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Intro
I closely follow modern trends in photography, and I would say that nowadays black-and-white photography is perceived by the audience as a classic. When I was just starting to shoot, I photographed only in b / w, because I was interested mainly in form and texture. A black and white photo is like a sketch or drawing where you can focus on the content — on the artist's face, legs, or hands. Color is an additional load to the form - and an additional challenge for the photographer. A color always conveys a certain emotion, and it is very difficult to keep the viewer looking at the photo if the color emotion is not close to him. It seems that if a b / w photo is two people, then a color photo is a whole orchestra.
Prima ballerina of the Netherlands National Ballet
2018
St. Petersburg
2018
St. Petersburg
Anna Ol
We shot these photos in the early spring of 2018 in gray Petersburg, when after a long winter I was longing for color, brightness, and contrast. Anya was to perform at Dance Open, and I asked her to show off her breathtaking legs on a bright wine-colored background. We hadn't met before the shooting, but we instantly hit it off, and it was really easy to work together. It's nice when an artist is as determined as you are, when they don't behave like a petulant star, but are ready to try different poses and ideas.
I didn't know that she would bring this tutu of a rich grass color with her. When Anya took it out of her bag, I immediately knew what we had to do. I love the combination of red and green - rich colors of nature. They fill me with energy and optimism.
I didn't know that she would bring this tutu of a rich grass color with her. When Anya took it out of her bag, I immediately knew what we had to do. I love the combination of red and green - rich colors of nature. They fill me with energy and optimism.
Prima ballerina of the Bolshoi theatre
2018
Moscow
2018
Moscow
Olga Smirnova
The inspiration for this photo was "Anna Karenina" by John Neumeier. Olga was dancing the title role and she was stunning. Neumeier offers a very unusual interpretation of the classic novel, and I could feel affinity to it. By the way, I believe that a ballet photographer must always follow the current trends in ballet. Simply developing their skills as a photographer is not enough.
Prima ballerina of the Bolshoi theatre
2018
Moscow
2018
Moscow
Olga Smirnova
I became eager to work with Olga when I saw her rehearsing the Dying Swan by Mikhail Fokin. I was hypnotized. I managed to take a quick snap with my phone, and during our real studio work I just wanted to capture Olga as a swan that had once impressed me so much.
Prima ballerina of the Berlin State Opera
2018
St. Petersburg
2018
St. Petersburg
Yana Salenko
I don't think that accidental meetings are so accidental. Yana Salenko is the first big ballet star who I dared to ask for a photo shoot. At the dawn of my career in ballet photography, I went to a ballet competition in Finland, to shoot another artist. One day I accidentally ran into Yana.
Salenko at the entrance. I was in awe. Without quite realizing what I was doing, I came up to her and said hello. I said that I was a big fan of hers and would like to shoot her one day. I myself was taken aback by my own audacity, that's why I was shocked when Yana allowed me to shoot her backstage during her rehearsals and performances. That's how we met, and in the spring of 2018, when Yana came to Dance Open, we were able to meet in the studio. There are artists who improvise so easily that you don't want to stop them. Yana has tremendous experience and tremendous flair of her own body, and it was her gorgeous body that I wanted to emphasize. Yana is very feminine and delicate, but in this photo I wanted to show her great inner strength and power.
Salenko at the entrance. I was in awe. Without quite realizing what I was doing, I came up to her and said hello. I said that I was a big fan of hers and would like to shoot her one day. I myself was taken aback by my own audacity, that's why I was shocked when Yana allowed me to shoot her backstage during her rehearsals and performances. That's how we met, and in the spring of 2018, when Yana came to Dance Open, we were able to meet in the studio. There are artists who improvise so easily that you don't want to stop them. Yana has tremendous experience and tremendous flair of her own body, and it was her gorgeous body that I wanted to emphasize. Yana is very feminine and delicate, but in this photo I wanted to show her great inner strength and power.
Prima ballerina of the Bolshoi theatre
2018
Moscow
2018
Moscow
Evgenia Obraztsova
Zhenya may look like an angel, but inside her there is a core made of steel. She is a person with a strong character and great involvement. She is a workaholic and perfectionist, a big fan of her work. She inspires me to work hard. For this photo, taken from above, I asked her to wear a delicate romantic tutu. My idea was to combine Zhenya's determination with her softness in this picture.
