We can offer reportage photography. Photography is genre and reportage. What is special about reportage photography

✔ Reportage photography is a special kind of photography and networking that combines several genres of photography at the same time. Each reportage photo is filled with movement, it conveys the atmosphere of the event, the emotions and faces of the participants. And the workflow of a photojournalist during reportage shooting is significantly different, because he must have time to capture a dynamic and interesting frame, taking into account the background and light environment. A professional photographer needs not only the ability to carefully observe and immediately capture a bright frame, but also to create interesting compositions without disturbing the participants of the ongoing event. This is the only way to get good reportage photos that convey the atmosphere of the event.

During a photo essay of an event, the photographer has to take a whole series of photos in order to get a high-quality and bright photo. In addition, all photos from the series should complement each other and have a common story. This is what complicates the process of taking photographs. Reportage photography is universal, emotional and expressive. Such photographs are able to transfer a person to the place where they were filmed and feel all the emotions, moods and experiences experienced by its participants.

Today, reportage photography is used in a variety of areas. Increasingly, people order a photo reportage of a conference or a reportage for a celebration, for example, a birthday or a wedding. Professional photos will allow you to keep vivid events, impressions and emotions associated with this event in your memory for a long time. Many professional photographers believe that a photo report from any event, for example, a photo report from a concert, is a whole poem that can be discussed and considered for a long time. And do high-quality pictures- means to get pictures filled with a story that can be "read" without words.

How to choose a reportage photographer?

✔ Many do not know that the work of a photographer is not only in the photography itself, but also in the subsequent processing of photos. Exactly professional processing photographs turns them into a self-sufficient work and conveys the emotions experienced by the participants at the time of shooting. Reportage shooting has its own specifics, and if you decide to order this type of shooting, then you should pay attention not only to the experience of the photographer, but also to his skills in using photographic equipment. The photographer must be able to instantly respond to problems associated with professional equipment and be able to quickly eliminate them, since every frame is important in reportage shooting. And without modern professional equipment it is impossible to capture spectacular shots, and also it will not be possible to clearly distinguish plans. When choosing the services of a photographer, you should also familiarize yourself with his portfolio. Finally, I would like to say that reporting is a universal genre, if the photos are of high quality and professional, then the viewer viewing such photos will be able to experience all the emotions, catch the meaning of what is happening, regardless of whether he was at this event or not, he knows the language and text written below the photo.

Price for reportage shooting in Moscow

They have a lot to learn

Reportage photography is probably one of the most difficult, but at the same time interesting genres. After all, in one frame, the photographer must tell a story. And so that it was exciting and bright.

In this article, we have collected best photographers contemporary reporters. Which reached unprecedented heights in this difficult genre.

Stanley Green

In his photographs, Stanley Green shows the stories of people's lives. He does not aim to depict death or shock the public with his photographs. In his photographs, death and destruction are reflected in the faces of those who survived, and these photographs give us an idea of the war.

Seamus Murphy calls photography "half history and half magic." This short description can serve as the title of the entire archive of his works, because his work is distinguished by a special penetration. He has been filming for a long time in the Middle East, Europe, Russia and Far East, in Africa, North and South America. He is a six-time winner of the World Press Awards.

Polish photographer who specializes in non-commercial sports photography. Among his works you can find dynamic shots of the Mongolian horse races, street parkour, training of kung fu masters and much more. His work is actively published by such well-known publications as Forbes, Newsweek, Time and The Guardian. Tomas himself does not consider himself a sports photographer and says that each of his shots is a story about a person.

The footage of French photographer Noel Patrick Cuidi is realistic. And at the same time filled with humanism and sympathy. "War is so ugly that I don't understand those who want to take beautiful pictures" says the photographer. For his footage, Noel was awarded the World Press Photo award three times.

Bradner is widely known for her humanistic images. Her work is actively published by New York Times Magazine, Granta, GEO, Time, Newsweek, US News & World Report, Stern. “When I am in another country, I am very open to what people tell me…” Heidi says. Apparently, this is the secret of her success.

This is one of the most famous American photojournalists. In total, he filmed 18 international conflicts, including the US invasion of Iraq, military operations in Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Chechnya and other countries. Christopher is the owner of a huge number of awards, including the World Press Photo award. "The role of the photographer in war is very important: we must face its ugliness if we want world peace." says the photographer.

