I’m not a mind reader. Which is a shame, because I’m fascinated with the working minds of other creatives. Thankfully, photography is a way of understanding what thoughts a person has and how they see the world. In this interview, we’re all delving into the wonderfully creative mind of fine art photographer Jovana Rikalo.

Rikalo’s photography is akin to the perfect cocktail. Vibrant, experimental, daring and delicious to consume. Like a cocktail, her works take time to perfect. There’s lots of trial and error. Sometimes it may not work, but when it does, the results are simply stunning.

Her work has a level of consistency that’s difficult to achieve. It’s not easy coming up with larger than life concepts, communicating them to others and delivering each frame exactly how you envisioned them. Yet, Rikalo hits home run after home run.

I caught up with her to learn more about her creative process. In this conversation, she shares how her ideas materialize, how she works with a team and what it takes to deliver the final product.

meet Jovana Rikalo

Jovana Rikalo is a fine art portrait photographer from Serbia. Beyond her personal creative endeavors, she also works with reputable brands to help raise awareness for their products. Rikalo’s work has been featured by the likes of Vogue, Adobe, Canon and many more. She is available for both public and virtual presentations, so get in touch!

Them Frames: Hey Jovana! What are you working on at the moment with your photography?

Jovana Rikalo: Hey! I am doing many different things at the moment. I’m holding workshops abroad and in my country, creating campaigns for brands and working on my new website where I will offer new services.

I’m also focusing on a personal art project every month where I tap into my imagination and create new stories to tell.

Them Frames: Let’s talk about your fine art photography. What helps your mind come up with these beautiful, detailed concepts?

Jovana Rikalo: I love fine art photography! This style is special to me because it gives me the freedom to play with my imagination and show real emotions. I am mostly inspired by people, nature and life. I convert things that happen in life into my art and aim to show others that we are all the same.

Them Frames: Because there’s so much detail, how long does it take to complete one of your images? Do you enjoy the full creative process?

Jovana Rikalo: Yes! It’s the process that inspires me the most. I enjoy planning, scouting locations, finding models, communicating the concept, ordering props, preparing dresses and jewelry, doing the photoshoot and editing the final frame.

There are a lot of things happening behind the scenes and people usually think it’s just one click of the shutter. No, it is a long process and sometimes it takes about a month to prepare and finish all tasks.

Them Frames: There’s a photo of a man and a woman, sitting at a table underwater. Can you talk to us about how this image was possible and what you liked about the concept?

Jovana Rikalo: This is currently my favorite image! I’ve been dreaming about this concept since 2014 and finally made it happen! I tweaked the aseathic a little bit, but essentially I wanted to have a table and chairs decorated underwater.

The best part was planning the concept with a girl who does table decor. We planned which elements to use, had to check if some of them would float and learn how to tie them.

For the shoot, we had to repeat poses for each frame. Sometimes it would take up to 20 minutes (with breaks). Communicating with models underwater wasn’t easy, but it’s much easier if you plan the details in advance .

Them Frames: Do you sketch your concepts before making the photographs? Or do you prefer to go with the flow and see what comes naturally when creating and editing?

Jovana Rikalo: Yes, I always sketch! By sketching I can see and feel a concept much better and assess if there’s something I have to change. I always have a plan B if something doesn’t go how we wanted.

Editing is a slightly different story. 50% goes like I imagined, and the rest I do naturally. Most of the time, new ideas come into my mind when editing. I find it so interesting to play along with the process.

Them Frames: I want to talk about the clothing your models wear. It’s beautiful! Do you pick the clothing and where do you tend to source the garments from?

Jovana Rikalo: Yes, while I am planning a concept, I am thinking about which outfits fit the concept the most. It’s an important part of the process and says a lot about the story you want to tell.

I am partnering with a few designers whose dresses I truly adore and that match my style. I’ll often find clothing in person and sometimes I’ll order online.

Them Frames: If you could pick a song or album to be the soundtrack of your fine art photography, what would it be and why?

Jovana Rikalo: Ugh, hard question! When it comes to a music video, I’m in love with Tylor Swift- Cardigan, it reflects fine art photography so much!

Them Frames: Finally, please finish this sentence: I need photography in my life because…

Jovana Rikalo: we’re all a story worth seeing. Like how we speak when we need to, photography is my way to document emotions that we can look at forever.

You can see more work from Jovana Rikola by visiting her website, Facebook, X and Instagram.

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