Mor Tzidon

"All my life I've loved art," says Mor Tzidon, a bold, imaginative and artistic studio photographer based in Tel Aviv, Israel. "I loved to paint, I loved to sculpt and at the age of 13 my uncle bought me a red Canon EOS 1100D. I photographed everything I could. I loved capturing moments; I loved looking for interesting angles; I loved finding creative compositions. From then on, I always carried my camera with me."

Fusing her twin passions of art and photography, Mor breathes life into her shoots with a flamboyant, vivacious and unapologetically audacious style that has captivated the likes of Israel's top magazines La'Isha and Pnai Plus. "Along the way some customers tried to 'normalise' me," she reveals. "There were things I did that were less common, and some clients wanted me to shoot in a more 'traditional' style – against smoother backgrounds or with softer colours, for example. But I always listened to my inner voice, and it paid off in the end."

Before long, Mor started her own photography business, opening a studio in her mother's living room. "The biggest challenge was finding an audience for what I do," she recalls. "In the beginning, I didn't know who the audience would be for the concepts I had in mind, especially the more artistic aspects. I went for a very specific niche that doesn't suit everyone. But I believed the audience would eventually come."

Even with minimal equipment and a DIY setup, clients did indeed come, and less than a year later, Mor was able to move to a proper studio, which she shared with two others. "That's where I flourished, grew, and learned even more, and after two hard years of work, I opened my own studio, which has been like a dream come true."

Mor's style has proven popular with an array of clients and audiences, including advertising agencies, magazines, TV networks, singers, celebrities, and businesses who are willing to think outside the box. "What I realised along the way is that, more than anything, people want to invest in outstanding photos," she says. "In the era of social media, one eye-catching image can be worth a lot of money. I believe that what makes a photographer unique is their personality. After all, there is only one of you. When you try to be someone else, it never turns out the same. That's why I put my soul into every image I shoot."

What sets your style apart?

"I really love the small details, the twists. I love it when people can look at my photo for a long time and still discover all sorts of things that they didn't notice at first glance. Many people tell me they can identify a photo I took just by the attention to detail and colour, and that excites me a lot."

What's been your most memorable shoot?

"My grandmother told me that her biggest wish was to have her picture taken by me. She's hated being photographed her entire life and disliked how she looked in photos. Her dream was to have just one good picture that she loved. So, I decided to fulfil that dream. I brought in my best make-up artist and hairstylist, and I photographed her. I made sure to compliment her all the time so she would relax and feel confident. The photos turned out amazing. We both cried tears of joy, and she told me she had been waiting her whole life for this moment, to finally love herself in photos."

What do you know now that you wished you'd known at the start of your career?

"I know that you need to challenge yourself all the time. The most significant things that happened in my career happened because I took a leap of faith, despite being afraid. Whether it was opening my new studio, offering workshops or just being bold in my photography style, I've learned to always seek the next challenge."

What has been the highlight of your career achievements to date?

"A photo I took appeared in Eurovision, which is one of the biggest stages in the world. My photos have featured on TV, in magazines, on billboards, but Eurovision, for me, was a dream come true because I watch it every year, so it was a huge deal."

"You can't be driven by fear or do what everyone else does. After all, if I had been a 'regular' photographer, there would have been a million other photographers just like me. My style may not suit everyone – only bold clients choose me – but those who do are fans and willing to pay a higher price because they want me and my style, no one else. So be yourself and there will be people who love what you do."

Instagram: @mortzidon

TikTok: @mortzi