I grew up in Ukraine and moved to Canada with my family 30 years ago. I received my first camera in the last century, when I was 12 years old. The city administration held a children’s drawing contest, and as a participant, I won first prize; the “Fotoaparat Smena 8M”! The event was big, and I never suspected I would win such a prize. My father congratulated me saying, “Now, you have to learn about this”! More than 30 years had yet to pass before the invention of YouTube, so, I began my photography journey from technical library.

It didn’t start with basic knowledge, I started completely from scratch…and I liked it. The idea of self-education captivated me, and continues to captivate me to this day. So, for today, I don’t have any formal education in photography, but I was fortunate enough to receive classical education in art history, drawing, painting, composition and architectural design. The theme of light, shadow, and reflection were present throughout all these classes.

Today, like everyone else, I have a large amount of resources at my disposal for self-education, as well as the opportunity to share what I have learned.

To me, photography is not only about telling stories; it’s about the sensation evoked by the play of light and shadow on everyday objects. It is a journey from the first click of the camera, to an interior accent that helps set the mood in your home.