The famous French photographer has been photographing wars, social conflicts, poverty and suffering for many years. Emphasized honesty to the viewer, combined with the thoughtful drama of the story - that's what distinguishes this photographer from others. His photographs are not only published in the press, but also exhibited in museums, creating truly powerful compositions.

"All my efforts are to be as neutral as possible, and also to feel as much as possible in order to allow the image to reveal to viewers the mystery of the real."

An outstanding photographer and the only Russian who has become a full member of the most authoritative Magnum agencies. His works are extremely colorful, and one of the most famous was the series "Tbilisi Baths", after the creation of which he was accepted into Magnum. His pictures are published in GEO, Actuel, New York Times.

“All my best photographs are of the unexpected. You just need to destroy your own willfulness, the stereotype and surrender to the free wave ... You need to find harmony with reality, but, once again, this does not guarantee you success.

With his photographs, the photographer not only tries to draw attention to any problem, but also literally calls to solve it. main theme his work, not surprisingly for a South African, was the problem of AIDS. He was one of the first to describe this terrible disaster with the help of photography.

His photographs are actively published by the world's leading publications, including national geographic, Fortune Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, GEO, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Guardian Weekend Magazine, L'Express and Stern Magazine.

War and social clashes are the main theme of his works, imbued with real pain and a call to stop violence on the entire planet. James worked in South Africa, Latin America, in the Middle East, in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union as well as in Eastern Europe.

Devotion to the cause and humanistic ideals made James Nachtwey one of the most respected reportage photographers.

“I am half deaf. I have bad nerves and constantly ringing in my ears ... I must have become deaf because I didn’t put earplugs in my ears, because I really wanted to hear. I wanted to achieve the maximum power of sensations, even if they are too painful., says Nachtwey.

The English photographer started his career as a freelance photographer for the Guardian and Observer newspapers. The first direction of his work was the protest movement of the "greens". But since 1999, he has completely turned to reportage photography, covering numerous armed conflicts.

He received his first World Press Photo award back in 1994, and since then there have been three. His work can be seen in Newsweek, Time, Stern, GEO, Paris Match, Der Spiegel, The Sunday Times Magazine and many more.

For more than 25 years, he has covered all the significant events taking place in our country, as well as many significant world events, including the wars in Chechnya, Afghanistan and Iraq. As a result, this photographer has accumulated unique material in his creative baggage, which brought him a large number of international awards, including six World Press Photo awards.

“My work is for the soul, this is my life. And there was never separation, there were life stages. I lived it all."

The goal of this photographer is to show the war for what it is. He filmed the battle for Vukovar in Croatia, the siege of Sarajevo, the atrocities committed in Serbian concentration camps in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and much more.

“It’s terrible when someone is killed next to you. The first time it happened, I was not allowed to film. I couldn't save them, but if I didn't tell the world about it, it would be even worse. And I promised myself that if I find myself in this situation again, then at least I will be able to press the button..

Black-and-white shots by Jan Grarup tell about troubles and other people's pain. Showing the life of people in conditions of wars and crises, he draws the attention of the world community to small deeds that have become an integral part of life.

“My most important advice is listen to your heart. If you shoot without empathy, you will fail. Only time spent at the shooting location with the characters, only communication and interaction, only help and empathy will help you create a real story..

One of the most famous photographers of our days, whose pictures have graced the covers of National Geographic, GEO, Time Photo and many others. His photographs are imbued with the desire for the best, the desire to "give the world a chance." In 2001, he founded AINA, a charitable association dedicated to children's education.

“Two natures coexist in me: a photographer and a humanist. Photography for me is not just an image. With my work, I try to establish a connection between cultures, as well as show the society countries and people that they have not seen”, Reza says.

Danish Eric Refner started his career as a commercial photographer. However, at some point he realized that the romance of photojournalism attracted him much more. And he began to travel the world with a camera in his hands.

But he was not limited to wars and humanitarian disasters. In particular, he received the World Press Photo award for his reportage on the "last romantics of rockabilly", who today live as if in the yard of the 1950s.

“I can’t stand listening to complaints and excuses that everything is not going the way I want. I don't like people who are cold to their work. Technically, there is nothing complicated in photography. It is important to understand and desire to do something unique, without passion for this business, nothing will come of it.

