want to succeed.
What medium do you usually like to work with?
I shot almost with all kinds of cameras. It’s not about camera or iPhone. It’s about the final result, aesthetics in general and being happy after seeing some of your print images or at least making models and their agents happy with the final result whether it’s magazine cover, instagram story or private shooting. Enjoy the process of image-making, you never know when will be your next iconic shot.
Published by: Holy Minoza
