Today we’d like to introduce you to Vasili Loparnos.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Hi!!! I’m Vasili Loparnos, i’m 23 from Tampa. I am pursuing photography, acting, modeling, and am working on my Youtube Channel as well. When it comes to my story and how I got started – I began to learn photo & video editing in 7th grade. When I got to high school, I started to experiment more. I was always good with my camera, I was involved in TV production at Tarpon Springs High School & digital arts at Stetson University, so the idea wasn’t foreign to me. A year after graduating college, I decided to pick up my mom’s camera, and start taking pictures of my friends, specifically one named Amber Hope. My moms camera is the Nikon D90, which I still use, and it is actually not manufactured anymore, but it still works great! You do not need expensive and updated equipment to get a great photo. It’s funny, I used to hate taking pictures when my mom would force me and my sister to pose and look cute for pictures. And here I am now!
Anyways, soon after posting my work (which initially was just a creative outlet), I realized that I may have a talent and passion for this. I decided to take photography more seriously and began to learn manual photography, which is definitely confusing at first, and I started to collaborate with other local artists and photographers in my area. I am pursuing modeling as well, so I think I have an advantage when it comes to posing models, understanding both sides of the camera, etc. This was a great way to build both my modeling and photography portfolio. I think it’s always great to be well rounded in various aspects of the industry you’re involved in. Starting photography and collaborating with others been a great way to meet other creatives, network, and make some great friends! I still have much to learn, but I have grown so much from where I’ve started.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I don’t think anything with me is a smooth road, haha. Although I am about to turn 24, I still consider myself a kid. I actually quit my full time analyst job to pursue my creative endeavors shortly after starting photography. In addition to this, I was involved in a terrible car accident where my car flipped two and a half times in the September of 2019! I fractured my scapula and collapsed a lung. I had to take a long pause from my photography, modeling, and acting to focus on recovering – which I still am.
Most people, including myself, struggle with confidence in their work – especially online, where it is so easy to compare your work to others. There is a lot of time invested, many photos edited or auditions filmed (in the sense of acting) and you may see no results. There is constant rejection, but that is how the cookie crumbles. Something I’m still learning to this day is becoming more of an entrepreneur, becoming more confident, and finding a way to get more involved in the fashion industry, whether it is photography, networking, or modeling. So no, things have not been easy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, because the creative industry is the one that I want to be in!
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a photographer based in the Tampa Bay area, but I travel to Miami and New York as well since I have family there. My work mainly consists of portraits, fashion, whimsical fantasy shoots, graduations, and product photography. I am most proud of being published on Vogue Italia’s ‘Photovogue’ where they feature photographer’s work from around the world on their website. What’s weird is you never know what they will accept! I took self portraits in my backyard with a self timer during Quarantine, and one of those pictures was accepted!
Art and photography is subjective, so I love to get creative with what I do. It’s important to have fun and to not take things too seriously. Sometimes I have a vision, and sometimes the model and I have no idea what we’re doing, but we roll with it – and that’s when the best moments happen! Regarding my fantasy shoots, I have always been interested in fantasy TV shows, movies, etc. which is where I draw a lot of inspiration from. It’s crazy how much time is in the post production process, and I love seeing the before and after of photos. What i’m currently focusing on is finding a way to cross that bridge into the fashion industry – I am looking to work more with modeling agencies, signed models, and I am doing my research on magazines that I can submit my work to.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I have had terrible luck and good luck in some cases. I’m not sure if I believe in karma – but I have had preconceived notions that luck comes in both sporadic and random times. Take my car accident for example – I was unlucky to be on the road at that time, but I am lucky to be alive.
Contact Info:
- Email: vloparnos@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/vasilisdarkroom
- Vogue Italia: https://www.vogue.it/photovogue/portfolio/?id=186221
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdLeP6yZR7TAcqagRTMJCAA
Image Credit:
Personal photo credit: @babalovisuals
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