Romanian Dragos Ionesco creates cinematic portraits inspired by cinematography and driven by his passion for film. Drawing from classic greats and recent artists Ionesco’s portrait narratives are emotive and intriguing.
Hey! Please introduce yourself and what you do!
Hi, I’m Dragos Ionescu and I’m a 23 years old portrait photographer based in London. I moved here a few years ago from a small city in Romania because London offers many opportunities for artists to grow and prosper. My photographic approach is cinematic and moody as I draw inspiration from cinematography and painting. Later this year I will graduate from University of East London where I studied BA Photography.
What is it about your practice that you find so exciting and keeps you hooked?
The unexpected. I’m still quite new to portrait photography so I find everything to be exciting. But I really love it when unexpected moments occur, like when I get that great idea late at night or when I have the chance to meet interesting people who inspire me to create.
If you could experiment with any other medium, what would you choose?
Film (cinematography). I feel like this is the natural direction that I am headed towards but right now I try to focus on perfecting my still images and I try to continue experimenting with photography.
Where do you get your daily inspiration?
My main inspiration usually comes from films or television series, I find it fascinating how acting, lighting, colours and props are all brought together to tell a story and convey atmospheres to the viewers.
Are there any artists/photographers/writers/filmmakers or musicians where you have in mind when looking at creating new works?
I love the colours and light qualities present in the works of the Dutch Masters (mainly Rembrandt van Rijn). David Lynch’s cinematic ‘wackiness’ has influenced my final major project for University. When it comes to inspiration from photography, lately I’ve been really obsessed with the portraits taken by Nadav Kander and Marco Grob.
What’s next for you?
I will be showcasing my final major project in the ‘Surface’ exhibition at Free Range from the 23rd of June. Also, I am honoured to be one of the finalists in the AOP Student Awards 2016 so I will have one of my photographs exhibited at The Printspace from the 28th of July. After graduation I hope to turn my passion into a career and work as a commercial photographer in advertising and editorial.
Website: www.idragos.co.uk
Instagram: @dragosionescuphoto
Twitter: www.twitter.com/photodragos
