Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alena Saz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Alena thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

There are definitely moments when I feel deeply fulfilled as an artist, when everything flows, and I feel completely aligned with what I’m creating. But I’ve also had moments where I’ve wondered what a more “regular” life would feel like.

I remember one day recently – I was sitting at my desk, going back and forth between retouching, answering emails, thinking about production, and planning future shoots. It felt like I had been “working” all day, but none of it had a clear finish line and only grew like a snowball. And I caught myself thinking, what would it feel like to just have a job where you’re done at the end of the day?

That idea felt comforting for a second.
But then I realized something – when you truly accept your life as an artist, nothing you do really exists outside of your creative process. The emails, the planning, the experimenting, even the moments of doubt, they’re not separate from creation, and there is no such thing as just ‘work’.

And that changes how you experience everything. It’s not that it becomes easier – there’s still uncertainty, still pressure, but it stops feeling like a “job” you want to escape from. It becomes a way of living where everything feeds into what you’re building.

So when I think about a more “regular” path, I don’t feel drawn to it. For me, that kind of separation between ‘work’ and ‘life’ doesn’t feel natural anymore. I’ve realized I’m happier not because it’s easier, but because it feels integrated.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Photography is still a core part of my work, but it’s no longer the only lens through which I express myself. My practice has naturally expanded into other mediums – painting, object-making, scent, and tactile forms. Each of them allows me to explore emotion and atmosphere from a different angle.

What connects everything I create is not the medium, but the intention to build a feeling, a world, a sensory experience that goes beyond a single image. In my client work, this translates into a more layered approach to visual storytelling. I don’t just create images, I think about how a brand feels as a whole. Whether it’s beauty, skincare, or product-based brands, I’m drawn to creating work that has texture, depth, and a clear point of view.

What I’m most proud of is allowing my practice to evolve without forcing it into a fixed identity. Letting it become more multidimensional, even when that means stepping outside of my comfort zone and away from clear categories.

More than anything, I want my work to be experienced, not just seen!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I wouldn’t describe it as a fixed goal as much as a direction I keep returning to. What drives me is the desire to create work that people don’t just look at, but something that lingers a little longer and creates a deeper connection.

As my practice evolves beyond photography into other mediums, I’ve become more interested in how different senses and forms can come together to shape an experience. Not just a single image, but a world that has texture, atmosphere, and emotional weight. At the same time, that exploration feeds back into my photography, and it expands how I see, how I compose, and how I build an image. In a way, my mission is to keep expanding that language, to move beyond purely visual beauty into something more immersive and intuitive.

At the same time, it’s also about staying honest in the process. Not forcing my work into a specific category or expectation, but allowing it to evolve naturally and reflect where I am creatively.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part is when something I’ve created resonates with someone in a way I didn’t fully plan or expect.
There’s a moment when the work stops being mine and becomes something personal for someone else – when they feel connected to it, or see something in it that reflects their own experience. That kind of response is always more meaningful than anything I could control.

I also find a lot of fulfillment in the process itself, in building something from an idea, shaping it, and watching it take on its own life. Especially now, as I work across different mediums, that process feels more open and expansive. Each form informs the other, and it keeps the work evolving.

Also, what’s most rewarding is that this path allows me to stay connected to how I see and experience the world. To keep translating that into something tangible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alenasaz.com/art
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alena_saz/
• Other: https://www.alenasaz.com/

  https://portalcandle.com/

Image Credits

Alena Saz, Elena Kulikova