Andreea Andrei captures fleeting youth on instant film

What better medium to capture the brevity of youth than the immediacy of Polaroids? Although focused on fashion, Andreea has a varied portfolio with cityscapes, portraiture and a few other subjects that can only be categorized as surreal.

"My name is Andreea Andrei, I am 27 years old and I am currently based in United Kingdom. I studied film directing in Roamnia and some short courses in film and photography in UK.

My practice consists mostly of portraiture and real life events. I do like fashion, and I am currently going into fashion photography.

I use two polaroid cameras and a 35mm film camera. I enjoy to know my subjects before I start photographing them.

My favourite subject it’s youth and how this can be explored by having an analog camera. I think with analog photography you can freeze a moment even if that moment will be gone and you’ll not going to have it back. It’s the same with youth. We never realise that the best years of ours are when we are constantly moaning when we are young about adulthood and we want to quickly grow up, but than when we are full grown adults we want to go back to those days when everything was pink in our day to day lives.

I am a very shy person and photography helped me to get out of my shell and explore the world without feeling insecure."

See more of Andreea's work online at https://andreeaandrei.com/ and on instagram at @andreeaandreiphotography

ALTER/ANALOG: How long have you shot film?

AA: I started when I was about twelve years old with a normal camera for every day life, nothing fancy. Than I got into digital and finally came back to film in 2015. When I bought my first Polaroid Camera. Since than, I shoot just film.

ALTER/ANALOG: Do you have a favorite alternative process?

AA: I prefer instant film sometimes, it depends on the mood and what I am photographing. 

ALTER/ANALOG: Who is your favorite fashion photographer?

AA: My all time favourite is Helmut Newton. I went to Berlin just to see the two stores that are dedicated to him and his work. I think he was just a brilliant person and had so innovative ideas. 

ALTER/ANALOG: What about fashion interests you so much?

AA: I like clothes and people, and I think that on the positive side, fashion can have a positive impact, from how you can combine different items and get to know different people.