Yesterday it’s been six months since the Russian-Ukrainian war started. And before I couldn’t bring myself to write anything here, but I still feel the need to express my small thoughts because silence is worse.

I’m not Ukrainian. Although as a child I spent almost every summer very close to Ukraine at the Black Sea where my relatives live.

I can 80% understand Ukrainian language, and my grandmother speaks it almost fluently. After spending yet another summer over there, I’d come back to school and life in Moscow, and my mom would always laugh at my ‘Russian-Ukrainian’ accent that I’d acquire while being there and that is typical for that area, and I would also laugh with her bearing fond and happy memories from those times..

What’s happened on the 24th February can be described as millions of children won’t have such happy memories from their childhood. Millions of them and their families. Because of a single man’s terrible, ambitious and stupidly blind decision. Because those who surround him are too scared to lose their so-called financial freedom (which is quite temporary as we can see now following arrests of their precious belongings all over the world), - too scared to stand and speak out...

This war never shouldn’t have started in the first place, as we’ve always been friendly countries / nations / neighbors with lots of friends, relatives or coworkers on both sides - the aspect that we, Russians, might have lost now for generations in the future if not forever...

The war that is unfair to neither of the nations.

The war that is bringing only hate, death and despair.

The war that can’t even be called ‘war’ in Russia because of ongoing dictatorship, thriving propaganda and practically limitless power of police.

The war that is personal for one very scared coward man but that concerns lives of millions on this planet.

The war that separates families not only in Ukraine but also in Russia as lots of brainwashed people keep watching state TV channels and almost happily prefer to stay blind and deaf because their own lives didn’t quite change (for now..).

The war which horrors and irreversible consequences our grandparents knew from their own experience in the 1940’s, and which they almost prayed (as praying was not allowed in the USSR!..) for it to be the last one.

The war that made us enemies and practically new fascists in the face of civil world.

The war we never thought could happen in the first place, and that either of us will ever forget now...

I stand against this and any other war. I want peace for Ukraine and for my own home country. I want freedom for political prisoners like Navalny and other thousands of brave heroes who preferred to speak out instead of pretending that nothing has happened, and who are now more free than those brainwashed ones by choice.

This war should stop, and we, Russians, should begin our repentance immediately with the hope that maybe, if we try hard, in a few decades we could be friends again. With Ukraine and the whole world. Which right now seems just imposible.

Don’t be scared and don’t be silent, only together we can bring this nightmare to an end.

#ЯПротивВойны #EndThisWarNOW #PeacefulSkyForEveryone #IAmAgainstTheWar #NoPutinNoWar #птнПНХ

Good Sunday morning/ afternoon guys. 

How actually are you? 

I have a lot to say about what's going on right now in the world, and I will.. but for now lets focus on something positive that is good for everyone: studying.

This was my first time with Domestika.org , and overall I am happy with them! Large variety of all types of courses, convenient online studying at anytime & any place you want, at your own pace, and prices are ridiculous (I paid like 28€ for two courses !!). But also the feedback form the teacher is something definitely lacking and they should work on it a bit more, imo. 

Comparing to NYIP course where I literally had to go places and study as if it was at a real university, with exams, lots of feedback and real homework, here you can practically submit smartphone photos, and the course is based on videos and some PDF's that are available 24/7 to you though. 

The price of the NYIP is also significantly higher than at Domestika, but I think if you really want to understand the subject and achieve some success, you need to pay for it with both your time AND money. Once you're 'there' with constant clientele, new projects and jobs coming in, and you don't have much time for deep studying, I'd definitely recommend Domestika. I liked it and still have one more course to do there!! ;)

Talk soon and be safe x

One more beautiful house that I shot a few weeks ago for my client (had to go there three times to achieve the sunset light with its golden hour!). I think the result is nice :) 

Hey loves! Hope you're having a nice Sunday and weekend overall :) Here in Santa Cruz it's raining cats and dogs since Friday evening, so it's good to stay home, watch movies, surround ourselves with cozy blanket, tea / wine, popcorn and our lovely furry 'kids')) Also it's nice to get back to blogging finally!! Which in fact I'm doing right now with these photographs of a friend of mine, practicing psychologist with a lot of studying background, who is very dedicated in helping people as she herself has gone through some tough moments in life.. We did our photo shoot quite spontaneously but I'm happy with the results, here are just a few that we both liked the most!

Her name is Vita, she does online sessions as well as offline if you live in Tenerife or in Spain, and she speaks fluently in Russian, Spanish and English ;) You can find her pages here (will open in a new window): 

Instagram 

Facebook

Youtube 

I haven't done portrait sessions for quite a long time in all honesty, but now since I've upgraded to a new camera (!!!!))), I"m feeling more inspired and motivated to try something that I was so good at (in my not too humble opinion..heheh). If you're looking for a relaxed and fun session in a studio, in Santa Cruz or generally in Tenerife North - let me know and maybe we can create something beautiful together =) xxx

Hey guys!! These shots are from our recent little drive to Taganana (since we live quite close by) during sunset. We actually hoped it'd be slightly more dramatic-cinematic, but it was very soft, tender orange-pinky one. Not bad at all, I think :)  Promise I'll try to blog more often - there's lots to tell you about.. so stay tuned :)

xxx

One of many houses I shot in 2021. But this one had absolutely beautiful views and such quiet, calm feeling of serenity and peace, which i tried to pass through the photos.. And mount Teide of course! Breathtaking.