Sharing Intimacy Through Her Lens, Biata Shem-Tov Captures Vulnerability with Photography
A RISING PHOTOGRAPHER EXPLORING INTIMACY AND SELF-LOVE — Biata Shem-Tov takes portraits that are warm, playing with soft light and shadow. The people posing radiate positivity and comfort, and the whole environment feels safe.
Biata’s true passion for photography started when she began helping her father work in his studio over quarantine, after being sent home from Australia due to COVID-19. She started out focusing on the marketing aspect of his work, but through his teaching, she began to really enjoy taking pictures. Her father gave her his old camera, and she began doing photography on her own terms from there.
Growing up going with her father to his studio in Chicago, he often took pictures of Biata. She found this annoying at the time, but after realizing how much she loved photography, it became a bonding experience for the two of them. “We haven't been super close in the past, but now, ever since then, we've just been really, really close,” Biata says.
Biata found her photography style by having conversations with her friend Britt about taking boudoir pictures of each other. But after being sent home from Australia, they weren’t able to follow through with their plan. However, once she moved into a new house in Los Angeles, she was immediately inspired by her new room, and took Britt’s photos in the new space. “I did her photos, and that night, she showed it to all her roommates and I showed it to my roommates and then it just spiraled; all of her roommates were wanting to book a shoot,” she says. This was very exciting, but nerve-racking at the same time, as she had only recently started taking photos. “Ever since then, it's just been growing super naturally,” she adds. She wasn’t sure originally if she would be able to share the photos she was taking because of their intimacy, but many of the people modeling gave permission for her to share them. Sharing her work gave her the chance to hear other people’s perspective on self-love as well.
When asked why she likes capturing people in a vulnerable and intimate setting, Biata responds, “I think a lot of it comes from myself. There are times where l face certain vulnerabilities and it comes from the way I feel about my body. So I want to give that to other people and have them go through that same experience, because I just think it's such an important thing to go through with yourself. It's just really cool. It's just me and the other person in the room and it's just super intimate, and I'm grateful that they let me in. That's nice. It's a special thing. Obviously not everyone opens up to the same extent, but definitely there have been instances where people just really open up to me about how they feel about their bodies.” Biata uses her photography as a way to connect with other people, and help them connect to themselves in the process.
Biata does as much as she can to make her models feel as comfortable as possible: because not everyone is comfortable wearing lingerie, she tells people to bring whatever clothes feel the best to them. She starts with conversation, and sometimes offers her models a drink to help ease the nerves. In addition, she always gives people the option to listen to music and take breaks to talk when necessary. “My dad always told me that it's not just about taking the photos,” Biata remincisces. “He was like, ‘Anyone can just go take a picture of somebody. You have to talk to them, make them feel comfortable.’ That's what I love about it is getting to know the person. He says he can see them physically open up and just get more comfortable as they go on.”
The artist explores film photography along with digital, as well. She always takes photos with her digital camera first in order to ensure that the shoot will be successful and find out which poses work best for people before taking any on film. “Film is tricky,” she explains. “It always makes me nervous. I never want to not provide the service that I'm offering.”
Biata hopes that her work can have a positive impact on people by helping them feel more confident. “I think there's just been a lot of things that I've gone through with my own body,” she says. “I have rheumatoid arthritis and not many people know that about me. I don't like talking about it, and I think I want to talk about it more.” The difficult journey she had with her own body helped motivate her to start sharing her work with others. By working through her own journey with her body and perception of herself, Biata hopes to channel that energy into helping others with their own personal journal on gaining more confidence in themselves.
As for where she wants her photography to take her, Biata is continuing to grow and figure out where she wants to go with her work. Right now, she wants to keep doing as many shoots as she can and collaborating with people, and make merch in the future. However, she wants to be careful that her photography’s brand stays true to herself and her messages about vulnerability and wellness. “I want to maintain the true meaning of it. So right now, I'm really just trying to figure that out.”
If you’re in the Los Angeles area get a boost of confidence and book a shoot with Biata and keep your eye out for more info on an upcoming boo.doir event in the beginning of August.
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