Interview for photo and digital magazine

Interview for "PHOTO AND DIGITAL" magazine
KSENIA DEKOVA, photographer and designer
Interview for "PHOTO AND DIGITAL" magazine, 2009.

— Tell, please, why did you decide to engage in a picture?
— My dad was photographer, so it turned out that from little up I worked as
photomodel, and aknowledged, does not remember, what it liked me. When it was
complimented with me a camera "SMENA-8M" the world began to interest me... to be an
artist, to be off screen appeared keenly. The first pictures I keep until now. On them is a
sea, pioneer-camp, tents, children in a form.

— Who was your teacher?
— Are my teachers: Kolesova Valentina, teacher of painting, taught me to feel
composition and color, for a photographer this is important... and not only for a
photographer. Vershinin Gennadiy, teacher of history of art, due to which I got the
pictures of styles and directions in painting, sculpture, architecture and design, teaching
me to express the ideas. Slavin Alexander, teacher of composition, in the institute of
theater of music and cinematography the name of Cherkasova, (separation of
scenography) my master, but rather already the teacher of life, noticing me, highly
valuing my creation. He gave me forces and confidence in own talent, wise, deep and

charming man. Slavin allowed me in place of the ordinary banal viewing are hanging of
sketches on a wall, for example, to arrange slide show on the topic the Japanese theatre
of kabuki. I dyed persons and wrapped around fabrics of figure of students of theatrical
institute, took off them on tape. On viewing turned off light in a class, and designed
sliding seats on a wall – so I executed a task on a theatrical suit, in place of painting –
snapshots.

— Who is such photographer? Why did you give just the same determination?
— Photographer is an artist, glorifying beauty, a philosopher, experimenting with
reality, is reactive on an injustice, pain.

— Do you remember the first errors in the field of picture? What is important to know
for a beginner photographer to develop?
— Sometimes the errors of photographer become him by firm style, these errors at times,
are individuality which pictures are known on. But in a picture, as well as in painting, to
know bases of handicraft – it is important. Picasso wonderful drew, to perfection knew a
plastic anatomy, but many, distant from an art people, with a confidence is talked "And I
can draw so!" Pablo was found by the language of painting, seeming easy in execution,
and, learning to draw, as forgot about it. It is similarly needed and in a picture... if you
are a professional from a capital letter, will study right through life, being in a
permanent search.

— Is there the most actual problem to date for you, how photographer?
— I very dislike, when somebody says "Taking photo is prohibited here!", but I
shooting...

— Tell, please, about the specific of picture which you are engaged in?
— Picture of fashion led away me, when I became a designer. In this style not every
photographer feels confidently, in fact main in a shot are clothes, that on a model. A
specific is in what clothes looked desirable for a spectator, to excite his solvency... I feel
organically in this environment, probably, because designer... In 2000 I realized the
child's dream – sewed together collection of clothes. Did first a photo is a session the
camera of "ZENIT" in Strelna(now it is a residence of president of country), then yet
blasted. A model was thirteen years ago, now known as DJ ELLIS SEXTON. Then did
shows and began to take off for magazines. The world of fashion formed me as a
photographer. The surveys of backstage became basic part of my creation.

— Your favourite genre? And what do you consider most difficult?
— It is Nyu (naked body, bare model). I like beauty of human body. He and difficult.

— As do you behave to the glamur picture?
— I behave to it. )) Now the value of this word is distorted and often designates a
closeness to the generally accepted standards of luxury, stylishness, external brilliance. I
anymore like the truth value of this word is glamur in translation from English glamour,
– actually. On moss pictures people are always beautiful, even if they cry or angered, so
that to name my works glamurom it is possible. Tendency called this word appeared at
those, who was not taken in a "lustre". Publications are in the magazines of PLAYBOY,
Marie Claire, Atmosfera, Atelier, Penthaus, High Society and other, I was satisfied fully. )

— Do you prefer a raising survey or reporting?
— Raising. I like to create the reality, be the artist of shot, it how to be a film director.
Tarkovskiy, it is talked, dyed a grass, what to obtain maximal expressiveness of shot.

— Do you take off on a digital photographic technique, digital camera? Why?
— Liked new technologies. We did not have cellular telephones, computers, digital
technique, and it was not a case a long ago.... I do not present how without it to live now!

— Why do many consider a pellicle picture an art, and number – no?
— Both in an art and in a picture, often more fresh causes shock. I am for an
advance-guard and digital technologies! It seems to me, ridiculous caught for the pas. The
epoch of pellicle technologies will become history soon, but it is beautiful history...

— How do you consider, in our country a photographer can normally earn only on
advertising?
— Think not only. For example, conceptual photo-artists, proposed in galleries, earn far
anymore! But all is relative, depends on the name.

— Can you give an estimation the today's market of picture? Are we a developing
country in this plan?
— Am where to develop! There are publicmen which very much did for development a
picture in Russia, but mainly it is development of Western Picture for us. To the domestic
photographers, to be, at times, to win spurs and financial estimation of the creation in
other countries. Market paradox or backwardness, does not know... Yes, and yet, present,
in Saint-Petersburg, appears, there are not points of rental of foto-tekhnik! In Moscow,
where I much work as a photographer, it is possible to hire and Canon EOS 40d and
Nikon D3, any lenses from Canon EF Macro to Canon EF 28-300, stands, umbrellas,
flashes of any format. And in Saint-Petersburg it is not.
— What great photographers is it needed to be on oriented? Or in general does not it
need someone to imitate?
— Helmut Newton, Ellen Von Unwerht, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Annie Leibovitz, Anton
Corbiyn, Bettina Rheims, David La Chapelle, Diane Arbus, Nan Goldin, Ruven
Afanador. To copy is normal, ate you search itself. Studying for masters is useful. But
finding the style, an artist stops to imitate. My style was formed under influencing of
western masters, can that is why, when models arrive to work in Evropu, from their
"portfolio" abort the photo of the Russian photographers, and abandon only a couple my.
David La Shapelle, on kastinge for Russian PLAYBOY, from 2000 models chosen one,
poking in its portrait, taken off Ksenia Dekova by sounding Board, pronounced: "THIS
girl will be taken off".

— Do you process pictures in Photoshop?
— We will Say so, own to perfection! But if terms require not to use, can not use.

 

— Many photographers consider that after treatment a picture dies, and a picture gives
birth simply. Do you agree?
— If to consider that a picture only fixes reality – that yes! If it creates it – that it is not.
We live in the real world, that does not interfere with us to be creators. Photoshop opens
the new verges of creation, allows to obtain interesnykh, ranee impossible effects, to
name it a picture or picture, however me. If master, owning this program, is an artist
with thin sense of style or provokator, it is very interestingly!

— Do you have some idea which it is very desirable to realize?
— And not alone, their great number... Most sainted – to make a playing movie. There is
already the prepared project, with literary and producer scenarios, a film crew and actors
is found, plans are drawn. Sinopsis: In a provincial small town, surrounded sands, large
child's tragedy is opened out, adults in it not participate, they at work. Hard history on a
theme a national hatred, engendered in young hearts.

— How do you consider, you already did your the best shot or he waits you yet?
— Certainly, all ahead, I trust that will create yet something wonderful and hope, it is
been me that to say public. I am ready to the large personal exhibitions, but will not
leave off to take off.

— Can you suppose yourself as professional?
— Hope that yes. But there are cases, when I understand, to consider itself a professional,
means to put to death in itself an experimenter, creator, child.
Questions were set by Aleksandra Molvo, "PHOTO AND DIGITAL" magazine,

November 2008.