why we travel: a conversation with emilie ristevski part one
Emilie Ristevski’s dreamy photographs are instantly recognisable. With more than a million followers on instagram, her pastel-hued compositions facilitate via phone screen a magical escape to an ethereal world. Emilie’s creative pursuits have carried her all over the world, from Iceland’s untouched glaciers to the desert plains of Namibia. Out at Mungo National Park, we had the privilege of sitting down with Emilie to talk about who she is as a photographer, what gets her heart racing, and how to get that perfect shot.
Below, the first instalment of our two-part conversation with Emilie.
Emilie, we’ve found ourselves in Mungo National Park, which is a bit of a dreamscape really, and one that not a lot of people have heard of it. Can you explain to people that haven’t heard of it before what it’s like to be here?
I’m so excited to be here. Mungo is somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for such a long time. I saw photos of it years ago and it just looked surreal, like another planet. It feels like you’re on the moon and, the colours are just amazing. I’ve actually been blown away by how incredible it is and how much more there is to see. The sand dunes, and that golden light we were able to catch in the morning just blew me away. Watching that moon rise was one of the most special things. This morning we actually watched the moon set, and were treated to beautiful pastel pink colours – there’s honestly nothing like it. Especially in Australia, it’s so nice to connect to these landscapes. We’ve got so much diversity, and I feel like a lot of us don’t get out there and see the real hidden beauty we have everywhere.
Absolutely. It’s been a huge surprise, and we travelled quite far – it’s about 11- or 12-hour’s drive from Sydney – and it’s got so much to offer in terms of a flat landscape. What do you do when there are so many beautiful options to shoot? For instance, on this trip, we had the full moon rising, and then behind us we also had a pastel sunset, and it’s so hard to choose which one to shoot! It’s a bit of a luxury to be spoilt for choice when it comes to images. What is your preference in situations like these?
For me, light is everything. My work is always driven by light. It’s about observing how the light changes and the landscape and brings it to life. These desert landscapes particularly totally transform. In the middle of the day, the sun is so harsh, but as soon as it comes over the horizon, everything changes. It’s funny watching it sometimes, it can feel like the sun dips below the horizon and that glow disappears. But that blue hour will sometimes come later and it’s almost like another sunset that just keeps going with pastel blues, purples, and pinks. It can be tricky to know which way to shoot, because a lot of people want to shoot the sunset and will face their cameras towards the sun. But a lot of the time, it can be really tricky to shoot in direct sunlight, as highlights are blown out. I sometimes like to flip my perspective and look at what’s happening behind me. When you turn around, you get what you call a reverse sunset, so you’ll have those beautiful pastel tones emerging. It’s about always paying attention, because the light is constantly changing. I do love those softer, more gentle colours that help to evoke emotion. Especially with my editing style, I can really play and make them warmer or cooler. Those colours have a big impact on emotion. I think it’s sometimes overlooked how much colour can dictate your work and the power they have to make you feel something.
Your images are immediately recognisable, and you’ve created such a strong brand around magical images that capture colour. Colour Is very important, and its obvious you have an arts background. If you had to choose one colour, what would it be?
It’s so tricky. I love those oranges, and purples, and pinks, because together you can really create a nice pastel colour scheme. At the same time, I go through phases. My work can be really warm, but then, I might go into more blues, or purples, and sometimes even those darker tones, bringing in more shadow or darker elements into my work. It’s so hard to choose because with travel in general, you’re shooting all different types of things. It’s nice to have that versatility to shoot different landscapes and still find a way to make it work in my style.
Do you think that you can find magic in any landscape? Or do you have to seek out the ‘wow’ landscapes, like Machu Pichu or Uluru? How do you find the magic in an everyday landscape?
For me, travel was never intentional – it evolved slowly and over time. It was always about connecting with nature and slowing down to notice the little details. Especially with photography, we want to go out there and go to those iconic spots. And they are really beautiful to shoot, and sometimes really easy to shoot. You put up your camera and immediately, that landscape’s doing all the hard work for you – you can’t take a bad photo. But there are subtleties to our landscapes that people don’t always pick up. I honestly think there’s so much in Australia that we don’t know about. I know a lot of people are in a rush to go overseas to see all the beautiful places we have on our planet, but for me, it’s always been about Australia - our backyard – because that’s where it started for me, doing little trips from my local area and really slowing down and experiencing a place to see that every landscape has the ability to become magical with the right light and the right composition. That feeling can really be created anywhere.
“for me, it’s always been about Australia - our backyard – because that’s where it started for me, doing little trips from my local area and really slowing down and experiencing a place to see that every landscape has the ability to become magical with the right light and the right composition. That feeling can really be created anywhere.”
It’s been wonderful to watch you work and see how creative you can be. There are some flat landscapes here in Mungo which you look at and are not quite sure how you can capture it in the right way. What you did, was capture the light and sit amongst the blades of grass that were looking really golden to create some beautiful details. It’s finding those small details and honing in on that which really sets your work apart. How much creativity do you need to be a photographer? Is it just about being observant? It’s almost like a meditation in a way, to observe the scene and find the right details to pull out.
It is a skill in itself to be observant and see what a landscape can do. Often, I find, especially shooting a sunrise, you’ll turn up somewhere and the sun isn’t up yet, and things are looking a little dull as you’re trying to find those compositions. As soon as that light comes, it changes everything. The things I look for when I’m composing the image I find when walking around. I think often people get stuck in one spot and don’t play with composition. Try shooting lower, or higher. Doing a little scout around the whole area you’re shooting can really help. Pulling out your phone is a really easy way to check what you can create. All the elements of design I learnt early on also really helped shape my work – looking at symmetry, balance, tone, and textures. All of those things, when you find the right balance of all those elements, make a beautiful image.
If you go on a shoot, how many days does it take to get that perfect image you want? Or can it be as simple as an hour in a landscape and then you’ve got it?
Every situation is different. Sometimes you’re really lucky, and you do get that feeling of knowing you’ve got something you’re happy with. It’s such a fulfilling experience, knowing deep inside that you’re happy with the photo. Sometimes you’re just lucky and that just happens – all the elements just work together. And other times, it doesn’t happen, and it’s hard. There are so many variables – the weather might not be great, or the compositions might be challenging. Even in Mungo, it’s so beautiful, but photographically it is difficult to shoot. Finding those compositions isn’t easy, it’s not right in front of you and you do have to really look for it.
How do you know that you’ve got the perfect shot? Do you look at the camera and get goosebumps? Is that the test?
Sometimes yes, you know. You get this feeling inside and you’re like ‘yes, that’s it’. And other times no. I find being considered, especially with my workflow, and having time to separate yourself from when you’ve captured it, can be helpful. Editing is really a process in itself – it’s like a whole other artform. It’s very subjective and depends on your mood. Once you go through and review your images, you might realise that the shot isn’t the one you expected it to be. You can do a lot of editing that can totally reshape the image and create amazing results. It’s about a balance between the shooting and editing processes.
Follow Emilie’s work on instagram, @helloemilie.