Elena Givone Story

It was a workshop day in Milan.Ten students. A full schedule. Two mothers in the morning, more in the afternoon.Everything carefully planned, including the arrival of the makeup artist.

That morning, we waited. And waited.She never arrived. Later we discovered she was unwell and hadn’t been able to let us know.

For a moment, I felt the tension in the room — the schedule, the expectations, the delicate nature of the work.

But we began anyway, working with studio lights, focusing on presence, trust, and connection.

Meanwhile, my assistant scoured the city, reaching out to anyone who could step in.

And then, like a small miracle, a makeup artist appeared — ready, calm, and smiling, arriving just in time.

The sessions that followed were beautiful.The mothers relaxed completely, unaware of the small chaos behind the scenes.They were supported, guided, and cherished — exactly as they deserved.

My students watched closely.They learned not only how to create poetic, honest, and meaningful images, and how to build empathy with the mothers,but also how to handle stressful situations when things don’t go as planned.

They saw how to reorganize a schedule on the fly, maintain calm, protect the client experience,and turn unexpected challenges into opportunities to lead with creativity and care.

At the end of the day, they thanked me —for the images, for the empathy, and for the lessons that go beyond photography itself.

By the end of the day, I felt once again what I always feel in these moments: being allowed into people’s lives, capturing their most delicate, fleeting moments,is not just a job.It’s a privilege.

                                                                                                                                         Elena Givone