Question 1

Form. magazine

Your photography is often compared to painting due to its emphasis on the dialogue between light and shadow, texture, and impeccable composition. What role has art played in shaping your interest in photography, if any?

Answer

Visual art had no influence on my passion for photography. I grew up in Chernivtsi, where socialist realism dominated painting, and from childhood, this aesthetic instilled in me a sense of alienation from art altogether. Instead, it was the photo store that had an impact on me—with its window displays featuring metal toys and film boxes labeled with the mysterious name Foma.
To tell you the truth, I had no idea what a real painting looked like! The awful illustrations in Ogonyok magazine only pushed me further away from it. In my youth, I used to admire Vermeer, now I would probably gravitate towards Caravaggio...

Question 2

Form. magazine

But still, we cannot but admit the connection between photography and painting. When contemplating the works of photographers like you, it is obvious.

Answer

For me the connection is only direct—both deal with two-dimensional images on a flat surface. The only thing they might learn from each other is good taste in art, although I do believe that taste is 70% innate.

Question 3

Form. magazine

Your creative journey in photography spans 60 years, yet your images, captured both before and after Perestroika, continue to captivate viewers and collectors worldwide. What do you think they find in your documentation of everyday life—the humble person in a little town?

Answer

Historical pictures are always fascinating, and the more spontaneous they are, the more attractive they become. Speaking about my own works, in my photography of the 1970s and 1980s, one can still feel the drive of youth and a search for constructing compositions that excited me. I think the viewers will always be fascinated by that, too.

Question 4

Form. magazine

So, it means that while you were documenting the reality of an empire in transition, you inadvertently captured timeless, or universal, themes that transcend specific eras. Given your background in aerospace engineering, perhaps that’s not so surprising?

Answer

Perhaps that’s exactly what happened. My years of studies and reflections undoubtedly played a role.

Question 5

Form. magazine

Your creative journey includes distinct chapters dedicated to both black-and-white and color photography, with a turning point marked by your encounter with Kodachrome film. Do you remember your impressions of the first rolls of film you developed? What ultimately attracted you to color?

Answer

My first color films were the Soviet Fotoсvet and Orwochrom from East Germany which I developed myself. They looked, as I thought at the time, terrible, but I tried to adjust the tones, densities, and balance at the printing stage. I believe these exercises were invaluable—with no Photoshop or computers at all—in helping me understand the nature of color images and how to approach them.
Kodachrome clearly demonstrated what a real image should look like and what to aim for in the darkroom. Unfortunately, that era has ended; the subtle nuances of color have disappeared from materials. But modern digital cameras and Photoshop now allow us to correct everything—if you know how to do it and in which direction to move.

Question 6

Form. magazine

How does color help or limit a photographer?

Answer

The only factor that can either restrict or develop a photographer is him/herself. Strict limitations can also be a path towards growth, cannot they? Everything is interconnected, and it is a good moment to recall the genius of Picasso, who spent his entire life striving to paint like a child.

Question 7

Form. magazine

Speaking about one’s development, do you think that over time your perception of photography has undergone considerable transformations?

Answer

My general approach has not changed—I am a recorder of reality, but that realm is infinitely vast. What truly matters is selection—during shooting, when choosing frames, in printing, and in presentation.

Question 8

Form. magazine

But don’t you feel that, for example, with technological progress it has become easier or shoot?

Answer

Certainly, new technological advancements make photography more versatile, but in the end, it all comes down to the photographer’s eye.

Question 9

Form. magazine

Will (or perhaps has it already?) the way audiences perceive photography change due to the visual oversaturation of our world and the increasing accessibility of high-quality technology?

Answer

It is the same as in my childhood when Soviet museums were filled with mediocre propaganda and poor taste. Back then, it was easier to find the truly valuable works—now, it is much harder. There is too much clutter, too many repetitions, compilations, and plagiarism. If you manage to pick out a masterpiece, well done! In the end, it is only the nuances that distinguish one thing from another.