At only thirty years of age, Lora is in the business of answering million dollar questions. As a well-versed professional in risk analysis, life has led her all over the world, working with the likes of global organizations like the NATO. But now she is re-plotting the route to align her path with her true calling. This belief, or gamble as some might call it, is an investment in a future to be defined.

The living room in her Amsterdam home feels like the reading room in a library. The shelves of Lora’s open cabinet adorn literary classics, photography titles and books in the genre of fashion. One book stands out from the others, perhaps because it is one of the smallest, perhaps because it is titled ‘Information is Beautiful’. A mélange of influences that unmistakably mirror her heartfelt interests. THE HYPERBOLE asked her about her past, present and perspectives.

What was your childhood career dream?
"When I first imagined having a career in anything it was art. My grandfather was a painter, and he was a great teacher in the sense that he would let me experiment in his studio and encourage me to paint intuitively, which I really enjoyed. Around the age of twelve, I started getting interested in fashion design. But when you grow up in the middle of nowhere, opportunities are much smaller and often scarce."

Though you were inclined toward a career in fashion, you opted for a more secure job. How do you look back on that decision?
"Our school system lacked the tools to help you recognize your personal strengths and then there is parental pressure. At age seventeen, when you are still figuring out who you are, you are forced to make these pivotal life decisions. Since math was not a strong suit for me, I decided to try European Studies, which was new and innovative in Bulgaria at the time. The European Union was quite a thing because we had just joined, and I always had interest in humanities."

Would you say that taking the safe route is an attitude culturally embedded in Bulgaria?
“Definitely. It is not a risk-taking society, which could be connected to its Soviet past, but it pushes you towards stability and having a reliable job. There is a very predetermined path, especially for a young woman, and you are more or less expected to do the obvious.”

Fast forward to today and you're an accomplished freelance risk analyst. What does the work entail?
“Let's say a client wants to invest in the Lebanese market. They will need to be informed about the power structure, who the important decision-makers in the country are, and anything security related in order to ensure the safety of their employees.”

You are the eyes and ears of the client. So you are constantly in conversation and know what's happening in the world.
“Every job, project and company is different, even when you work in house, you need to build an in-depth understanding of the company, its culture and the playing field. It is easy to get sucked into the bubble that is the office, and that can be a dangerous pitfall. You have to be aware of all layers since they're interconnected, nothing operates in a vacuum, so this is no nine-to-five job."

What does it mean to be a woman in the field of security?
"Men tend to be really decisive, which is a good quality in my opinion. Perhaps it is social construct, but I believe it comes more naturally to them. Women are more inclined to reach a compromise, which can be detrimental in terms of crisis management. Eventually you need both men and women in the same room to make the best decisions, diversity is key."

Based on what you've seen and heard, what do you think those two genders can learn from each other?
"I believe women practice a sense of self-censorship because they are afraid of being perceived as ‘the bitch’, whereas men aren’t afraid of being vocal and are aware of their worth. Both genders can apply these traits and use them for critical thinking and balanced decision making."

What qualities do you need in order to be a succesful risk analyst?
"You need to be a good forecaster, with the ability to see trends quite early and an understanding of how an event or happening on the other side of the globe could affect your clients or the country you are covering. Being able to spot the early indicators and connecting the dots in time. But above all, you must be curious."

Those sound like qualities shared by fashion designers as well. How did your dream of starting your own label reappear on your radar?
"It’s probably a cliché, but when I turned thirty I had something of a quarter life crisis and started asking myself questions like, is this what my life should like? Am I satisfied with my current achievements? I guess this new age category was sort a catalyst that made me sit down and challenged me to re-evaluate things.”

How do you mitigate the risk of switching careers?
"Well, that's a tough one. I don't have the privilege of a safety net, I've worked really hard to get where I am professionally, so it's not easy to throw it all away and say okay I'm going to be a fashion designer from tomorrow. But I discovered it's a passion that I simply can't deny."

Researcher at heart, but creator by profession. Jérôme Schlomoff is a seasoned photographer and videographer with a robust portfolio boasting portraits and documentary films. With more than 36 years of experience, he has seen and dealt with just about any subject and even the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

His atelier LABEL IMPATIENCE feels complete yet comfortable and exudes a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout. Situated in the Jordaan area, the studio doubles as an exhibition space and photo lab, offering home to intriguing black and white photos, call sheets, cameras, books and more. THE HYPERBOLE shared a traditional Dutch beignet with Jérôme, in an attempt to expose the man behind the photos.