The Italian photographer entered photojournalism shortly before the outbreak of numerous armed conflicts in Europe and other parts of the world. Therefore, he began to visit these hot spots as a correspondent. He was in Angola in 1996, did two projects on Iraqi issues, and also filmed in Africa, Brazil and other regions.

The result of 13 years of his work was the book Born Somewhere, dedicated to the children of the countries he visited. Francesco Zizola has won seven World Press Photo awards and four Picture of the Year awards for his work.

This is one of the few photographers who has a deep classical education. He achieved impressive success, becoming a recognized master of photography: his work can be found in the Cambridge Museum of Art, international center photographs in New York and many other museums. In addition, as a journalist, he actively publishes in such publications as National Geographic, GEO, Time, New York Times Magazine. Alex Webb is also the author of numerous books on photography.

“I work in color. Therefore, the quality of lighting is especially important for me, for this reason I shoot more at one time of the day than at another. I always try to be outside in the afternoon and evening.”

As a photojournalist for the famous Magnum agency, he has found his own special niche in the everyday life of photojournalism. In his bright, emphatically coloristic works, West and East meet.

“Composition suddenly formed from color, lines and movement is magic.”
“When shooting anywhere, I try to be open to the world. The camera must be ready, and the head must be empty at the same time, so that prejudices do not prevent me from seeing the world as it is.

Recognized classic of Soviet and Russian photography. He owns many reports that honestly and unbiasedly showed the Russian reality of the 80s and 90s of the last century.

“The photograph is not taken by the photographer, but by chance. Professionals who control everything are doomed to mediocre staff. The photographer is not a creator, the same Cartier-Bresson said that life is much more unusual than fiction: no brains are enough to invent such a frame that is given to you for nothing. We have to wait for him…”

Today we would like to talk with you about the two most, perhaps, most interesting trends in the art of photography - about genre photography and reportage photography. As a rule, the viewer only admires and enjoys landscape shots, portraits or still lifes. But the genre and reportage makes the viewer also think about the pictures. Think, sometimes, about quite serious problems.

Let's, first of all, define the concepts: what is genre photography and reportage photography? How do they differ from each other and what do they have in common?

A photo essay is, first of all, a photographer's report about some event, an event that he visited. But at the same time, it is also a kind of metaphor that should attract the attention of the viewer, encourage the viewer to think about what is shown in the pictures, make him develop his attitude to the current event, which is described in the report.

Working on a photo essay requires a certain amount of work experience from its author. You can't just shoot a report like that. To do this, you need to develop the ability to see the plot, to have knowledge about what you are shooting. For example, when shooting a report from a football match, you need to at least know the rules of the game of football. To shoot a report about a theatrical premiere, you need to know at least the basics of theatrical art ... Of course, to work in this genre, you need to master the photography technique perfectly.

A photographer engaged in reportage shooting must not forget about the logic of the events taking place around him, know these events, correctly track and show the viewer the relationship of its elements and stages. An experienced master of photo reportage seems to be able to present a completely insignificant, trifling event to us as a bewitching, fantastic story. If you have already decided to dedicate your work to photo reporting, then you must develop the qualities of an interesting storyteller in yourself. But do not forget when working on a report about the author's vision of what is happening, about the author's subjectivism. After all, any reportage picture reflects not only the actual fact of the depicted event, but also the attitude of the author of the photo essay towards it. Simply put, the photographer, as it were, inclines the viewer to his point of view, only he does this not with ordinary words, but with the language of photography. Thus, he, without noticing it, is engaged in propaganda of the situation, the event that is unfolding in front of the lens of his camera. However, this can be done consciously and purposefully. But this is already, as they say, aerobatics.

Thus, one can easily come to a simple conclusion: a photo essay, or even just one reportage photo, is essentially just an interpretation. But she has to be honest. Without any juggling and deception of the viewer. This is simply unacceptable here.

But genre photography, unlike reportage photography, depicts scenes taking place around us in Everyday life. Shows us images of the people around us. Here it is important for the photographer to be able to see and capture in time the unusual, bright moments of everyday life. Working on genre photography allows the photographer in his work to be interesting, mobile, in some ways even unusual, sensitive to what is happening. Genre photos can be safely called unique. After all, the stories imprinted on them will never be repeated again.

