Interview with Irina Lokteva Pikalova from Spain

Hello! I am Irina, alias Irina Lopik, a Photographer and Graphics Artist. My father inspired my photographic journey from a very early age. We used to have a red room set up in the bathroom with all the equipment and chemicals.

My early memories are full of magical moments when white paper transformed into black-and-white images. Though he wasn't a professional photographer, my father had a keen eye for framing and composition, likely inherited from my grandmother, who was a textile designer in the USSR.

While my design studies have shaped much of my work, those early influences are for sure part of my heritage.

I completed a studio photography course during my design studies, and there's a lot of graphic approach in my photographic work. I also studied 3D for Photography at FX Barcelona Film School and Set Design in Photography at LABASAD, Barcelona School of Arts and Design.

I got my first camera at the age of 12. It was an automatic one, and back then, it was all about experimenting with genres and composition.

My first shot was during summer vacation, where I used up an entire roll of film. The photos were mostly landscapes, sunsets, and some still-life objects. I also loved photographing people.

I started taking commercial commissions in food, portrait, and event photography after my design studies. But it wasn't until the pandemic that I discovered still-life photography from a new angle.

I was amazed by the possibilities this genre offers. As photographers and creatives, we are in constant development, and my work will evolve. Currently, I find still-life photography particularly compelling for expressing complex ideas. I hope to create more meaningful conceptual work in the future.

I study a lot and am fortunate to have amazing professionals around me. When I started my creative journey, one of my teachers told me that my work reflects exactly what I have inside.

It was a profound moment. I realised the power we have as creatives to connect with our audience on a very deep level, even if we aren't always fully aware of it.