OLENA HASTILOW PHOTOGRAPHY & ART 

Following the disruption of the previous weeks, the series enters a quieter state. The structure that once defined the images is no longer in place, yet nothing has been resolved or released. In  Week 13,  the wrapping recedes from the face and settles across the body. It no longer functions as a dominant structure but remains as a secondary presence. The figure stays upright, though less clearly defined, as if the relationship between body and material has shifted. The surfa

As the series progresses, the structure that once held the images together begins to lose coherence. IIn Week 11 , the wrapping no longer settles in a stable way. The fabric shifts unevenly across the body, and the earlier sense of order becomes unsettled. Week 11 – Disturbance By Week 12 , this instability develops into fracture. The material separates into loose layers, no longer forming a continuous structure. The mechanism that once contained silence begins to fail. Week

Creative self-portrait in green and red tones using multiple exposure, showing an experimental and conceptual approach to photography

As the series develops, the relationship between the body and the material becomes more active. In Week 8 , the hands draw the fabric inward, forming a more enclosed shape. What once surrounded the body is now held more deliberately from within. Week 8 – Restriction By Week 9 , the structure shifts outward. The fabric extends around the head and shoulders, forming a boundary that reaches beyond the body itself. Week 9 – Containment In Week 10 , the material gathers more dense

As the series develops, subtle shifts begin to appear in how silence is carried by the body. In Week 5 , the wrapping loosens. One shoulder becomes visible, and the material redistributes across the upper body. The containment remains, but no longer feels fully fixed. Week 5 – Awareness By Week 6 , the relationship between body and material begins to extend outward. The fabric moves into the surrounding space, softening the boundary between figure and background. Week 6 – Shi

I’m excited to be speaking at the SheClicks stand at  The Photography & Video Show 2026  at the NEC in Birmingham this March. My talk,  Unlocking Creativity in Photography: Seeing, Slowing Down, Trusting the Process , explores simple ways photographers can reconnect with creativity and develop their own visual voice. I’ll be presenting the talk twice during the show: Friday, 14 March 2026 – 11:00 Monday, 17 March 2026 – 15:00 Creativity in photography is something many photog

A look at Weeks 2, 3 and 4 of Woman Who Has No Voice, a year-long self-portrait photography project tracing how silence begins to settle, tighten, and shift within the body.

Portrait photography doesn’t have to be intimidating. In this blog, I share simple, beginner-friendly tips for creating beautiful natural-light portraits and show how colour and multiple exposure can transform them into dreamy, expressive works of art. Discover how light, connection, and layered textures can turn a simple portrait into a visual story.

This image marks the first week of  Woman Who Has No Voice , a photographic series that will unfold gradually across 2026. Silence begins here This image does not tell a story in isolation; instead, it establishes a starting point for the work. The subject’s body is still, and the gestures are restrained. In this first image, silence is not questioned or challenged. It simply exists – present, held, and unspoken. By returning to the same subject body week after week, the proj

As this year comes to an end, I wanted to share the starting point of a new photographic body of work that will unfold slowly throughout 2026. Woman Who Has No Voice , is a year-long photography project that will be released on an almost weekly basis. This work explores silence not as absence, but as something carried within the body. A condition that can be inherited, internalised, resisted, and, over time, reconfigured. Through fabric, gesture, and layered mixed media eleme

As this year slowly approaches its end, I felt it was finally the right time to write my very first blog post. I’ve been meaning to share my story for a while now - not as breaking news, but as a personal reflection on how life, loss, and creativity have shaped me these past two years.   Looking Back at How It Started Photography has been a part of my life for many years to a lesser or greater extend. What began as a passion, eventually became a career change in 2024. By the