What is important to know and be able to do as a genre photographer?

The main thing is to learn not only to see what is happening, to notice everything interesting and unusual, extraordinary around you, but also to clearly understand what is happening right now in front of the camera lens. It is important to be able to choose the right shooting point, take a picture from a favorable angle, instantly, even in the process of shooting, have time to work on the composition of the frame, mentally scroll through the plot in your head and much more. All this comes with experience, with skill. In order to develop this skill in oneself, the photographer must work very hard. And this work will be rewarded. You will learn to shoot as if without thinking, on an intuitive level.

To the uninitiated or new to photography, it may seem that photo essay and genre photography are very similar in essence to each other. But this is a common misconception.

The main thing that distinguishes a genre shot from a reportage one is that a person is shown close-up on it. A close-up not in a compositional sense, not a face in full frame, but in its semantic meaning. A person should be shown in all his experiences, emotions, mood. In genre photography, a person should, as it were, be snatched away by the photographer's gaze, by the click of a camera, from the general flow of events taking place in modern everyday life. A person with all his complexities, with his inner world - that's the main thing in genre photography. This is what is important to learn how to convey to the viewer.

Another sign, a distinctive feature of the genre in photography, is the warmth of intonation, a certain lyricism, softness, and penetration. A good, skillfully made genre photograph is, one might say, a whole performance with its own dramaturgy. The viewer should feel like seeing what was before the photographer pressed the shutter button of the camera. And what will happen in a minute, in an hour, and even the next day…

It has become a long tradition that all significant events, be it an event of national importance or a book exhibition, or a film festival, are covered not only by journalists, but also by photographers. A series of photographs that capture individual moments, episodes of what is happening are called a photo essay or reportage shooting.

Process Specifics

Reportage shooting is fundamentally different from the usual. Fundamentally different, first of all, approach to the selection and presentation of material. For a photo session or traditional shots, the artistic side of nature is important, i.e. what is photographed and depicted on the card. Therefore, any photographer to some extent is also an artist. He tries not only to show the distinctive features of the object being shot, but to do it beautifully, with a twist, creating

The photographer carefully plans the composition of future photos, chooses the right lighting tone, color range. He can ask his models to smile or make a sad look - depending on the plot. And even if the photos are commissioned and must meet certain requirements, the photographer still has a lot of room for improvisation. Reportage is not like that.

The main task of a photojournalist is the objectivity and truthfulness of the work. Photographing the president's visit to or his meeting with the people in the provincial hinterland, taking pictures at the scene of another accident or from an opposition protest rally, the reporter creates a chronicle of the country, writes its history. Reportage shooting is done impromptu, on the go, and the photographer must have time to guess the right angle, choose the most successful shooting point, its moment. You need to act quickly so as not to miss a special gesture or movement, a "speaking" background and such details that will turn the picture into a photographic document. Thus, a kind of photo story is obtained, which should be presented in an interesting, exciting, bright, lively way. Often, for the sake of one correct frame, the reporter presses the “start” button dozens of times, and then selects a few of the most successful ones. He is an eyewitness, and through his photographs the viewer joins what was happening, plunges into the thick of events, becomes their participant, feels the intensity of passions and drama, experiences unique moments of history.

It is clear that reportage shooting is a complex matter, it requires high professional excellence. It is not possible to learn how to present the material “simple, but with taste” in one day or a month. The hand and eye are "stuffed" for years. After all, the selected pictures should be vital and convey the spirit of events. Therefore, we can say: reportage shooting is a story in "pictures" about their contemporaries and their era.

Often a series of photographs accompanies the text of a newspaper article or blog post. Therefore, the content of the photo essay must correspond to the text, and often without prior agreement. Such consistency is also one of the signs of professionalism.

We're filming a holiday!

One of the varieties of photo reporting is shooting holidays. Like reportage, it includes almost all genres and types of landscape, "from nature", interior, i.e. household, static and mobile. Holiday photography should convey the appropriate atmosphere, moods, emotions. And then the photographer turns into an artist. It captures the brightest and most colorful moments, the most touching and happy, funny and interesting. After all, such a report helps to preserve the memory of solemn events for many years.

