Saint Petersburg-based Andrew Kalashnikov tells stories through his pieces. As a photographer with a strong love of cinem a, his compositions are filled with mystery and elements of darkness. Of particular interest is his use of color and lighting to create striking images. Discovered by Dazed Digital, Kalashnikov has displayed his works in Rick Owens’ corner in Printemps, Paris and the Diesel Reboot exhibition in Les Galeries Lafayette. He has been published in various magazines including Rolling Stone, Women’s Health, and The Printed Blog. A graduate of the University of Cinema, Kalashnikov supports his visionary talents through hard work, dedication and ambition. He shares his thoughts with Yinsey Wang on his success so far, as well as his reflections on his past achievements and work. Your images have elements of darkness in them. Why do you think this underlying feel is present in your images? I intended to make my work cinematic and dark. From the beginning of a piece’s conception, I would have planned in my mind what I wanted from the piece. I would not have pursued photography as a career just for the money; it is the creative element that is key to me. What has been the greatest influence on your work? Life, my interest in dark, moody things, and cinema. I graduated from the University of Cinema, watching a lot of movies like crazy during my studies. They have definitely influenced my work as a result.
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You’ve only been doing photography since 2011. How have you managed to improve so quickly? When you devote your free time to learn, make mistakes, and grow as an artist, forces tend to help you reach your goals. All that I have achieved was not by chance. Frankly, at first it seemed difficult to convince anyone that I could make it with my dark work and shoot for big magazines. Regardless of having been published in magazines, I am still an independent artist. What is the most crucial element to ensure success on a photo shoot? Organization is crucial. Good communication between members of a creative team on set is important. A bit of creative spontaneity also helps. You’ve only been doing photography since 2011. How have you managed to improve so quickly? When you devote your free time to learn, make mistakes, and grow as an artist, forces tend to help you reach your goals. All that I have achieved was not by chance. Frankly, at first it seemed difficult to convince anyone that I could make it with my dark work and shoot for big magazines. Regardless of having been published in magazines, I am still an independent artist. What is the most crucial element to ensure success on a photo shoot? Organization is crucial. Good communication between members of a creative team on set is important. A bit of creative spontaneity also helps.