Inside the World of Playboy Photography: An Interview with Ivailo Stanev
In the June 2015 issue of Playboy Bulgaria (Issue No. 153), longtime photographer Ivailo Stanev offers an exclusive glimpse into the captivating world of Playboy photography. Known for his creative vision and professional expertise, Stanev shares the secrets behind capturing the stunning visuals that have become synonymous with the magazine. With years of experience working with Playboy, he discusses the intricate process of planning and executing shoots that strike a balance between artistry and allure.
This month, Playboy peeked behind its own curtains and decided to reveal its most intimate secrets. Women, photoshoots, fetishes, Photoshop – all directly from the source, namely – from the mouth of Bulgaria’s number 1 photographer and titular maestro of the men’s bible, Ivailo Stanev.
PLAYBOY: You have an amazing job! Even cooler than ours!
Ivailo Stanev: You are right, it is cool – even though we are the ones undressing the girls. However, people don’t see what exactly happens during the actual Playboy shoots…
PLAYBOY: Some readers might think that we are throwing all sorts of orgies…
Ivailo Stanev: Ha-ha, orgies haven’t happened, but the ladies certainly don’t come in coats and boots. Man, it is so good!
PLAYBOY: Is the work also a lot?
Ivailo Stanev: A session takes about eight to ten hours. Besides that, there is a lot of work before and after the actual photoshoots.
PLAYBOY: How much does a session cost?
Ivailo Stanev: A lot, because people work on it – professionals who have proven themselves over time and have invested to become extremely good. The work of the photographer and the team is not just to go and shoot the session. People imagine that you take a camera, go to the designated place, some naked ladies walk in front of you, and you just shoot. No! It doesn’t happen like that. The session starts with preparation. The team comes up with the concept of the session – what the model will wear; checks what sessions have appeared in the magazine so far, so they don’t repeat, chooses the place where the photos will be realized. Then the stylist gathers clothes and accessories. Only then does the day of the session come, which sometimes takes up to ten hours. Then a rough selection of the frames is made until the necessary number is reached, and then these frames are processed. It happens that the session continues for a week – of course, along with the preparation for it.
PLAYBOY: When do you go to bed?
Ivailo Stanev: Around 3-5 in the morning. I process at night (Laughs).
PLAYBOY: Then when do you wake up?
Ivailo Stanev: At eight or at the latest by nine, because I have to take my daughter to school.
PLAYBOY: How do your wife and daughter view your work?
Ivailo Stanev: This is my profession. My wife works with me, so there have never been any problems. Realistically speaking, this is our shared work, not just mine.
PLAYBOY: Isn’t it like with gynecologists for you? You know what I mean.
Ivailo Stanev: Oh no. Gynecologists can only envy us. We decide how to “light it up” to make it look beautiful, and for them, it’s only frontal!
PLAYBOY: Aren’t you tired of seeing boobs?
Ivailo Stanev: I don’t perceive it that way. While I’m shooting, I’m working. This is something I have to do to fulfill my duties well. I don’t see it as a naked woman standing in front of me. And I’m definitely not a voyeur, more of a workaholic.
PLAYBOY: Any principles?
Ivailo Stanev: My philosophy is to let men fantasize, not show all the female organs.
PLAYBOY: Is this the future of the Men’s Bible – to unwind men’s fantasy?
Ivailo Stanev: I can’t say if that’s the future, but things are definitely happening. I hope we continue in this direction because the picture has become more beautiful and stronger.
PLAYBOY: Do you remember the first session for Playboy? Who was more nervous – you or the girl?
Ivailo Stanev: We weren’t nervous because we knew each other. I had done her first session ever, and a few years later, fate brought us together again when I had to shoot her much more undressed! (Laughs). From my side, there was much more nervousness because I was shooting for the first time and wanted to be perfect. Besides, then I had to make a black session for Playboy, and I didn’t want to, but it worked out.
PLAYBOY: Black sessions look pretty good.
Ivailo Stanev: They look good, but in front of the lens must be a model with an incredible body. There you work with more specific lighting, the woman must have very good motor culture, and perfect measures.
PLAYBOY: Do you feel like a rock star?
Ivailo Stanev: I’ve felt like a star as a photographer for Playboy, when last year I was in Argentina. Then I met a photographer from their very big magazine, we were guests of the governor of Mendoza. When they realized what I was working on, they looked at me like a god – they expected that in front of the building my private plane was waiting with at least five models from the magazine’s covers!
PLAYBOY: How many women write to you on Facebook?
Ivailo Stanev: If I show you what things I get in the mail, you won’t believe it, and what pictures they send… People think that there is a couch in the Playboy editorial office and castings are held all day long. It is not like that — Playboy is work, and a lot of work at that. Hardly anyone assumes that both the chief editor and I are happily married (Laughs).
PLAYBOY: Why have so many erotic photographers appeared?
Ivailo Stanev: In Bulgaria, there are few photographers, but many people who shoot. Recently, a new generation of shooting people appeared, which I call Facebook photographers. The problem is with those who can shoot but don’t know how to value their work.
PLAYBOY: You’re taking the words out of my mouth – why are photography service prices being undercut so much?
Ivailo Stanev: Now it’s fashionable to shoot so you can be noticed. You shoot for free to have your name written in some elite magazine. It’s suitable for a person who is just starting, but for those who can shoot, it’s not the way – because there will always be people who work for free. The photographer works with light and doesn’t expect Photoshop to do the work. Okay – it must be there, but we shouldn’t turn into plastic surgeons. Photoshop is just the final touch of the session.
PLAYBOY: Few photographers have invested in education, studios, and technology over the years, who pay taxes. Developing as a photographer means constantly learning. Photography is also a business…
Find the full interview published in Issue No. 153 of Playboy Bulgaria, June 2015.
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