The profession of a photographer is a profession by vocation. It must be loved, it must be lived, it must strive for perfection. Only then can you become a true master photojournalist.

A section in which we publish useful materials and collections relating to all the subtleties of the wedding, and introduce you to the work of wedding photographers who have their own special and individual style of work.

One of the leading qualities of reportage photography is honesty. Probably, this is what determines the interest and respect for the genre on the part of both wedding industry professionals and newlyweds.

Today we want to tell readers about people who know how to shoot a reportage very well and know how to catch the most bright emotions. Someone's names have long been among the experts in wedding and reportage photography, someone has just started his professional career and has already achieved success in this genre. The main thing here is that photography is a story, and our heroes have something to tell.

Is talking that reporting is always a powerful charge of energy and emotions
Can not sleep until 4 am after the wedding
Sure, what is important in the photo - people. It is they who inspire all creative and labor feats.

I have filmed in California (Los Angeles, San Diego) and the Dominican Republic, France, Switzerland, and of course, Italy! In Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, Georgia. Last year's discovery is Baku, the unexpectedly futuristic and modern capital of Azerbaijan. I dream, perhaps, of Portugal and New York - I am actively discussing shooting there this season.

Some time ago I had a period when I tried my hand everywhere, including in many international associations and competitions - this really stimulates development, it helps to prove something to myself, to find my place among the whole variety of photographers .

I am most proud of my Photographer of the Year award by My W ed Award 2015. There is, of course, a history of prizes in American associations and international competitions, publications in Western blogs, victories in nominations, the final of the Wedding magazine award and other competitions. But I have said more than once: in my opinion, it is the series from the wedding (on which, in fact, the title of “Photographer of the Year” is awarded in the My W ed Award) - and there is "aerobatics" for the photographer. One frame, a moment is always a certain amount of luck, but a solid, interesting and unexpectedly told story is an unambiguous statement, position and subtle, multifaceted work.

Right now, it’s not so important for me to chase victories, I want to do things that are important for people and listen more to my inner voice, my goals “here and now”. And I'm interested to see where it takes me next.

As a photographer, I started by working in a photo studio, shooting portraits. Sometimes I managed to try my hand at shooting fashion shows. I liked the backstage aesthetic and the opportunity to tell the story from behind the scenes much more. So I started doing more and more reporting.

Reporting for me is a story, like a movie. Dynamics, atmosphere, details, relationships between people - that's what I pay attention to. I feel comfortable as an observer. I like to find and interpret plots, not to create artificial shots.

In the report, a lot of attention is always paid to an alternative view of events. Different optics, unusual angles. Show the event in a way that none of the guests saw it. I like to dilute the result by shooting on different types cameras (disposable soap dishes, polaroid, goupro, film).

I am happy to represent Russia in the Wedding Photojournalist Association, there are now only three photographers from our country. This is the only international association where you can't get into it just by paying money. The first time I applied, in 2011, they turned me down because I wasn't cool enough for them. It was very disappointing, but it made me move more actively. In 2013 I was accepted, and now I am already taking prizes. It is important that "wedding experts" are not chosen as the jury. For example, the latest contest was judged by two Pulitzer Prize winners and a professor of photojournalism from the University of Kentucky.

I am also the founder of the Magritte agency, and my colleagues and I are developing the direction of reportage photography for business. We shoot image stories from events, shows, exhibitions.

It is important for me to look at the portfolio in 3-4 years and understand that the pictures are still relevant. That they were not made under the influence of trends or peers.

Yuri Gusev

Finalist of MyWed Awards 2016 in the nomination "Collections"
Finalist of MyWed Awards 2015 in the nomination "Banquet"
TOP-20 photographers of St. Petersburg according to the portal Gorko.ru
TOP-50 best photographers according to MyWed

Is talking that a reportage is born when something doesn't go according to plan
Published in leading wedding magazines
Loves before the wedding season, go on tour by car to get inspired on the trip

Why reporting? This is a shooting direction that will never lose its relevance, its main advantage is to show people as natural, as they really are.

Reportage shooting is, first of all, the sincerity and naturalness of the guys themselves. When you become a guest at their celebration and easily fit into their environment, and they just forget that you are, then you manage to catch those very valuable moments that my newlyweds want to see in a year, five or ten years.

