Your Work Is An Extension Of You

Featuring Xavier Casanueva Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski

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Xavier Casanueva seeks to express his artistic perspective through unanticipated combinations and deconstruction of elements in a desire to constantly shape and redefine his unique vision. Xavier concentrates on the story, the point of view of the person in the frame. Documentary photography is one of the genres of his interest that allows Xavier to create authentic connections with people on set, driving them to self-expression.

The passion for juxtapositions and contrasts brings delicate shots from indoors and outdoors locations, from nature and cityscapes; his work is construed mainly in the domain of fashion while crossing the border to an authentic aesthetics of semi-documentary photography. Discovering the powerful collective fashion shoots, Xavier leaves a promise to explore this stylistic category.

Xavier Casanueva is a photographer based in Barcelona, a graduate from Fotodesign Barcelona School. For Xavier, studying was a defining experience, which enabled him to unlock personal potential and develop a professional language. WÜL contacted Xavier to discuss his approach to collaborations with other creators, building communication on set, and his aesthetics. Xavier shares with us his experience during the lockdown and the plans towards the end of 2020.

Barcelona

Let’s speak about your hometown. What do you like the most about the city? 

I think that what defines Barcelona also defines things I look for in a city to live in. It's the sum of tradition and modernity. It's small, connected to the sea, you can easily move anywhere, and it's quiet, despite being a big European city. 

What are some of the most emotional moments from growing up in the city?

Most of the important moments in my life related to this city end up connecting with some people in some neighborhoods, in some bars, or some streets. There are endless moments and very different situations.

‘Your work is an extension of you so that you do something honest. Be yourself, constantly learn, and try new things to help you grow as a person and as a photographer.’

Fotodesign Barcelona

You have a degree in fashion photography from Fotodesign Barcelona School. What are the skills you’ve learned during the period of studies that you apply to this day? 

The most important thing I learned, and for which I feel very grateful to Fotodesign, is being able to understand fashion from a personal point of view. Your work is an extension of you so that you do something honest. Be yourself, constantly learn, and try new things to help you grow as a person and as a photographer.

What was special or memorable about the School?

What defines the school is that it's a more personal type of education, and it seeks to develop your artistic skills, not just fashion photography.

Styling

Styling is a very prominent and important component in your fashion shoots. What are some of the principles you follow when working with stylists?

I try to create a balance between what I like and what defines me aesthetically. To get a different result, I choose to combine elements and deconstruct the style. Together with my team, we enjoy playing and mixing several ideas to get something in common. Besides, I care for details that contrast but combine well with each other. 

How do you compose a team and collaborate with stylists? 

Most times, I prefer to collaborate with someone because I like their work or because I think that for a certain idea or a project, they are the right person to carry it out. From experience working together, it's easy to function as a team again and get new projects done.

What is your personal preference for fashion designers? 

As for fashion designers, I think I'm attracted to those designers that have been important in the past but have continued to reinvent themselves over the years and have transgressed by being faithful to one style and changing the fashion world. 

Designers like Phoebe Philo, Martin Margiela, Miuccia Prada, and Helmut Lang are some of my favorites. There are also some current designers who are amazing like Hymi Nielsen, Ioannes, Coperni, Kepler, and it would be a dream to work with some of them in the future.

‘When there are factors that don't depend on me: like the weather, production setbacks, timing, or I can't get what I had in mind at first, I always try to stay calm and communicate with the models and the rest of the team.’

Fashion Editorials

You’ve started the year strong, publishing some fashion editorial, each with a very different approach, narrative, and story. 

I like that there are projects with a different focus and a different narrative. It's something that worries me: not to get stuck and try to make it something new for me.

What was the easiest or the hardest day of shooting for you? 

The easiest part, I think, comes in terms of the technical perspective of shooting. Taking pictures, thinking about a frame, or the kind of a picture I'm going to take. 

What are some of the guidelines or directions a person on the team can hear from you during the shooting process? 

When there are factors that don't depend on me: like the weather, production setbacks, timing, or I can't get what I had in mind at first, I always try to stay calm and communicate with the models and the rest of the team. I care a lot that we all have a good feeling at the time of the shooting, that it's relaxed and calm, so that I can approach the person and make sure we all go in the same direction. When you get that atmosphere/climate, I can see in the photos that I have achieved that feeling of closeness and tranquillity.

The Lockdown

A lot of people, on a global scale, went through certain steps during the pandemic such as the lockdown, certain limitations; and had to reevaluate and reassess the plans for this year. Could you share some insights and thoughts you had on your previous work or conclusions you reached for the next steps in 2020? 

I think it's great to be able to talk about this since it has affected all of us. I've spent a lot of time analyzing everything I've done so far and thinking about what direction to take in the future. It would be unfair to say that I have spent every stage thinking about work and demanding to be creative. It hasn't been like that, and there have been difficult moments when I was very worried about the situation. I have been able to let it happen and connect with this moment. 

What kept you busy?  

At the beginning of the lockdown, I started to meditate and exercise daily, and I felt peaceful because of that. Learning how to make recipes and spending time cooking, as well as taking advantage of all this free time, watching movies that helped me to disconnect (mostly movies by Aki Kaurismäki, Abbas Kiarostami, Sidney Lumet, Éric Rohmer, and Paolo Sorrentino), are some of the things that helped me to be well and feel calm and stimulated at the same time.

I would like to think that in 2020, I will be able to release ideas and projects that I have thought about during this stage, but without making too many demands on myself and assuming that it's a different year.

‘I seek for natural elements, but also industrial ones to create contrasts between the model of the shooting, the styling, and the site.’

Locations

What is important in location scouting? How do you connect the narrative and the story to the preferred location? 

I hunt quiet locations, not much into distractions. I'm very concerned about color and light, of course. I seek for natural elements, but also industrial ones to create contrasts between the model of the shooting, the styling, and the site.

‘I'm finishing a book with photos that I have never shared, mistakes, memories through my relationships, and spaces and structures that have become important to me over time.’

Upcoming Projects

What are your plans for this year? 

The most important thing is that everything goes well. I would like to be able to start projects I had in mind with several models at the same time. Try to get closer to a more documentary part and be able to reach people with a different point of view. To focus on stories that speak in plural, on how we empathize with each other, on being together and dealing with issues that are important to me. 

On the other hand, I want to get away from the big city profile, to carry out a project in Morocco or Finland, to meet different people, and to learn and get to know new approaches. To continue making stories that speak about me and to understand my work better through them. 

What are you working on right now?

I'm finishing a book with photos that I have never shared, mistakes, memories through my relationships, and spaces and structures that have become important to me over time. It would be really beautiful to continue and finish it by the end of the year.