Kosara Stefanova

“The fragments of each movement captured by Kosara’s lens narrate the personal experience and emotion of her creative journey. It all began in the eighth grade with slow shutter speeds and her first professional analog camera—Praktica. She recounts:

‘…My grandfather, who was an amateur photographer, showed me the basics. Together, we took pictures and later developed them under a green lamp in the bathroom at home. He explained the B-shutter speed and how you could place a toothpick on the shutter button and let the camera “capture” the movement of the stars all night long. I found that incredibly fascinating and started experimenting with the analog camera. I photographed car headlights that left light trails behind, and one day I wondered what it would be like to photograph people using the B-speed. I experimented with myself and a flashlight, making self-portraits and trying to capture different scenes, like leaving my body. It was really challenging, and out of 36 shots, only 1 or 2 turned out well. Eventually, I began photographing models.’

Kosara has always been drawn to photographing women with interesting and soulful expressions, aiming to find their best angles. The beauty of the female body, which can resemble dunes from certain angles and with the right lighting, also attracts her photographic eye. When there is movement in the image, the composition becomes even more captivating.

As an experienced photographer, Kosara always strives to connect with her models, inspire them, and make them feel comfortable. She is interested in what music they like and what will help them find comfort during the photoshoot. She notes that she enjoys photographing people who are not naturally drawn to standing in front of the camera as models. She loves these challenges, especially photographing those who consider themselves unphotogenic. Modest by nature, Kosara humorously refers to herself as a hunter who, like any good hunter, seeks “difficult prey.”

A fan of black-and-white photography, she appreciates its clarity and powerful impact on the viewer. Kosara is meticulous in her work, striving for clean and direct compositions. As both a photographer and an interior designer, she always asks herself when selecting a frame from a photoshoot:
– “Would I hang this on my wall?” If the answer is “yes,” she feels satisfied with the result.

Everything can inspire her: happiness, depression, a song, a poem, an essay, or a novel. Sometimes, when she is shooting, she consciously allows herself to relax into the experience, as this helps her breathe life into the image… capturing it in a way that ensures it remains, rather than drifting away like a grain of sand from a dune.

Tsvetelina Emilova ANAstasova

Advertising Artists

biography

Kosara Stefanova is a multidisciplinary artist with extensive experience in photography, interior design, and directing. She is the founder of Studio Straff, where she works as an interior designer and creative director, while also developing projects in contemporary and digital art.

Over the years, she has participated in numerous exhibitions and competitions, including “Paperchase/Support papier” and “Song for the Human.” In April 2024, Kosara will hold her first solo photography exhibition, “DUNE,” at Gallery 2.0 in Sofia. The exhibition will feature 21 photographs dedicated to the beauty, complexity, and transience of the female body.

For Kosara, art is as essential as oxygen is to life. The creative process is not just an expression of ideas but a deep inner necessity that defines her very being. Today, her works—from photography to film and contemporary art installations—reflect her ongoing search for beauty, emotion, and meaning in the world around us.

2022 – Present: New Bulgarian University (NBU), Master’s degree in Directing

2014 – 2015: New Bulgarian University (NBU), Master’s degree in Spatial Design

2009 – 2012: International Business School (MIBS), Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration

2005 – 2009: National Vocational High School of Printing and Photography (NPGPF), Secondary Specialization in Photography

selected works

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