Tania Ciesler is a professional photographer living in Dubai for just over one year.  She’s been photographing people and places since a young age. As many young people, Tania chose to study in a field that pleased her parents but soon realized her true passion was photography. Tania graduated from a top photography school in Madrid, Spain and has been practicing her craft for many years.

I recently caught up with Tania in JVT where she has been living since her arrival in July 2012.  Tania tells me that she decided images were her passion when she was around 14 years old. Since then, photography has always been her number one priority. Tania’s focus is on portraits and still life.  She enjoys all types of assignments, photographing facilities, decorations, family portraits, and events to mention just a few. She’d like to return to street photography here in the UAE but she finds it hard to cope with the hot weather. “Twice I have been on the verge of fainting while working. Can you imagine the client’s face if the photographer collapses in the middle of an outdoor session?” she says with a hearty chuckle.  “Thankfully, with lots of water and other tricks, I’ve managed to avoid a scene,” she adds with another laugh.

Back home, Tania used to photograph a lot of books, for models and actors.  Since coming to Dubai, she’s done more work with babies, families and pets. Talking about some of her recent projects, she told me that her most memorable photo session here in the UAE was her first model – a beautiful baby girl. “She has the most amazing personality and light about her. She looks just gorgeous! This little girl has it all!” comments the photographer.

Tania admits that she is still discovering her way around here in the UAE. On one hand, she misses being in contact with a more lush and mountainous nature but she likes the sense of space and quiet she has found in JVT. “I have discovered very nice, friendly and helpful people through the JVT pages,” remarked Tania. “To this day it still amazes me that people are so willing to help each other. I think this is very unique to this area, perhaps because of the temporary isolation, until the place is fully and well connected to the main roads, but it is heartwarming.”

We also asked Tania for a little advice for the novice photographer. Here’s what she says: “Just work for free with a few experienced photographers, no school on earth can give you the insights of this profession like someone who has been photographing for a long time.  She also advises would-be photographers to remember that good photos tell a story.  “I know lots of photographers who are technically savvy, very efficient, but very few who are photographers at heart. In my view, a photographer needs to express through the images, translate into light a state of mind, a wish, a secret, and ideal, in short, you are uncovering your inner world through the images that surround you, you borrow it, give it your light, your color, your mood and put it out there for somebody to feel moved by it…pretty tough,” admits Tania.

If going pro, Tania says you should consider which photographic field you are most drawn to. Each will have their own technical requirements and rewards she explains. A wild life photographer can spend many lonely days in a lake with water up to the waist until he or she can catch that one marvelous shot of a rare bird species, a sport photographer will need to be very intuitive and fast, a journalistic photographer will need to be brave and mix with people in the most boring or extreme situations, a fashion photographer needs to be creative and requires to work with a team.

Tania is clearly passionate about her work. She can’t imagine going a single day without taking a photo. She sees everything else about her new life in the UAE, whether making friends or visiting new places, as a bonus to her fully satisfying profession. Tania is working on an exhibition of her work. We’ll tell you the date as soon as we know!

 PS – If you’re a bona fide JVT Residents, just let Tania know and she’ll give you a 10% discount off her regular prices. View Tania’s work on her website.  She’s also on Facebook !