Domestika Diary: Irene Cruz

Photographer, DoP and video artist Irene Cruz shares the creative process behind her photo projects

Irene Cruz (@irenecruzfoto) has returned to Madrid after over seven years in Berlin, where she worked in a range of sectors including the art market, film and teaching at universities and educational centers. This famous photographer and video artist is known for her use of natural, cold light to create somber, mysterious atmospheres.

In this Domestika Diary, Irene Cruz explains how the current situation has affected her work and her step-by-step approach to photo shoots, from establishing the concept and contacting the model to choosing the location.

Find out more in this video:

Irene Cruz has taken part in festivals and events around the world, from the Palais de Tokyo in Paris to New York’s Project Art Space. Photography is more than a profession for this famous artist: it’s a kind of therapy that allows her to express what she’s going through.

Which is why she decided to work on the concept of ‘desire’ in this shoot, to show how it has been transformed by the change in social relationships caused by the pandemic.

The first step to preparing a successful photo shoot is to meet her model and muse Lara, and show her the inspiration notebook to explain the session theme. For Irene, it’s important to cultivate her relationship with the model before the shoot, to ensure both photographer and subject understand what they’re trying to convey. The more aligned they are, the better the energy, and therefore, the better the results.

Once you’ve established the concept with the model, it’s time to find the materials. Although Irene prefers working with natural elements, on this occasion she’s going to use artificial flowers and cling film to wrap her model in order to convey a sense of transparency and fragility.

Once the idea is defined, all you need to do is find a location that will allow you to create the desired effect (here somewhere that’s easily accessible and wooded). It’s time to gather the fruit of your efforts, and to get the idea going round in your head onto paper.

If you want to learn how to express your inner world through the lens and to direct models to achieve more personal photos, don’t miss Irene Cruz’s online course: Artistic Photography: Transforming Concepts into Images.

You may be interested in:

- Domestika Diaries: ADVNTR Studio.
- Domestika Diaries: Joel Santana.
- Domestika Diaries: Veronica Cerna.