The Beginning of the Journey
“In 2018, I enrolled at SPbGASU to study as a ground transportation engineer. My dream had come true—I was a university student in the most beautiful city in Russia. I was captivated by St. Petersburg and spent my first year exploring it in depth. Some days, I walked as much as 30 kilometers, discovering every corner of the city.
I bought my first camera, a Canon 4000D, using my saved-up scholarship money. That marked the beginning of my photography career in April 2019.”
I had the chance to try my hand at various genres of photography—portrait, landscape, still life. For my first photoshoot, my model was a classmate. It was a walk through the autumn city, surrounded by atmospheric buildings…
At the time, I thought the photos turned out amazing.
Love for Studio Photography
I kept shooting more and began to realize that something was off with my photos. Like many beginners, I thought the problem was my ‘bad camera.’ After working as a security guard for a year and saving up to buy an expensive camera and lens, I found that my photos still hadn’t improved.
Determined to get better, I started digging through the internet for information and knowledge. Eventually, I joined the photography studio ‘KIRPICH.’ From that moment, I fell in love with studio photography.
At the studio, I met some amazing creative people and a wonderful instructor, Vadim Fyodorov. Vadim became my photography mentor. He helped me open the door to the beautiful world of photographic art.
Photography gave me the opportunity to work at Palace Square. Who else can boast that their workplace was in the very heart of St. Petersburg? By 2021, I began to see progress in my work, and my photography skills improved.
I got a job as a photographer in a nightclub and worked there for six months. However, I grew tired of the repetitive nature of the required shots and the nightlife routine. I even thought about quitting photography altogether because I disliked the job so much.
But after I left, I realized that my love for photography hadn’t disappeared—it was just buried under the things I didn’t enjoy doing.
Visiting museums and exhibitions, reading books, and watching films about photography had a positive impact on my visual perception. I felt inspired to shoot every day and continue growing as a photographer.
Significant Growth
Right before New Year’s in December 2021, I received a message from Elena Ti offering me a position at a photo studio. I was overjoyed! Working at a photo studio was a dream come true—learning to master lighting, helping people with equipment, and constantly being surrounded by a creative atmosphere.
Of course, it wasn’t all as perfect as it seemed at first glance, but during those two years, I gained invaluable experience working with light. There were even days when I spent several nights in the studio in a row.
Having Elena Ti as a second mentor, with her completely different perspective on photography, was an even greater stroke of luck in my life.
Mentor
In 2022, I decided to try myself in the role of a mentor and share the knowledge and experience I had accumulated. At an inter-university student campus, I organized my first in-person photography and retouching course. I also began conducting in-person masterclasses on mixed lighting techniques.
Engineer
In 2023, I graduated from my alma mater, the beloved SPbGASU. Now, I am an engineer.
Resident of Phuket
2On August 8, I flew out of Moscow and landed in Thailand, on the island of Phuket. Here, I conduct online teaching and organize photoshoots.