To celebrate World Photography Day and visual artists from all over the world, Depositphotos, a content marketplace with over 210 million images, music, and videos, is introducing a new project called “The Photographer’s Way”. Over the next 4 weeks we will present 2 portfolios a week from their selection, this is : Kate Kondratieva.
The project explores what it takes to become a photographer. What stereotypes do artists face during their journeys? How do they cope with personal issues through photography? What helped them expand their boundaries and follow their passion?
“The Depositphotos creative community consists of over 100,000 talented people; we know first-hand that becoming a photographer is not as easy as it seems. Some face the stereotype that being a photographer is not a serious job. Others simply have no support from their families and friends, and they fall short due to other people’s expectations. Many run into obstacles and fall, but a lot more find strength to follow their dreams, no matter how challenging it is” – says Tati Timoshenko, creative director of Depositphotos.
This project aims to shed light on photographers and the unique stories they have about becoming visual artists. It highlights their journeys and explores how they translate their life experiences through photography. In this thematic project, Depositphotos shares eight stories from photographers around the world, as well as a series of personal works that the artists find defining in their careers.
The heroes of the project are photographers of different ages and backgrounds living in the USA, France, Peru, Ukraine, Mongolia, Israel, Russia and Turkey.
Morfi Jiménez, a Peruvian fine artist who faced criticism towards his work, told us how the experience helped him win the Hasselblad Award.
Kate Kondratieva, a Ukrainian portrait photographer who has been featured by Reuters and other world-leading media, shared a story about leaving university to pursue her dream.
Eldar Khamitov, a street photographer from the US who contributed to The Atlantic and other popular magazines, told us how photography helps him cope with anxious breakdowns.
Andrey Gudkov, an award-winning wildlife photographer from Russia who was honored by National Geographic and the Royal Photographic Society, shared the falls he faced before landing a victory in his career. He is also a notable Depositphotos contributor.
Masis Usenmez, an award-winning Turkish street photographer living in France, shared how he turned his feeling of loneliness into his strength.
Katalin Szaraz, a Paris-based photographer who was featured in The Washington Post and other media, explained how having difficulties with her rootless lifestyle helped her create powerful artworks.
Dina Alfasi, an award-winning mobile photographer from Israel who has worked with Apple, shared how she gets critiqued by people who don’t consider mobile shots real photography.
Bat-Orgil Battulga, a Mongolian photographer that has publications in Forbes Mongolia, National Geographic, and two UNESCO “Diversity of Cultural Expression and Freedom of Art” prizes, left his job to seek freedom in nature and work on personal artistic projects.
These stories are meant to inspire creatives to pursue their photography dreams, no matter how many obstacles they have to overcome.
Kate Kondratieva
A Ukrainian photographer who shares people’s stories and takes impactful portraits that you can’t take your eyes off of.
When I left college, the dean said to me, “Have you seen your eyes? You can heal people with them! ” I laughed then, but now when a customer sends me words of gratitude, I understand he was right.
If someone told me eight years ago that my life would be what it is today after leaving medical school, I would never believe it. Or, if I did, I would have quit much sooner without hesitation.
Sometimes I think back and ask myself, “Where did I find the courage? I have always been a good girl who listened to her parents, and my parents told me that I had to become a doctor. The rebel in me came out of nowhere.
I have a vivid memory of an autopsy that took place during my physiology class: I stood in the cold, surrounded by blue light, with Richard Branson’s book “Screw It, Let’s Do It! ”. He mentioned that you should choose what you like, even if it comes with significant risks. If you believe in it 100%, you will definitely be successful.
I stopped reading that second and observed my cinematic environment; I was in a cold, ugly, nasty place, but it was different outside. I could hear the birds singing and see rays of warm light shining through the windows. That’s when I realized it was time to quit.
When I left college, the dean said to me, “Have you seen your eyes? You can heal people with them! ”I laughed then, but now when a customer sends me words of gratitude, I understand he was right.
What I photograph is called a psychological portrait. Often people come to me for healing after getting divorced or going through major life changes. They want to remember themselves in this state, in order to release it later. I am incredibly happy that they are sharing their most sincere and personal moments with me, and that I chose this path eight years ago.
ABOUT DEPOSITPHOTOS
Depositphotos is a leading content marketplace with 210 million royalty-free images, videos, vectors, illustrations, and music. It fosters a community of 100,000 creatives, who submit their works to help clients from 192 countries visualize their ideas. The company’s headquarters are in New York, with offices located in Milan, Kyiv, Moscow, and Limassol.
