Embracing her passion for well designed buildings and stunning architecture, Elly Tzonova’s mission revolves around shooting straight lines and angles, finding intriguing shapes and looking for extraordinary features in the ordinary and mundane cityscape.
United by the motto “Between Berlin and Sofia”, her photos speak for herself, as her love for both cities is a main focus of her photography. Starting her Instagram channel almost three years ago with just the help of her iPhone, she now participates in brand campaigns and captures her journeys, discovering spiral staircases, inspiring buildings and eye-pleasing symmetry in different cities across the world.
Five Questions to Elly Tzonova
How would you describe your photography to someone who has never seen it?
A lot of lines, 90 degree angles and something colorful to catch the eye. I love to explore new cities by searching for specific buildings or locations, which I’ve found online. I always have a plan where I want to go and what I want to see and it’s everything but the typical tourist places. That being said, this is also what eventually ends up on my Instagram – you can see it as a type of a tour guide for the most instagrammable places a city could offer.
What makes a great photograph?
The ability to see the extraordinary in ordinary things and places. Everyone sees the world differently and that’s the beauty of it. I think that every picture taken by anyone has something special, it’s basically a time capsule. As long as a photograph was taken with a lot of love, it’ll always be great.
What’s your main source of inspiration when you’re behind the camera?
The idea I have about the picture and the impatience of making it reality. I love to see my imagination captured in a picture – for me that’s the most beautiful feeling in the world. Also traveling – exploring new places offers a change in scenery and gives you an endless source of inspiration.
How is the photography industry changing in the digital era?
Nowadays everyone can be everything and anything and this is one of the reasons to have such a diversity, not only when it comes to photography, but also in every other field. I’d say we have a bigger variety than, let’s say, 50 years ago, and we get to see more different perspectives.
Have you heard of Blockchain and if so, what are your views on it?
I have and I think in a modern world like ours it’s a must and we shouldn’t hesitate to use it. A couple of years ago I was too young to realize what а great opportunity this is, but I’m definitely planning on buying some as soon as the bubble bursts again. I love the idea that smart contracts can now be fully executed without human interaction – it makes you realize how far we’ve come. It’s definitely a part of our future and a way to make our lives easier.
You can find Elly’s work on 