I think that when shooting a wedding, you should always remember that our task is to constantly peer, notice, search, catch, move in search of the best moment.

Photography for me is a craft for the sake of art. We look at a photograph and think about what impression it makes on us. And we don’t think about how it was filmed. It takes a long time to learn the technical side of this craft to create a good shot.

I am always happy to agree to shoot a wedding in other countries. My first foreign shooting was in Germany, then I shot in Finland, Italy and France. My dream is to visit Iceland and China, to shoot something similar there. I think it will be a great adventure.

Artem Pitkevich

Member of the International Wedding Photojournalism Association WPJA

proud recognition of colleagues and the fact that 6 photos at once won prizes in the prestigious photo competition of the International Association of Wedding Photojournalism
Considers that photography is a craft
Removes in Kazakhstan, Chechnya, Azerbaijan, Thailand, Turkey, Holland, France, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Belgium

I love taking pictures. I love the feeling of flow, when there are a lot of events, when you feel that it is working out, the blood boils, and time just disappears. But the real satisfaction comes when the shooting is already done, and I collect the final series or book. The process of collecting history, when several pictures add up and successfully convey some kind of plot twist, it turns out to be a joke or put together a particularly touching spread - this is the main joy.

For me there are two key moments at work. First, do not interfere in what is happening. When you are a photographer, you have power. They listen to you. There is a great temptation to intervene and make yourself beautiful: “Oh, it was so great, guys, repeat it again, but near the window”, “To make it beautiful, we will not gather at home, but at the hotel”, “Make up here. Wear a dress here. Kiss - here. Go here, don't go here. Breath! Do not breath". Of course, you are a professional, you have great experience, you constantly see what needs to be corrected. That's just a beautiful picture - not the purpose of the wedding, but rather a consequence. And the people who are commanded lose their will. As a result, the pictures are not about the newlyweds, but about the perfect wedding in the view of the photographer.

The second point is to shoot something that really conveys the essence of the event. Often the photographer sees it as his task to shoot something amazing: very beautiful photo, a rare moment, to find an unexpected angle. But after all, the task of reporting is not to surprise the viewer, but to tell about what happened. And for this it is necessary to shoot not what no one has seen and not what almost never happened, but quite the opposite. And the main task is to show ordinary things in such a way that it is interesting and valuable to the viewer.

Today there is such a trend in the genre: to call anything horrible a reportage. The boundaries are blurred, the report merges with art. On the one hand, “realness” is increasingly in demand, on the other hand, the idea that even the most documentary photography is extremely subjective and has nothing to do with reality.

Who will need your report if you do not have the required portraits with relatives or a portrait of the bride? A wedding is a very ancient and conservative ritual. Weddings look alike, and that's okay. The "checklist" of photographs is in subjects, not in compositional templates.

For me, a cool picture has never been the goal of the work. A firm position is something that inspires respect, it is like a flag under which one wants to stand. In 2002, the Wedding Photojournalism Association, WPJA, was formed. In 2012, I went to their website and read: “We offer a different perspective on wedding photo- calmly capture real moments as they happen for the bride and groom. Our goal is to take photographs that tell the story of your wedding day, not dictate it for you.” And I realized that I was here. This is the "community" with which I want to associate myself. We have the same values, and therefore their opinion about my work is important to me.

Anatoly Bityukov

TOP-50 member of the American Association of Fearless Photographers, 2014
Best Photographer 2015 by SPBWEDAWARDS
The 150 best international wedding photographers for 2016
Multiple MyWed Award finalist, WPPI, WPJI, WPS, ISPWP

Sure that a photographer is not just a person who knows how to press a button
trying hard maintain a competitive spirit with colleagues
Participates in professional exhibitions and competitions

My journey as a photographer began from school, or rather, from graduation, when the question arose of what to do next. The prospects were different, but I did not miss and entered the technical school at LOMO with a degree in photography. 3 years of study, 3 more years of practice in sports photography, and hello wedding industry. This year will be 10 years since I became a wedding photographer.

Photography is 50% art and 50% craft. I love everything real, that's why I chose reportage. In this genre of shooting, you can convey the fullness of the emotions experienced by people and translate them into shots.

Reporting for me is, first of all, a mood, an atmosphere and a moment, because the atmosphere of a holiday is born from the mood of my and the people around me, and moments of amazing beauty happen in it. It remains only to catch them.

