I’m Quite Loud, I'm Very Impulsive
Featuring Ana Cuba Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski
Website Instagram
Perpetually complicating her work by using objects, fruits, and still life photographic elements, Ana merges fashion with fantasy. Natural elements are a frequent theme, the drops of water, flowers, the outdoors scenery add a rich color palette to the narrative. Ana brilliantly juxtaposes in her various projects intense sexuality to a nude body as an art object, exploring the boundaries and stretching the senses of the viewer. Through the layers of complexity, we discover the cultural influence on Ana’s work and her love of nature.
Ana Cuba grew up in Zaragoza, Spain, as an adult she moved to Barcelona for Media Studies. She moves once again to work as a photo editor in London before deciding to start her freelance career as a photographer. We speak with Ana about her career path, the decision to leave an office job, adapting to different cultures and the British skies, the Trekstock charity. Ana tells about her passion for innovation and surrealism, and we finish with some tips to the emerging photographers. Ana worked with clients like Stella McCartney, Adidas, AnOther Magazine, Refinery29, and more.
‘I think working as a picture editor shaped my career in a different way to other photographers. Basically, for 3 years, I was the client, I was the one commissioning work, and I learned a lot from that experience.’
Hi Ana, we’re excited to have you on WÜL! How is your day planned out today?
Hey there! Well, I'm working from home today. I don't have a studio, so if I'm not shooting, I'm most likely at home pottering around.
Your experience before turning to photography included Art Direction and Photo Editing. Tell about your 3 years as a Photo Editor at Monocle and Amuse and the office routine?
I loved working as a picture editor. It was a perfect gig for me back then! I had only graduated in Media Studies in Barcelona, I was 21, and I got an internship at Monocle Magazine back in 2011. I thought I was moving to London for only 3 months, and it's been almost 9 years... freaks me out to think about it! I have this hate/love relationship with London, always wanted to live here, but sometimes I think it's got a bit out of hand... I miss Spain very badly...
Going back to your question, sorry, I think working as a picture editor shaped my career in a different way to other photographers. Basically, for 3 years, I was the client, I was the one commissioning work, and I learned a lot from that experience. Also, I developed a network of amazingly talented photographers, something that back then, made me feel also very insecure like I could never be a freelance photographer and make an actual living. I still had lots to learn and work on before making the jump to freelancing in 2015, when I quit my job as a photo director at Vice channel, Amuse.
‘I am quite loud, I have a big mouth, I'm very impulsive at points, and can even be considered rude cause I can be quite straightforward...’
123
What was the hardest part to decide to leave a full-time job and enroll in freelance photography?
Hmm, the uncertainty. I really thought I was going to be a massive failure! This huge insecurity lasted (and probably it's still with me!) a good couple of years. I was saying yes to any photo job, and I actually think it was a good experience to go through... I did shoot some terrible stuff, but despite that, I was and am always grateful to get paid to take pictures.
As a Spanish born, what are some of the main characteristics that define you as a person and a professional, especially in contrast to currently living and working in London?
Professionally, getting used to the light in here took time. Not just the climate... more the different quality of light that London offers. I come from a sunny place, while I was a student in Barcelona, I would wait and shoot at home when direct hard light would come in through the window... this is not something you can do here. I never understood growing up how lucky I was to see blue skies almost every day of my life...! I had to learn to use flash or other kinds of artificial lighting in London, the flat light isn't really something I'm happy to do all the time... it's beautiful, but sometimes I need more drama.
And about character... that's a daily struggle. I am quite loud, I have a big mouth, I'm very impulsive at points, and can even be considered rude cause I can be quite straightforward... all these are traits that I feel aren't that common within British culture, I did struggle loads when I moved here... but also, I was a young adult back then, not sure if I have adapted to Britishness or I have stopped worrying as I am more confident now with who I am, or maybe I'm not such a big mouth anymore, I honestly can't tell... it's been too long...
‘I guess I love surrealism, I like things out of the ordinary, I value originality.’
Last year, you participated in fundraising for young adults facing cancer. Tell about this pro bono activity, how did you get involved?
One of my commercial clients, clothing brand Whistles, was one of the organisers of this trek in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains to raise money for a charity called Trekstock, which raises money to help young adults with cancer. They invited me and I said yes! I was quite lucky, cause selling photographic prints is a pretty straight forward way of raising money... other people like writers or fashion stylists struggled a bit more. I'm really thankful to everyone who donated money for this, I had to do a lot of chasing and hustling, but it was worth every minute of it!
What was one of the most inspirational sets you worked on? What was special about it?
That's a hard question, I love beauty, and that can obviously be found in the eye of the viewer... in my case, desertic landscapes fascinate me, but it's not like I can have access to those all the time... shooting in the Salta province in Argentina has been my favourite set and place I've seen... I did this small project about the Tolar Grande town there, shot the residents as well as the landscapes... such a surrealistic place.
I guess I love surrealism, I like things out of the ordinary, I value originality (very naive of me, I know...), I search for the different, and I hope it can be seen in my work too, from the model choices when it's fashion, to the composition, the lighting... I don't like repeating myself too often. I get bored, I'm impulsive like I said!
One of my commercial clients, clothing brand Whistles, was one of the organisers of this trek in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains to raise money for a charity called Trekstock, which raises money to help young adults with cancer. They invited me and I said yes! I was quite lucky, cause selling photographic prints is a pretty straight forward way of raising money... other people like writers or fashion stylists struggled a bit more. I'm really thankful to everyone who donated money for this, I had to do a lot of chasing and hustling, but it was worth every minute of it!
What was one of the most inspirational sets you worked on? What was special about it?
That's a hard question, I love beauty, and that can obviously be found in the eye of the viewer... in my case, desertic landscapes fascinate me, but it's not like I can have access to those all the time... shooting in the Salta province in Argentina has been my favourite set and place I've seen... I did this small project about the Tolar Grande town there, shot the residents as well as the landscapes... such a surrealistic place.
I guess I love surrealism, I like things out of the ordinary, I value originality (very naive of me, I know...), I search for the different, and I hope it can be seen in my work too, from the model choices when it's fashion, to the composition, the lighting... I don't like repeating myself too often. I get bored, I'm impulsive like I said!
What are some of the influences from the realm of painting on your love of a specific aesthetic?
Georgia O'Keeffe and her landscapes... Edward Hopper and his windows, Johannes Vermeer and his light, and contemporaries Toyin Ojih Odutola and her beautiful portraits, Falk Gernegroß and her dreamy impossible women, whom I recently discovered through Instagram.
What would be 3 tips you can offer to the emerging photographer to find their first commissioned work in the new city?
Hustle! Email people, and if they don't reply, email them again, chasing is a huge part of this job...
Try to print your work to show to people, it really makes a difference. Doesn't need to be a super fancy portfolio book, a small box of prints sometimes is even better!
And if you haven't been commissioned much yet, try to create work that suits the kind of commissions you're after... it sounds dumb, but many picture editors need to see you can do the picture before trusting you (which is fair!), and the only way at the beginning is creating those images yourself.
What contributes to the feeling of happiness, or what makes you happy?
‘Having the time to have a nap in the middle of the day is one of my favourite things in life. Such a Spanish cliché, I know…’
What’s next?
I wish I knew... I guess figuring out how to start depends so much on being physically in London, which is one of my aims this year.