Prima ballerina of the Berlin State Opera
2018
St. Petersburg
2018
St. Petersburg
Yana Salenko
A photoshoot can last for several hours, and, of course, a hard-working artist will get tired, just like in the rehearsal room. As a photographer and an instructor, I have a few tricks that I teach my students. For example, those positions on the floor. Not only do they look amazing, but they give the artist the opportunity to relax and unwind – while the photographer keeps snapping, having no time to lose. I'd like to share that, even agreeing to sit down and relax a little, Yana still remained in the mood that she had chosen for the photoshoot.
2015
Iceland, Reykjavik
Iceland, Reykjavik
At the Harpa Theatre
It was a long exhausting tour, during which it was ballet photography that kept my spirits high. I had agreed to go on the tour, because I really wanted to visit Iceland. Unfortunately, our stay in Iceland turned into endless hours of classes and rehearsals. We barely left the theater, and this photograph captures my mood perfectly well. On the one hand, it is a certain abstraction inspired by "The Dance" by Henri Matisse. At the same time, it is a recollection of how I never got to see Iceland, being kept a hostage of our routine
Ballet dancer of the Mariinsky theatre
2019
St. Petersburg
2019
St. Petersburg
Daria Ionova
Dasha is one of my muses in ballet photography. Each shot with her fills me with enthusiasm and inspiration. It's a story of a girl who, at the age of 19, entered the Vaganova academy, and now dances with the Mariinsky. To me it is like a modern fairy tale. Dasha is sincere and funny, and her young talent always echoes in me. Each of our photoshoots is a story of a perfect emotional match of a photographer and a model, a story of a friendship that grew from work.
Prima ballerina of the Boris Eifman theatre
2019
St. Petersburg
2019
St. Petersburg
Maria Abashova
What can I say, Maria Abashova is a superstar. Working with Masha is very easy, because she is incredibly purposeful. There is no shooting at random with her. Having a vast experience with the refined choreographic text of Eifman, Masha arrives with a specific request, and my task is to capture her idea in the photos.
Ballet dancer of the Mariinsky theatre
2019
St. Petersburg
2019
St. Petersburg
Daria Ionova
Okay, I won't tell you the secret of how I shot this frame. I can only say that it hasn't been photoshopped, and everything is shot in one frame. This is a story about how the static art of photography turns into video, that is, a certain combination of statics and dynamics.
2016
France
France
End of the ballet tour
I took this photo during my last ballet tour. I was about to finish my dancing career and start doing something else. While everybody in the company was opening champagne, celebrating the end of the tour, I ran around the dressing rooms and collected shoes which were supposed to go to the trash can anyway. There are mine pointe shoes among others, as well. In this photo they are like fallen soldiers. I call the picture "After the battle."
Soloist of the Stanislavsky Moscow Academic Musical theatre them K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko
2018
Moscow
2018
Moscow
Natalya Somova
This is a shooting for a charity project. I like to participate in such projects, especially when they have a common concept that I share. This series is a dialogue of classics and contemporary dance. I really like the way Natasha embodied the very idea of classical dance in this pose. It shows clarity, beautiful lines, and texture. After our shooting, this position became very popular among other dancers and photographers. Many have tried to repeat it, but it's not as simple as it may seem. All because of one little secret!))
Prima ballerina of the Bolshoi theatre
2018
Moscow
2018
Moscow
Evgenia Obraztsova
The legs are any ballerina's portrait. Legs reveal more about the artist than their face. Zhenya has very beautiful legs and feet, and this photo has an interesting detail - a scar. For me, this is a certain imprint of the profession. A leg strong like an arrow - and a scar, a symbol of vulnerability. It shows that these seemingly fragile people go through a lot of suffering trying to achieve perfection.
Principal dancer of the Royal Ballet
2018
London
2018
London
Steven McRae
I met Steven on Instagram, like many other dancers. I noticed, quite by chance, that he was following me, and I followed him back immediately. And at the same time I was lucky to be offered a working trip to London. Steven and I quickly made an appointment and came up with the idea for the shooting. We were shooting in the Royal Opera House. It's almost a sacred place. The best of the best work there. The way Steven moves is amazing, almost unbelievable. It was one of my most memorable experiences. We talked a lot and had a lot of fun. After 2 hours, I felt that it was time to finish, although I could have stayed for another 2-3 hours. I call this feeling "Staying a little hungry". It is when a photoshoot leaves a vague feeling of incompleteness, a sort of inspiration for the next projects. Thanks to Steven, I left London on the wings of powerful inspiration which lingered with me for a long time)