Before heading off to shoot, the photographer must remember that we are all mortal, and you should not climb where you don’t need to. But I still climb.

Dimm Grand

Finalist MyWed Award 2016 in the nomination "Incredible Place"
Finalist of the MyWed Award 2015 in the nomination "The reverse side of the wedding"
TOP-10 best reporters in Moscow according to the Zankyou International magazine, 2016.
TOP-30 best photographers according to the International Wedisson Award, 2015
Winner of the "Bride of Moscow-2012" contest in the nomination "Best wedding reportage"
Personal exhibition "Connecting Hearts", 2017

Considers that the most necessary thing for shooting is a photographer, an event and a camera
Came in the photo by accident, but stayed forever
Applies to work, titles and awards self-critically

Every wedding has its own personality, character, color, light and mood. You need to be able to convey all its subtleties in the smallest details, while maintaining individuality. Create a story that will be kept and passed down through generations.

Reporting is a kind of kung fu in which there is no limit to perfection. The ability to show the event in the frame so that it touches the most intimate notes of the soul. To awaken feelings. The energy stored in the frame, living for centuries.

I did not choose this genre. This is my physiology! It is interesting for me to be in the thick of things, and I recharge myself from this. The brain constantly begins to produce a variety of pictures that need to be done in time. I always try to convey the mood and energy of what is happening as efficiently as possible. Photography is an art. If it turns into a craft, I will quit this business.

So far I have photographed about 300 weddings in 16 countries such as Cyprus, Turkey, Czech Republic, Austria, Spain, Italy, France, Ireland, USA, Cuba, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Seychelles. Couples from 9 countries have become my clients, including media personalities and famous athletes. I have photographed weddings ranging from 2 to 1115 people. But at the same time, I am very self-critical. Everything that I have achieved so far, I consider only the beginning of my journey.

My father was a photographer, he worked for various news publications, and we always had photographic equipment, film developing equipment and other photographic paraphernalia at home. At that time, I myself studied at an art school and thought that it was painting and drawing that was my vocation. But in the end I chose photography.

Reporting is an opportunity to follow the beauty of the moment. The genre chose me. I always say that if you shoot ten weddings staged, it will be ten identical weddings. If you shoot ten weddings in a report, it will be ten unique events. It's cool, that's what I'm aiming for. Good reporting is a trained flair for the moment.

I am very pleased that finally in fashion is a story not just about two people, a bride and groom, in fashion is a story about a wedding as a kaleidoscope of moments of one day, about the atmosphere. There is attention to the guests, to their emotions, to their reckless dances, there is sincerity.

For me, photography is about working with people. In this process, I feel as comfortable as possible. I know that many photographers avoid any kind of interaction with guests at large events, but I can easily organize a large number of guests on a single shot.

In terms of inspiration, I'm a big fan of great cinematography. For example, I really like to review the film works of Georgy Rerberg and Alexander Knyazhinsky. In general, cinema is one of the most accessible sources of inspiration for a photographer, it is such an incredible synthesis of art, work with light, composition, movement. The other day I caught a small fragment of the Stalker, once again I admired how whole and atmospheric it was filmed.

Purposefully, I did not choose the reporting genre. There was a time when I worked as a staff photographer for a newspaper and very often filmed meetings and planning meetings in the city administration. It had to be done quietly, without interfering with anyone's work. Most likely, it was this moment that determined the point of no return. It began to turn out to shoot well, then well. So it dragged on.

If we talk about “true reporting”, then for me it is shooting without interfering in the process, or with a minimum that people will not notice. This is such a difficult fixation of moments when you are constantly looking for a frame, while not preventing people from relaxing and communicating.

The most favorite moment during shooting is when, despite the screen, you already understand that you have shot something worthy and strong. Often these are not directorially created scenes, but spontaneously caught moments.

As such, there is no ritual before shooting. Everything is already fixated on ironing a shirt, collecting equipment and getting enough sleep.When you have already learned how to shoot well, there is only one super-task, to do it not just well, but interestingly and jump above your head. Every evening before shooting, this is the setting.

