Photographer
Being an introvert, photography allowed me to connect with people whom I wouldn't approach otherwise, avoiding the burden of smalltalk.
I've been connected to photography from a very young age.
I remember, when I was about 4 years old, the special atmosphere created by the red lights in my father's room, when he was developing films from his camera. Seeing black-and-white photos gradually appear from nothing on the white photo-paper felt like magic.
The Soviet-era film camera (Kiev-19) that my father taught me with
In that era of film cameras, my favorite part was the sensation of turning the advance lever before taking a shot, and the vibration of the mechanical shutter after the press of a button. Only after I got my first digital camera 10 years later, have I started enjoying the actual art of photography – composition, lighting, and focusing on details that others don't notice.
Around 2019 I'd started leaning more into portrait photography. Initially – as a way to become less shy and more comfortable interacting with strangers. Later – to connect with people outside of my circle, showing a version of them that they would rarely see themselves, if ever.
Soon I've also started shooting in RAW, which has added an extra layer of creativity. Having a much wider dynamic range in my photos has expanded dramatically the conditions in which I could take pictures of good quality and the amount of visual styles I could achieve during post-processing.
In my photography I usually seek simplicity, trying to portray people as natural as possible, without excessive posing or retouching. This removes the stress of performing, making people appear more like themselves. The elevated aesthetics brought by the right use of camera, light and colour-grading do the job. But achieving that requires building a connection first, to make the person comfortable enough to just be themselves, which I've learnt in the process.
Finally, my attention to visuals extends beyond just photography, including also videos, presentations, infographics, posters and technical drawings. A few examples you can see below.
