Lina Linn at Kuuz Studio in Prague
On my first trip to Prague back in 2024, I had the pleasure of working with one of the most amazing talents and all-around wonderful human beings, model Lina Linn. From the minute she arrived at the studio, it was all positive energy and enthusiasm to collaborate. Over the years I feel like things have changed with many models prioritizing the influencer, social media star route over traditional modeling. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, you have to do what’s best for you. But it does change the attitude and excitement around photoshoots resulting in a more nonchalant, ambivalent attitude towards shooting. Not to mention many are less experienced since they don’t get any proper training via an agency or years on the job. It’s refreshing working with models that are professional, experienced, and excited about the process of a photo shoot.
Whenever I travel I always look for a studio with great natural light. In Prague, my studio of choice is Studio Kuuz. I found them via Instagram and have booked them several times over the past year. If I could own a space, it would be like this. Super high ceilings, smooth concrete flooring, and beautiful light cascading through the windows throughout the day. Even when the weather was overcast, the lighting was perfect. It also has a cyclorama when I want to shoot more traditional studio portraits. I can’t stress the importance of a proper shooting environment enough. Whatever your style or genre of photography, it’s important to support your work by giving it the proper creative environment. When I work in a space that is best suited for my work, I thrive. Shooting feels effortless and my stress levels are minimal.
And when you work with a great model? It’s fish in a barrel.
Closing thoughts at the end of this post. Hope you enjoy this set!
PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Lina Linn @itslinalinn
Studio: Kuuz Studio kuuz.studio_kosire
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SIGMA 85MM F/1.4 DG DN AND TAMRON 28-75 f/2.8 Di III VXD G2
IN CLOSING
I’ve made it known that I no longer wish to fawn over gear as I once did in prior years. It’s really gotten to a point where most modern cameras and lenses are good. It’s a matter of what works for you. Shooting with my Sony cameras has been a boon to my work. I love both the colors (after some tweaking) and the tonality they produce for black-and-white images. They perform flawlessly shoot after shoot and even after owning them for almost 2 years, I still find myself amazed by the image quality they produce. Pick an instrument and make it sing is the motto.
As for the shoot, sometimes when I’m preparing for one, I often find myself feeling a bit anxious. Unsure even. Like an athlete waiting in the locker room for the signal telling them it’s time to go. I’m a bit pensive, obsessively double-checking my equipment, shoot location, the moodboard, etc. Similar to the athlete, you want to go out and give a great performance. Once you hit a certain skill level, there’s pressure to perform. You have a reputation!
There’s self-inflicted pressure to create even better work than the last shoot or implement some new technique or approach I’ve been working on. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail at this. The successes often come on the days that, after arrive at the shoot, my subject walks in, excited to work and gives me their all. It’s like when you try to have a conversation with someone who’s giving you nothing versus the person who is engaging. The engaging conversation feels energizing while the former feels draining. Shoots like my shoot with Lina have me over the moon and excited for the next one. I love the work we did together.
We’re only as good as the people we have around us and she’s one of the best! A massive thank you to her!
Hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below!
...
Share This Post
Follow on Instagram : @jamiyawilsonstudio
Post Tags