What was the first camera you ever laid hands on?
“On my 17th birthday, my father gave me my first professional camera, a Rolleiflex 6x6. It was the camera he once was given by his father, so it was well over two generations old and then passed onto me. I’ve been obsessed with photography ever since. In fact, I still use this camera up to this day. I also shoot digital, but I always use the same approach.”

So, you prefer working with someone who’s willing to engage with you. Do you like it when somone’s not afraid to pose for you?
“There are usually two scenarios for me as a photographer. The person knows exactly what they want, takes on authentic expressions and is willing to compromise. Or you get entangled up in what I consider play, something that happens when someone can’t align the image they have in their head, with what they see on a screen or print. Our realities more or less clash, which can be challenging, and I have to try and break their ceiling and surprise them with an image they like.”

What is it like, working with a fashion heavyweight like Chanel?
“It’s a story in itself, really, and it goes very deep. I started working with Chanel in 2007 for an exhibition in Moscow. I do not work with people from the headquarters, but with experts from the conservation department, which is a different branch within the company. And they told me about the rich history behind Coco Chanel’s iconic perfumes, jewelry and jackets, including all their symbols and references. The people who work there are a real family and that’s something that’s apparent in the company culture. I think that’s because Chanel is not owned by one of the larger conglomerates, along with Hermès they are one of the few independent fashion houses. I believe that’s where their power lies.”

We all know Chanel’s classics, like the iconic no.5 perfume and the 2.55 quilted lambskin handbag, but the boucle jackets play the starring role in your latest photo series. What makes them special, in your opinion?
“The jackets are special because they come in endless varieties and they always reflect the zeitgeist. I was working on an exhibition called ‘Chanel & Cinema’, which was to be exhibited in the Grand Palais but currently postponed because of covid. The exhibition explores the relationship between Chanel and cinema between 1932 and now. It features clothes that are juxtaposed with a special montage I created, highlighting movies from all nationalities. German, French, Italian cinema and so on. The montage includes an amazing scene from the movie ‘Broken Embraces’ featuring Penelope Cruz. She wears a rope-embroidered Chanel jacket, similar to one once worn by French actress Arletty many years ago, a great parallel. While wearing that jacket, Cruz confronts someone who’s filming her at night, by pinning him against the wall using his own tripod. The ultimate display of power, and a hommage to modernity, turning the jacket into a feminist statement.”

How long does it take to get the right shot?
“Some photographers take two hours and thousands of shots to end up with the perfect portrait. I can’t do that myself, and I wouldn’t want to. First of all, because I would lose myself in all the options. Second of all, fresh energy is what I need for a good shot. The best session is usually the batch from the first twenty-five minutes. I never shoot more than five rolls of film per session. And If I use a digital camera, no more than a hundred pictures.”

Would you say that your instinct guides you through each session?
“Definitely. And my subconscious as well, it’s almost as if the perfect portrait opens a door to a new sense. Sometimes I even surprise myself, when I take portraits of people. My still images present me with a mirror and tell me something about what I was thinking or seeing in someone that particular moment. During a session there is no time to analyze what you are doing or thinking. But afterwards I can see more of my own behavior in the still images, for instance that I was susceptible to someone’s smile, cry or attitude. You can only access that information afterwards.”

If you could only take one, which photo would you take to the grave?
“That has to be my portrait of Jean Michael Basquiat. When I met him, he had an energy to him that is hard to describe in words. I will never forget the moment our portrait session was finished. When I switched the studio lights off, I felt a jolt of electricity run through my entire body, traveling all the way from my hand down to my neck and spine, eventually down to my toes. It was like a shock and I looked at him and even though we did not exchange any words, I could tell from his face that he experienced the same feeling. Six months later he died from an overdose, unfortunately. And even though we never talked about that moment, I will always carry it with me in that one photograph.”

In 2012, Bruno van den Elshout developed an ingenious machine and placed it on the rooftop of hotel NH Atlantic in The Hague. Over the course of a full year, his installation photographed the horizon every hour on a daily basis, creating 8785 photos in the process.

His book 'New Horizons' spans a selection of 300 horizons without text, rhythmically and melodically composed, taking the viewer on a visual journey across the beauty and simplicity of the sky.

— Purchase via Artibooks.