Olena Leliuk, known for her cinematic and creative style, whether she’s shooting a high-fashion editorial on the streets of Rome or a quiet moment at a wedding. Her work often feels like a frame from a film. With a portfolio that includes both technically precise creative compositions and raw street photography, she has been featured in numerous publications and is a respected voice in the 500px community.
We spoke with Olena about her creative process, the influence of Rome, and how she maintains her signature visual identity across different genres.
Your digital presence is inextricably linked to Rome, a city that has been photographed perhaps more than any other in the world. How do you manage to look at such iconic, historical surroundings and still find a perspective that feels entirely personal and contemporary?
My clients specifically request portraits against an architectural backdrop. To ensure the backdrop is sharp and featured, I can’t shoot with a very open aperture. If I’m using a portrait lens, I keep the aperture at a minimum of f/6.3 to f/8.
Your portfolio moves fluidly between the rigid structure of fashion and the unpredictability of street photography. Do you find that the spontaneity of the streets informs your creative work, or do you prefer to keep those two worlds in separate silos?
I believe a professional photographer should be versatile and adept at shooting a variety of subjects, architecture, still life, fashion, etc. I find myself balancing client-requested street style photo sessions with my own organized creative fashion shoots.
There is a painterly quality to your creative compositions that suggests a deep intentionality. When you are conceptualizing a new project, do you begin with a specific visual metaphor in mind, or does the story emerge only in the moment, on the shoot?
I always develop the core concept before the shoot. Of course, new ideas often emerge during the creative flow of the session, which is a great addition to the original vision.
Wedding photography is often viewed through a purely documentary lens, yet your wedding work carries the same high-fashion DNA as your portraits. How do you convince your subjects to step out of the traditional “bridal” mindset and into your more atmospheric, artistic vision?
For me, the ideal wedding shoot is a strategic mix of honest reportage and thoughtfully staged photography (the latter allows us to create those elegant, high-fashion images, sometimes even with a touch of humor).
I find that couples who genuinely appreciate this artistic vision and beauty are more than happy to pose for a little while. It is a constant negotiation, of course, as we are always mindful that time on a wedding day is a very limited resource!
You have been featured in numerous publications throughout your career. When you see your work curated in a magazine versus living on a platform like 500px, does it change your own perception of the “value” or “success” of those specific images?
Absolutely, the perceived value of a photograph is certainly heightened after it’s been curated and published in a magazine or showcased on a highly respected platform like 500px. It serves as a meaningful, public, and external form of recognition, not just of the photo itself, but of my professionalism and dedication to the craft.
In your portraiture, there is often a sense of beautiful tension between the model and the environment. What is your process for building a rapport with a subject to ensure they aren’t just posing, but actually inhabiting the space you have created for them?
While a professional model intuitively senses the atmosphere I’ve created and naturally moves into appropriate poses, I frequently work with novice models. In those situations, my entire process shifts to actively building rapport. I focus on relaxing them, giving them my energy, and supporting them throughout the session, often with a few jokes.
Every artist experiences a shift in their “eye” over time. If you look back at your earliest work in Rome compared to your portfolio today, what is the one technical or emotional habit you are most glad you outgrew?
Emotionally, I am most glad I learned to let go and simply not worry before a photo shoot; it allows for a much clearer creative mind. From a technical standpoint, the biggest change is a small but critical lesson: ensuring my lens’s autofocus is rigorously checked before every single session. It seems minor, but it’s the kind of technical detail that can be the difference between a successful shot and a lost opportunity.
Inspiration is a fickle resource. When the light in Italy isn’t hitting quite right or the creative well feels dry, where do you turn outside of the world of photography to find your spark again?
When the light isn’t right, use additional lighting to craft the light you want. For creative inspiration, I turn to the work of other photographers, and I find a great deal of spark within the curated, diverse community on 500px.
A previous featured photographer, Emil Nygard, asked, “In a world where photography is increasingly fast and driven by instant results, how do you personally protect your sense of curiosity and inner calm?”
My creative photographs are well thought out, quality is not created by quantity.
Lastly, Do you have any upcoming projects or shoots your would like to share or promote?
My most recent project was a vibrant and colourful fashion photo shoot that took place in a studio and centered around the visual concept of giant soap bubbles. It was a wonderful exercise in combining creative composition with technical lighting.
Read more 500px Photographer Spotlight interviews: Emil Nygård
