"My goal for 2011 is for my name to be recognized and to be pronounced/spelled correctly," Toronto fashion-turned-glamour photographer Peter Michailidis types (oh, the irony!). Of course, being a Bevilacqua, I can empathize - being called and spelt "Bevilacova," "Bevilaqua (most common)," and (my fave) "Becoolapoop" (something along those lines). Yes, having a long name surely spurs some disadvantages, disadvantages so trivial that matters are left misunderstood or unseen; but, with a long last name, others may not exactly remember how your last name sounds, but they somehow always remember that it belongs to you. And when you're an artiste like Peter - whose masterpieces have been splashed across newspapers and magazines internationally - how can you miss him? Working from his foreign Japan to native Toronto, experimenting with fashion then glamour, and being published from Shave to Inside Fitness, noone should dare to utter Peter lacks versatility or colour. And next time you need a photographer to shoot for your fashion show, wedding, or that little gift you're going to give your husband (*wink, wink), remember it's Peter Michailidis. Remember it, BITCH :)
V.B. So, how did you go from a major in "Film & Television" to a career dedicated for "photography"? Did your 3-year excursion to Japan somehow inspire you to expand your horizons and experiment with different levels of artistry?
P.M. After graduating college, I decided to go into the television industry working for companies like CTV and The Score. After realizing I wasn't made for TV, I flew to Japan for 3 years to teach English and travel the world. I always had an interest in photography, but it was in Tokyo when I bought my first DSLR (a Nikon D50) and started to shoot street photography which lead street fashion - and the rest is history.
V.B. Working with models and fashion designers in Japan, how would you say the Japan and Toronto/Canadian industries are distinct or similar to eachother? Is one industry better or worse?
P.M. Japan's fashion industry is upside-down, in a good way. Everyone seems to want to be different from one another, which makes designers come out with the craziest designs. You could easily walk down the streets of Shibuya and see someone wearing jean shorts with green and purple striped leggings underneath, with an Elmo t-shirt and scarf overtop. Things that don't really go together in some societies are accepted there. I would say the industry in Japan is much better, because it's constantly changing, and you never know where it'll go. Men seem to be more 'metrosexual,' which allows more creative designs.
V.B. You decided to jump from shooting Japan's edgy fashion to Toronto's sexy glamour scenes. Why the change?
P.M. Once I got back into my hometown of Toronto, I noticed glamour seemed to get a bit more attention and brought in a lot more business.
V.B. What would you say is your favourite type of photography i.e. fashion, glamour, wedding, portrait, stock, fitness, etc. and why?
P.M. I love glamour photography the most, because I've always been interested in mags like Maxim, Nuts, and Playboy, and I feel I have acquired an eye to expand the business.
V.B. Where have you been published?
P.M. I've been published in several magazines including a cover shot in Shave Magazine and a few shots in Inside Fitness, plus many websites internationally.
V.B. You are planning to shoot for Overxxxposed, right? What's your perspective on shooting nudity or raw, sensual images? Where do you draw the line between "artistic" and "adult," or are both terms somehow synonymous?
P.M. To be totally honest, there is a very fine line from artistic to porn, because artistic can easily be adult. I'm still trying to figure it out.
V.B. You have developed a model contact list and project list for 2011. Can you give us any hints as to what kinds of projects you will be asking us to participate in?
P.M. I wanted to create this list for models looking for all sorts of work. I constantly have business owners who need talent, so this is an effective way of getting in touch with models and making them aware. I also have specials or projects I need help with. For anyone interested, hit me at p.michailidis@hotmail.com.
V.B. What are your goals (photography or not) for the future? Any last words?
P.M. I'm doing this to create something new and different. I enjoy helping build portfolios and adding an image that's unique in a model's portfolio - to help them stand out. My goal for 2011 is for my name to be recognized and to be pronounced/spelled correctly; then once that's accomplished, hopefully it'll be remembered :D There will soon me a massive change to petermichailidis.com - including additional media (besides photography), forums to help photographers and models, and a social community. Make sure to keep posted.
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