Photographer Spotlight: Kirill Baranovskiy

Street Photography, Spontaneity, and the Magic of the Decisive Moment

Kirill Baranovskiy grew up watching prints emerge in his grandfather's darkroom, and that sense of wonder never left him. Based in his own quiet corner of the world, Kirill shoots street photography with a Nikon Zf and a handful of prime lenses, chasing the fragile moments that exist between reality and something harder to name.

His work is intuitive, unhurried, and deeply felt, photographs that ask nothing of the viewer except to stop and feel something. Today we talk with Kirill about spontaneity, the weight of a good photograph, and why he still thinks photography is magic.

Here is our interview:

Artistic Style

What draws you to photography?

Magic. When I was a kid my grandfather used to take me to the darkroom to “help” him. I was totally blown away when my first print was developed. Photography is still magical for me, and it doesn’t matter what you shoot - street, landscapes or portraits. For me It is always the line between reality and other unknown worlds, and you have the possibility to capture this elusive moment.

How would you describe your style in three words?

Emotion, Story, Fragility

What subjects or scenes are you most drawn to?

Over the last few years I have been mostly interested in street photography which gives you a feeling of the fragility of a moment. Street photography is a very captivating process - people, buildings, light, shadows and many other “ingredients” turn into a single picture in a thousandth of a second. And it brings you a kind of excitement because you can never be sure of the results.

Is there a story behind your favorite photo?

Most of my photographs are taken spontaneously without any serious preparation. Usually It is more important for me to let my photographs tell a story by themselves. 

What emotions do you try to capture in your work?

I shoot intuitively most of the time. Usually I have no intentions of forcing specific emotions onto the viewer. Everybody looks at a photograph in very different personal ways. Sometimes viewers can interpret my work in ways that are very interesting and unexpected to me, while others might not connect with it in the same way. But of course I am happy when my work makes people feel and think.

Creative Process

What gear do you shoot with?

I shoot mostly with a Nikon Zf with prime fix lenses. This camera gives me absolutely everything I need for my photography process. Being able to use beautiful vintage Nikon lenses is definitely a big advantage as well.

How much do you plan vs. shoot spontaneously?

Spontaneity is always the winner. Sometimes I try to plan interesting spotsthat have the potential to give me special light conditions at a particular time of the day, but usually I come back home with completely different photographs from other locations that I totally didn’t expect. I have no idea how it really works.

What’s one editing tool or trick that you use?

When it comes to editing I do nothing special and try to alter as little as possible - crop, exposure, contrast, white and black levels. I only use the necessary tools that help me show the most important things and to hide any distracting elements of the image.

Film or digital — and why?

My work is 99% digital. I have used many types of film cameras from 35mm to medium format and I still enjoy that slow and thoughtful process, but digital is just more practical for my photography needs right now. I really love the feeling that only film photography can give you and I hope that I can go back and enjoy that process again soon.

What’s something you’re currently working on improving?

Right now I have two main goals: a technical and a psychological one. Technically, I’m really excited about to try long exposure photography for street scenes. Psychologically, I have to stop overthinking the “weight” of my photographs and worrying how good or bad they actually are.

Inspiration 

Who or what inspires your photography?

Of course, the works of many photography legends inspires me but in real life you can find inspiration anytime and anywhere. It could be unexpectedly fantastic light or a beautiful interesting place, or just the music in your headphones during a photowalk that makes you look at the world around you in an absolutely different way.

Any photographers or artists that influenced your style?

I have always loved black and white photography which means a special kind of perception for me - no need to add words to explain, just pure feelings. I am absolutely in love with Fan Ho’s works thanks to his unique style, perfect compositions and exceptional use of light. Masters like Brassai, Saul Leiter, Ernst Haas, David Lynch, Wong Kar-Wai are also at the top of my list.

What’s one non photography source that fuels your creativity?

Cinema and music. Both of them can immediatelytransport you into different unknown dimensions. Unfortunately everyday reality is not always enough to keep youinspired and stay creative. And then there is sailing -my second passion which gives me the feeling of absolute freedom, the most necessary part of any creative process.

If you would like to see more of Kirills work you can find him on foto @keyandframe or on his website www.kbaranovskiy.com