Photoshoot + Interview: 'Portraits of Nostalgia' by Lina Kay Photography

We had the honour of featuring Lina Kay's stunning photography as early as 2013, during Whim's beginnings, and are beyond excited to bring you some of her latest work: 'Portraits of Nostalgia'.

In this series, Lina worked with talents such as model Eva Derbas and Flower with Vintage flower crown design to produce portraits with an ethereal, old world charm.

We also had the pleasure of interviewing Lina to find out more about her latest series, as well as her career. Keep scrolling to find out more!

Q: Congratulations on your latest beautiful work! We've had the pleasure of showcasing your photography as early as 2013. How do you think your work has changed since then? What has your journey been like over these past 6 years?

A: Thank you so much! I took some time off after having my daughter and it gave me some time to figure out what I wanted to do with my work and if I wanted to continue to do what I was doing in the style that I was doing it in.

I realised that portraiture is my passion and that's where my heart is. I was 100% a locations photographer because I loved to work with natural light and have nature as my backdrop. But I have recently fallen in my love with studio portraits because it allows me to focus on the subject and nothing else. I only love doing studio work if it's done in an artistic and creative way. I can't find the passion for studio editorial work.

Q: We adore your featured shoot, 'Portraits of Nostalgia'. What was the inspiration behind this series?

A: I have always been very much inspired by 1800s and 1700s portraits, whether they were painted or photographed. My fave photographer from that time was a female photographer by the name of Julia Margaret Cameron. She also used soft focus in her imagery which made her pictures look like a dream. This series, "Portraits of Nostagia", was very much inspired by those times. I often feel nostalgic over an era I spent no time in but feel like I have. I am very connected to the women in those portraits and often honour them by using them as inspiration but still adding a little "Lina Kay" to the photos.

Q: Please tell us more about the process of planning and capturing these photos.

A: I wanted someone young and very innocent-looking for this series as I didn't want to sexualise the images in any way at all. I also wanted someone who was very familiar with me and whom I was familiar with because the shoot was very intimate and I wanted to capture the soul of my subject, so I asked my niece Eva to be a part of this journey with me and she was thrilled.

I didn't allow any hair, makeup or wardrobe styling either because again, I wanted her to be completely comfortable and I didn't want to risk it turning into a "fashion" shoot. I needed to keep everything to an absolute minimum. Hair, makeup and wardrobe was done by me, except for the hair crown which was handmade by another creative and dropped off at my house. I really enjoyed the simplicity of the process for this shoot because I am used to working with a team.

Q: What do you hope to achieve with your photography by the end of this year? Do you have any exciting, upcoming plans you'd like to share with us?

A: I'm really lucky to still have agencies that want to work with me even after being away for a while, so I am really excited to work with them again and continue to build my portfolio. This year you will see a lot more "fine art" portraits from me because that's where my passion lies. I will also be working on a series to exhibit in a gallery hopefully by mid-next year!

We want to thank Lina for taking the time to share her beautiful work with us, as well as for answering our questions. Please check out more incredible photography by Lina by visiting her website or following along on Facebook and Instagram. Enjoy!.Credits: Model: Eva Derbas | Flower Crown Design: Flower with Vintage | Photography and Editing: Lina Kay Photography