Hollie Fernando's dreamy photos pay homage to basic work
There is a decidedly dreamlike quality that Hollie Fernando's photography fulfills. Inspired by the rich color palettes, lighting styles, and symbolic features traditionally seen in classic paintings, her images of people and places feel delicate and powerful at the same time.
The Brighton-based photographer discovered her creative streak at an early age, whether building fairy houses in her backyard or making mud cakes with her siblings, but her first introduction to photography came while standing in front of the camera.
All images courtesy of Open Doors Gallery unless otherwise noted
“When I was growing up, my father kept documenting us – he took photos and home videos,” says Fernando. "We have tons of physical photo albums and hundreds of hours of taping and I'm sure that would have directly contributed to how I wanted to document the world."
Fernando's father gave her her first film camera when she was 15, and she spent the following months asking her parents to let her switch schools so she could properly study photography. “When I was in the darkroom at my new school, it was game over for everything else. I practically lived there, I even had lunch there so I didn't have to stop printing, ”she says.
“I was completely intrigued by the way I could conjure up and tell my own stories, which at the time were mostly my little siblings and cousins in the forest behind our house, weird fairy tree people. And like everyone else, I was addicted to the feeling you get when you see your movie photos for the first time. "
Fernando chose to study photography at university but dropped out a year after graduating and chose to learn the ropes by assisting instead. Her decision seems to have paid off: In addition to her personal projects, she has worked on assignments for adidas, Rolling Stone and most recently on an editorial for Highsnobiety to mark Gucci and the coveted new outdoor collection from North Face.
Gucci x The North Face collaboration
While she's now more likely to photograph famous musicians or actors than her siblings, Fernando is still just as relaxed about getting the most out of her subjects. "I think growing up with my siblings and having them around at all times taught me when someone wasn't in the mood for a quick picture," she explains.
"I also hate being photographed myself, so I constantly try to make sure my subjects are comfortable and have a good time, as I am so aware of how awful it can be as an experience if you don't like it. At a shoot is about lots of chats, laughs, breaks and food, but in the end I always try to work with everyone I photograph so that together we can create something that matters to both of us. "
Ever since Fernando picked up her first film camera, she's still a die-hard analog fan, hand printing most of her work in the darkroom to create the ethereal aesthetic for which she has become known.
"I'm obsessed with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and would say they were my ultimate creative influence," she says. "I definitely find great inspiration in the symbols, allegories and colors of that time."
Beyond her client work, Fernando recently ventured into new directions, including the release of her first photo book as part of the Pandanta-born collaboration between Setanta Books and Open Doors Gallery, which celebrates the work of emerging and unpublished photo artists.
What's next for Fernando? "I want to do more exhibitions and photo books, so check out this room," she says.
holliefernando.com