Leica Masterclass: The Story of Ovidiu Selaru

Leica Masterclass: The Story of Ovidiu Selaru

Ovidiu is a 41-year-old confessed dreamer and award-winning visual storyteller. Born and raised in a family of artists in northern Romania, his love for landscape and passion for creating things with his own hands were encouraged and nurtured by his parents and inspired by his native environment. Ovi has been living and working in London for the past 16 years.

Growing up, I was captivated by watching my father’s creative process. From his drawings to painting his amazing works on canvas, he inspired me to dream of someday becoming an artist, just like him. Today, I pay homage to his talent and artistic spirit through my own work. 

I started unlocking my creative flow in photography around fourteen years ago when I began collecting emotions through my lens. With a background in machinery and a keen sense for exact sciences and the geometry of the world around us, I capture specific emotions by applying angles, colour and light. The street photography segment is the niche that I feel best identifies me, with a bit of an 'eternal snapshot' twist. I feel I have a different experience than the classic stream. I enjoy capturing the quintessence of someone's inner beauty and nostalgia. I constantly aim to metaphorically transpose my models’ souls into black-and-white memories that last for eternity.

My photographs capture a unique artistic quality, clearly defining my creative patterns. 

People say an image is worth a thousand words. I believe that words limit the inherent beauty captured through photography. I avoid limiting my interests to strictly portrait or landscape niches, I am constantly striving for new perspectives and remain fascinated by reading people and human behaviour, and by the angles and the architectural geometry of the space around me. I rely solely on instinct; I do not rationalise a movement or a motion, and I rarely set expectations; I let nature take its course, observe and capture these decisive moments in time. The sixth sense cannot be explained easily, talent cannot be x-rayed, and heartfelt art cannot be disliked. I am constantly exploring and learning new techniques, pushing boundaries within myself, and growing and developing my skills. I believe that if you follow your heart, and your instinct, and follow the light, you cannot fail to succeed in your own journey from a simple passion to a complex form of communication. 

I have been awarded first place in the British Photography Awards, and my images frequently appear and are commented on in Vogue, EYE-Photo magazine, Soul of Street magazine, and Photoshop magazine, among others. My camera is my ever-present companion on the streets of London. I never miss an opportunity to capture the unique flavour of a rain-soaked street landscape or the unspoken charm of a stunning sunset.

Date & Time: 9 - 10th December (1 and half day workshop) 

9th Dec, Monday

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Briefing
10:00AM - 10:30 AM: Travel to Shooting Session
10:30AM - 12:30 PM: Shoot
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Shoot 
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Debriefing and end of shoot

10th Dec, Tuesday

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Photo Reviews
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM: Lunch
1:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Editing & Review

Meet-up Location:

Leica Store, Avenue K