Maxim is a photographer who is ready to work hard for the outcome. He saw Tanel’s silk merging with the mountains, and walking uphill for 2.5 hours with all the equipment and props for that was no obstacle. The results are of course amazing.
Please introduce yourself a bit. How did you find photography?
My name is Maxim Smirnov, now I live in Poland. Photography has always been in my life, for more than 10 years now. I tried myself in different genres, from reportage to object photography. Now I came to advertising and art photography, because here I can use different skills simultaneously.
What excites you as a creator? Where does the impulse and inspiration come from?
I’ve been inspired by different things at different times in my life, but everything always leaves a mark, even things you don’t attach much importance to. For example my love of cartoons taught me to work with bright colours. My love of Asian cinema and film photography led me to experiment more with cool hues. Something inspired me to use a slight mystique in my work, I think it was the films of David Lynch and my home town of St Petersburg which imbued me with an air of mystery. These are difficult times and it is inevitably reflected in my work that I am running through these feelings. I do it very delicately, I don’t like to show things directly, I never aim to do a themed photo shoot, I always try to leave the viewer a hint and a margin for imagination.
Who are your favourite artists (from music to photo to fine art etc)?
Oh, it’s impossible to cover them all. I love the classics of photography and cinematography, but I also follow a lot of young names. I value the love of visual experimentation and honesty with oneself, artists who are not afraid to talk about subjects that concern them, people who are evolving. In photography these days, it’s hard to surprise anyone with a technically perfect picture; it’s not even the idea that comes first, but the thought, the impulse behind the image.
You did our shoot in an amazing location... Where is it? How is your relationship with nature?
Our shoot took place in Poland, on an amazing mountain lake, the Eye of the Sea. To get there you have to walk 2.5 hours uphill, with all the equipment and props. My team is used to it, we often work in outdoor locations, and many of them are hard to reach. I am very fond of nature, especially the mountains. There I can always get my head in order, think, and reboot.
Pop art aesthetics and electric colors - the same silks shining in the studio in front of Maxim's camera.
How much you follow the fashion? Where do you see the future of fashion/clothing? Where are we heading?
I’m not one of those photographers who doesn’t miss a single show. Fashion always reflects events in the world, just like any other art. For example, sustainability is very important now. Digital art and neural networks are also evolving, and virtual collections are appearing. It is not very clear where all this will lead, but it is very interesting to watch.
Maxim and his team behind the scene 🙂
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