Artur Poghosyan

Finalist My W ed Award 2016 for Magical Light
Shortlisted for the Wedding Awards in the nomination "Best Wedding Frame"
2015 National Geographic Editors' Choice People Award

Working in Moscow and St. Petersburg, travels to Southeast Asia and sometimes shoots there
Participates in competitions to develop professionally
Beret two cameras, several lenses and additional light for a wedding

I always envied talented musicians and wanted to be in the Moscow rock scene, but I didn’t know how to play instruments, and I was already on the “you” with a camera, so I started filming concerts. It was from the concerts that my formation as a reportage photographer began.

Reportage shooting is a special genre in which it is necessary to show events, tell a story and make it as interesting and beautiful as possible. Many people mistakenly think that we, reporters, shoot black and white emotional daub, and that's where our work is done. Any wedding photographer should be able to shoot a reportage, staging, good portraits, group shots and so on. I do all this, only the emphasis is on live, emotional shots.

There are canons in wedding photography that, in my opinion, should not be violated. It is necessary to take good portraits of the bride and groom, joint photos with parents, friends and relatives, decor elements, details and all important events. Most of all, I like the shooting process itself, especially at the training camp and at the banquet.

We live thousands of events at a moment in time. Every moment of life simply cannot fit into the field of our attention. For me, reportage photography is an opportunity to capture something that does not always catch our eye, something that we do not think about until we are pointed out to it. I am pleased to think that a person, looking at my work, can learn something new about his wedding, about himself and his family, to see what passed him by.

It seems to me that reporting is something that lives outside of time. We can say that a number of photographers have their own specific style of shooting. But by and large, everyone uses the same techniques. The popularity of reportage as an element of wedding photography has grown a lot in recent years. It becomes very important for clients, they realize the value of these personnel.

At work, I always think about three things:

The photographer with all his behavior and appearance should be pleasant not only to the newlyweds, but also to the guests. You can’t even imagine how many boundaries are erased if you have established yourself as “your” person.

Smile. No one will like it if a gloomy photographer is staring at you with a lens.

Life flows here and now, and if at this moment you did not manage to capture the event, there will be no second chance. The photographer must always be as focused as possible and observe what is happening around him in order to react in time, and more often to anticipate certain situations.

Now I try to empty my head before each shooting so that I can start the work without any feelings or patterns. Although not so long ago, my ritual was to methodically look through my favorite works of photographers I respect.

I see no reason for myself to talk about achievements or regalia. Even if I strive for them, this is not the only thing that can characterize a photographer. But I am proud that parents of young people call me quite often and say words of gratitude, tell how they cried or laughed at this or that photo, some even invite us to visit a year or two after the wedding. And for me this is the biggest compliment.

Lisa Karazhova

Winner in the nomination "Photographer of the Year 2016" Wedding Spb Awards
Entered the top three in the nomination "Reportage Photographer of the Year" Wedding Awards-2015
Winner in the nomination "Reflections" My W ed Awards 2015
TOP-10 St. Petersburg photographers according to MyWed.

Teaches other photos on their master classes
Takes pictures lots and lots of fun
Considers that the best reporters are in the Magnum photo agency, equal to their work

In short, a reportage is a story about an event through photography. I believe that an absolute, 100% report from a wedding is impossible. Firstly, people with a photographer still behave a little differently than they actually do, and secondly, portraits are no less important than reporting. Nevertheless, a wedding is always a very event full of moments and emotions. It's very interesting for me to watch all this. I use many different techniques in my shooting to make the shots interesting not only from the point of view of the moment, but also from the artistic point of view.

Photography is my cure for depression. At the moment of creating the frame, I forget about everything. Fatigue, hunger, cold - all this ceases to exist for me, I completely and completely concentrate on harmony, and still I can’t achieve it. Probably, it takes decades to comprehend all the wisdom and nuances, and most importantly, to learn how to fill the frame. Yes, filling is the hardest part, but it makes our work at least somewhat valuable!

I can’t say that I am very proud of some awards, of course, it’s nice to receive them, but still there is an element of the lottery. For me, the best part is that many of the couples I've photographed for weddings already have two children. I know for sure that those reportage shots, which I did so diligently, will be more and more valuable for them every year!

I really love international weddings, I had several of these shoots, and it was enchanting. And in my work, probably, the moment of hunting behind the scenes is what I like most of all.

It might be useful to read: