Katya, Lisa's mom, answered some of the questions I left for her. First, I wanted to know what type of photography style she liked most, given that she's a talented photographer, and here's what she said, "I love portraits of people and animals. Because they are full of life, they have emotions."
Raising a child is no easy feat, and therefore I think it's also hard to take photos of children at times since they're always so active and immersed in their own world. I asked Katya whether it is hard to photograph Lisa.
"To follow her. She runs really fast! For her, a photoshoot is primarily a game and therefore we do not force her to do what she does not want. All photos are random shots that I am fast enough to take."
Of course, since Katya uploads pictures of Lisa on social media, people tend to give various reactions to the photos she posts, here's what she told me when I asked her about it: "Many people think that children with Down syndrome are ugly and are unable to show their emotions. For them, our page is a discovery. They learn that children with special needs are ordinary children who know how to play, be happy, be sad, to love."
Obviously, Katya's adoption story is touching and so are Lisa's wonderful pictures. I wanted to ask Katya what she would like for people to take away from this story.
"I'd like to point out one thing - all people are beautiful, regardless of their diseases and visual characteristics."
I also asked Lisa's mom what inspired her to start an Instagram page.
"Bad attitude of people on the street towards my daughter. I wanted to change it and show people that special children are as great as ordinary children."
#8
Maybe it's a question with an obvious answer but I also asked Katya about her motivation as a photographer, and this is what she told me.
"My daughter is my main inspiration. I want to create a fairy tale around her at least in the photo. By changing the societal views about people with disabilities through pictures, we can change real life."
#12
#14
#15
