Russian photographer, journalist, and social worker Dmitry Markov is known for his gritty images in which he depicts the macabre peculiarities of Russian life, mostly of those that are less well-off. The photographer explains that the reason why he’s drawn to the “ugly side of life” is because he considers himself to be a part of it. Half of the people he photographs he knows personally, and it shows since his photos always have an element of intimacy.

Born in Pushkin and currently residing in Pskov, the author has worked as a social worker focusing on youth problems and has been volunteering at an orphanage for 7 years, where he began to amass his body of work. But unfortunately, his camera got stolen there, and he decided to switch to something more comfortable, so he started using an iPhone. He says he doesn’t care about the quality, and if he could, he’d sketch everything by hand.

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As strange as it may sound to some, the author likes it in his hometown of Pskov. He believes that for creative areas especially, a person can learn everything online, and there’s no need to get bunched up in an expensive megacity. But he travels all over Russia as well, with some of his photos being from Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, various villages, and other places in the country. Regardless of the place, they all have Markov’s signature style to them. His photos always tell a narrative or two about the photo itself and what’s “outside” the photo: the everyday reality of people living in Russia. Markov has a great eye for composition, and his photos are always structurally sound, contrasting against the chaos that pertains to life seen in the pictures.

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Even though the content of the imagery is self-evident, one struggles to find the exact words to describe what’s being seen in the picture. They have a little bit of candidness and intimacy, and a little bit of harsh honesty of realism, while at the same time, they’re bizarre, uncanny, and magical. It’s as paradoxical as the way of Russian life that he’s so immersed in capturing. It’s reminiscent of a painting genre known as magical realism, the only difference being the medium. This distinct style may one day be called “photographic magical realism.”

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Dmitry had his humble beginnings, but now he’s a well-respected, full-fledged professional. In 2015, he was awarded a Getty Images Instagram Grant. His works have been exhibited across Russia, Paris, New York, and other parts of the world. His Instagram has amassed 445k loyal followers over the years. He also recently published a book called “Draft” in which he goes more into depth about his background and photography, showcasing his selected works. If you want to buy his photos, you can do that at the Artsy link above. Have a nice viewing experience!

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