About | Photographer of Presence and Truth

My Philosophy of Photography

Light. Presence. Truth.

My path leads to what’s not seen at first glance.

I go where it’s not always easy.

I’m drawn to Life as It is.

Unfiltered, unposed,

With all its cracks, street sounds, wrinkles, and LIGHT.

I’m often alone in unfamiliar places.

Among people with whom I share a moment.

I don’t just observe, I’m PRESENT.

PHOTOGRAPHY, to me, is not just a genre.

It’s a WAY of BEING.

It’s attention that reveals essence.

It’s respect for a person and all that they are going through.

It’s a gaze that doesn’t fear the TRUTH.

The World is full of Stories that do not shout.

I give them a VOICE.

I believe in depth. In vulnerability as strength.

In frames that don’t decorate, but reveal.

In light that doesn’t blind, but warms.

My task is to be near.

To be ready with my companion camera.

To listen. To see. And to share.

Honestly. Openly. With care.

I believe that through a frame,

We can touch meaning

And remember what truly matters:

Our Human Values.

BIO

Many of us live our lives sticking to some plans. We follow tenets and goals prescribed by society, and we believe things are stable and will ensure our perfect future.

Before 2012, I also lived a well-planned life, where things seemed stable and perfect. I graduated from the university with a master’s degree in economics and mathematics – a field my parents had encouraged me to pursue since my childhood. Well, not that important, actually, as my life after graduation demonstrated. Before I reached my 5th year of the university, I had already realized that I was bored by the profession I’d chosen. Besides, compared to opening my own business, working solely in my profession would have never yielded similar earnings in Ukraine.

Then I got married, and we were supposed to live happily ever after, since we planned to have a large and beautiful house and 5 kids... Ten years later, however, my marriage and all my pictures of my ideal family failed spectacularly. I realized I was not feeling satisfied with my life, despite my two children, a house, two babysitters, a car, and my own business. I was lost. How is that possible? I have reached so many goals! And then it occurred to me: I did reach the goals, but they turned out not to be mine. They were not my real inner goals.

Usually, the most terrifying thing for anyone is to go beyond their comfort zone and jump into Something unknown, but holding tremendous potential and possibilities for personal development.

It so happened that in 2014, I went to Prague with my two little kids and three suitcases as a tourist, and a month later, a war broke out in my hometown. Further terrified, I watched as all the seemingly stable situations were ruined in an eyeblink: losing my house, my business, and all the material things.

And here I am, with two little children and in a totally new environment: a new country, a new mentality, and a new language around. And I have absolutely no idea what to do and what the next step is. What is going on? I fall into depression. And I started looking for myself and my true identity. Who am I? What do I really want? What makes me happy and satisfied? Why am I here at all? And where is this feeling of joy of life and freedom????

As a result, in 2015, I went to the Azores – my first absolutely independent self-guided tour. Just me, my camera, and a lot of questions in my head with no answers. Lots of mental garbage disappeared from my head during my stay on the islands. Then followed my trip to South Africa and Lesotho, which totally changed my view on life. A small mountain village with no electricity, water supply, or communications, along with its wonderful and friendly dwellers with their deep, thoughtful eyes and happy smiles. Then I traveled to other places. And I began to reveal this in my pictures. As if the Universe itself has shown me the way, and the beauty of the world could be reflected in the photos.

In every part of the world, I could see something deeply beautiful in nature, in people, and in life, which is often hidden from our vision by our ego and by our disturbed minds.

After my first trip, I felt a strong desire to capture the beauty of the female form and the delicate nature of the human body in my photos. This is how another favorite genre of my artwork emerged: Women's Black and White Photography.

Since 2016, my photo artwork has earned worldwide recognition. Exhibitions, contest-winning, invitations to different art projects, social projects…