Written by Tatevik Sargsyan 

Cassandra Tavukciyan is a young photographer from Vancouver, Canada. Cassandra shoots analog creating beautiful portraits and still life photographs, that depict a sense of subtle sensuality and intimacy. Whether in colour or black and white, she manages to give her subjects a feminine yet ambiguous touch. We cannot wait to see more from her in the future! To find out more about Cassandra, we invited her for an interview.

TS: How would you describe your perspective?

CT: My perspective is very sensitive to light and intimacy. Often I photograph what is going on around me, documenting moments that I find beautiful. And sometimes I seek beauty by creating moments. I approach photography with spontaneity and like to keep things simple. Nothing makes me happier than taking portraits, it’s such a quiet and intimate moment. Two people coming together to create a beautiful image, that’s what I really enjoy. I am also really interested in the fusion of fashion and fine art. I would like to achieve something within my work that lingers between the two, responding to fashion through subtlety and ambiguity.

TS: What do you look for in your subjects? 

CT: All of my subjects are either my friends or family members. I look for specific qualities and details when it comes to photography, but at the same time it seems very natural for me to photograph my immediate surroundings, things and people I am comfortable with. Lately I have been wanting to photograph subjects that I do not know as well, to get me out of that comfort zone.

TS: How do you create a cinematic aesthetic in your photographs? Do you consciously create a narrative with your subjects?

CT: I believe that using analog alone creates a cinematic aesthetic. When I’m shooting with film I am in a different mind set from shooting digital. I love the limit that working with film gives you and enjoy the slow process of shooting, developing, scanning and the anticipation of the finished product. These steps are what make my photographic process more meaningful. As for narratives, I tend to put together stories during the editing process.

TS: Some of your images portray a sense of intimacy yet they are also anonymous. What does the body and femininity mean to you?

CT: I am very drawn to my female friends. Some of my work suggests intimacy and a certain sensuality, but I do like to keep faces hidden. I guess I like inviting people to peek at my life through my photographs but don’t want to give everything away. I like to keep people wondering. I am also interested in how people classify “female aesthetics” in photography. I often wonder what it means to be a female photographer photographing other females. I feel like certain female photographers (including myself) get away with images of nude or erotic images of females from being “objective” against their subjects because they are female themselves.

TS: How does your personal life translate into your work? 

CT: Because a lot of my subjects are close friends of mine, my work is very much about my personal life. If I choose to photograph a friend, then I am at a certain level of closeness and comfort with that friend and we are both willing to have fun and work together. A lot of my friends are artists as well and we all enjoy helping each other out with projects.

TS: What’s planned for next year?

CT: I plan on going back to art school in the Fall and getting ready for my exchange to Edinburgh, Scottland in the Spring.

More info:

http://cargocollective.com/cassandratavukciyan
www.cassandratavukciyan.tumblr.com