It is on days like these when the temperatures start to rise and the days get longer, that we feel a strange nostalgia for summer. A dual feeling that manifests itself both as a lack of past summers and as impatience in waiting for the one that is about to begin. Then, every time it finally arrives it seems strange, but it only takes a few days, just a weekend at the beach, to get back to feeling comfortable with our legs uncovered and the sun caressing our skin.
In this time, however, when even a short trip out of town seems like a colossal undertaking, Lavinia Cernau‘s photographs come to our aid and cure our nostalgia. 

Lavinia Cernau is a photographer based in Transylvania, Romania, and although this land offers unique landscapes to which she is very attached, photography has led her to explore other places. 

From the Greek islands to the Spanish beaches, from the south of France to the Italian coast, Lavinia goes where summer is at its best and with her camera she is always ready to capture it, to imprint it forever in images that could be part of anyone’s holiday album. 

No matter where she is, the fundamental element of her artistic production is the warm and embracing light. The colours of dawn and dusk cover everything with a patina that transforms views and vistas into magical places.

“As a photographer, I’m drawn to the contrast between light and shadow at sunrise or sunset – both my favorite times to shoot.”

As we browse through her portfolio, we are reminded of the scents of summer, the sound of pine trees blowing in the wind, the salt that remains on the skin, the pleasure of an ice-cold drink, the hours spent sunbathing.  

Lavinia Cernau’s shots are distinguished by a particular aesthetic that seems to have come straight out of films such as “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, where life seems more beautiful and easier just because it is lived a stone’s throw from a cliff that plunges into the blue sea.
In fact, the world of cinema is not far from the photographer’s imagination, as she told us: “I find I think of what I’m going to shoot as cinema stills as I always want my images to tell a story. I want people to be moved, to relate to a feeling inside them when they look at my pictures..”

Read also: Guillaume Gaubert’s photos, memories of a past summer

Lavinia Cernau manages to encapsulate the whole atmosphere of summer in one image. Below you can find some of her shots, but to find out more visit her website and follow her on Instagram. 

Micheal Aboya è un giovane fotografo basato in Ghana, nella parte occidentale del continente africano. Si occupa di fotografia di moda e di progetti creativi legati al mondo dell’arte. Un tempo studente di software programming, dal 2016 la sua vita cambia con la morte del padre. Decide di diventare fotografo a tempo pieno scattando con le sue Canon T3 e Canon EF 70mm – 300 mm. Oggi è un visual artist col l’obiettivo di raccontare storie in grado di ispirare e arricchire lo spettatore, Le sue immagini riflettono una gioia contagiosa, amore e forza. Il tutto attraverso luce, composizione e soggetti.

L’obbiettivo di Aboya è quello di continuare l’esplorazione della sua visione di umanità. La gioia che traspare dai suoi scatti è palpabile, e comunica una grande passione anche da dietro alla fotocamera. I soggetti immortalati dal fotografo comprendono donne, bambini, uomini e oggetti e simboli semplici che permettono allo spettatore di concentrarsi sul lato emozionale di questi scatti. Pettinature afro, acqua o qualche danza tradizionale rendono queste fotografie ancora più speciali. Nel corso degli anni Micheal ha collaborato con tantissime realtà fra cui CNN, BBC, Forbes e Gulf News diventando un fotografo affermato.

Per altri progetti di Micheal Aboya qui il suo profilo Instagram.

Ph. courtesy Micheal Aboya

Melissa Schriek è una fotografa olandese che si serve della potenza visiva del corpo e della sua gestualità per renderlo parte integrante dell’ambiente in cui è collocato. Le figure eteree sembrano fluttuare liberamente all’interno degli spazi che esse stesse marcano con la loro presenza estranea ed allo stesso tempo indispensabile.

“Il corpo sembra essere una contraddizione in sé e io sono affascinata da queste contraddizioni: sono drammatiche ma anche ironiche”.

Le relazioni umane diventano parte di un disegno globale, dove il corpo viene usato come strumento di connessione fisica ed emotiva. L’artista ha dichiarato che la sua ricerca si è da subito rivelata come un bisogno spontaneo:

“Fin da giovane sono stata affascinata dal mio corpo. Il modo in cui può assumere forme, come lo posso scolpire e come può muoversi. È il motivo per cui ballavo quando ero più piccola e mi ci è voluto un po’ di tempo per capire che potevo mescolare questo interesse con il mio interesse per la fotografia, unendo le discipline”.

Servendosi della sua esperienza con il ballo e della sua sensibilità artistica, Melissa Schriek è riuscita a dare voce all’immagine che per lei rappresenta l’essenza più pura del corpo.

Dai un’occhiata al suo sito web qui.

In the realm of photography, there exists a unique power to freeze moments in time, capturing emotions, stories, and even an essence of the past. Tom Sebastiano, a photographer with a penchant for nostalgia, has managed to tap into this power through his captivating series titled “Salon Stories.” With an affection for the retro aesthetic, especially the vibrant eras of the 70s and 80s, Sebastiano has masterfully created a visual narrative that transports viewers back to a time of yesteryears.

London, a city brimming with modernity and trendiness, is home to numerous hair salons that reflect the contemporary styles of today. However, amid the bustling urban landscape, Sebastiano stumbled upon a hidden gem in the suburbs – a quaint hair salon that seemed to be a portal to the past. The moment he gazed through the window, time seemed to ripple and bend, as he was transported back to a cherished period of his childhood.

The salon was a tableau of memories. The scent of hair products, the warmth of steam, and the murmur of conversations intertwined to form a tapestry of nostalgia that was impossible to ignore. It was as if the past had been resurrected within those four walls, and Sebastiano was determined to capture and share this remarkable sensation with the world.

Two days before Christmas, with his camera in tow, Sebastiano stepped into the salon, ready to encapsulate the magic that unfolded within its confines. The atmosphere was alive with activity – the salon’s regulars were preparing for the festive season ahead. Amid the whirlwind of conversations about Christmas dinners and tales of grandchildren, Sebastiano blended into the background, almost invisible to the patrons. With an adeptness that can only come from years of practice, he moved around the space, documenting the intimate moments that define the salon’s unique story.

Through his lens, Sebastiano managed to capture not just the physical setting, but the emotions and experiences that were etched into the walls. Every photograph in the “Salon Stories” series became a window to the past, inviting viewers to partake in the shared memories of the salon’s visitors. The authenticity of these images was palpable – they were not just photographs; they were time capsules that transported viewers to an era characterized by its simplicity, community, and genuine connections.

Tom Sebastiano’s “Salon Stories” series is a testament to the power of photography as a storytelling medium. With a deep appreciation for the retro aesthetics of the 70s and 80s, he has managed to weave a visual narrative that captures the essence of a bygone era. In a world that often feels disconnected from its history, Sebastiano’s work serves as a reminder that the past is not lost; it lives on in the memories and experiences that are imprinted on the places and faces we encounter.

Courtesy Tom Sebastiano