Critique

Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina

This edition of "Portfolio" features Ekaterina Taraskina and her positive photos about the absurd, semi-darkness and despair.

The rubric Portfolio shows photos of young photographers that work in different genres and the editorial board of Bird In Flight asks them to explain their motivation to engage in photography, what goals they have, and who they learn from. Today’s issue features the portfolio of Ekaterina Taraskina.


Ekaterina Taraskina, 27 yearsold

She is a freelance photographer working in Moscow, and an engineer-architect by education. Her works have been published in Russian Reporter, Beamused and the online-publications Ridus and Arkhipill.


When did you get involved in photography?
It was in 2004 when I, by chance, joined the Youth Media Club of the Tretaykov Gallery. At the start, I did not have a camera, only a plastic film soap-dish. From then I became interested in photography in the context of contemporary art, studying the technique, playing with film cameras and trials with different genres…


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{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_02.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 2”, “text”: “Spyrograms. Will magic disappear if spectators know that it is merely an object of a kitchen appliance?”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_03.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 3”, “text”: “Spyrograms. Will magic disappear if spectators know that it is merely an object of a kitchen appliance?”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_04.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 4”, “text”: “Spyrograms. Will magic disappear if spectators know that it is merely an object of a kitchen appliance?”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_05.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 5”, “text”: “Spyrograms. Will magic disappear if spectators know that it is merely an object of a kitchen appliance?”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_06.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 6”, “text”: “Spyrograms. Will magic disappear if spectators know that it is merely an object of a kitchen appliance?”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_07.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 7”, “text”: “Spyrograms. Will magic disappear if spectators know that it is merely an object of a kitchen appliance?”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_08.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 8”, “text”: “Spyrograms. Will magic disappear if spectators know that it is merely an object of a kitchen appliance?”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_09.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 9”, “text”: “Spyrograms. Will magic disappear if spectators know that it is merely an object of a kitchen appliance?”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_10.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 10”, “text”: “Spyrograms. Will magic disappear if spectators know that it is merely an object of a kitchen appliance?”}

What do you shoot?
I do not adhere to a particular style or trend. What I do intersects with street and metaphysical photography. I enjoy capturing reality and delve into it, but I am not against production or graphic intervention. What is important for me is the way in which the image is received.

For me photography is one way of subjective cognizance and studying the surrounding world. I like the mystical and extra-mundane, the absurd and fantasy, semi-darkness and despair. My photos are quite grim, but at the same time I believe they are much more positive than humoristic works.

Why do you consider photography your thing?
This is one of several hobbies that give me satisfaction at any time.
What, in your opinion, makes a good photograph?
A nice photo incites emotions, puts a person into an unusual state of mind, and forces one to abstract from run-of-the-mill reality. There are photos that incite exaltation. There are also photos that incite some irrational misperception, though they are ingrained in one’s memory. Those are successful photos. There are also photos that can calm down a person.
What difficulties do you run into as a photographer?
I would say the process of selecting photos. This is not as interesting as shooting the photo, but it is an important stage in the process.


{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_11.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 1”, “text”: “Internal Empire”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_12.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 2”, “text”: “ВInternal Empire”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_13.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 3”, “text”: “Internal Empire”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_14.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 4”, “text”: “Internal Empire”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_15.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 5”, “text”: “Internal Empire”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_16.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 6”, “text”: “Internal Empire”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_17.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 7”, “text”: “Internal Empire”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_18.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 8”, “text”: “Internal Empire”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_19.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 9”, “text”: “Internal Empire”},
{“img”: “/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/taraskina_20.jpg”, “alt”: “Portfolio: Ekaterina Taraskina 10”, “text”: “Internal Empire”}

Who and what inspires you?
I love the photos of Georgiy Pinkhasov. He literally turns places and events inside out to get down to their essence. In Magnum there are many interesting photographers. I like the magical colors on photos by Hirodza Kubot, the Christina Garcia Rodero and the interesting gloomy world of Jacob Aue Sobol.
What camera do you shoot with?
Sony a77.
Do you earn a living from photography?
I took photos for the press and do commercial reportages. But as of late I enjoy making money from a different activity, while photography for me is not my main profession and is totally non-commercial. Of course, creativity brings in good money, but at this point I cannot imagine someone who is ready to pay for my creativity.
What else interests you?
I like architecture, movies and contemporary art.
What are your goals?
I don’t have a plan for life – I like solid improvisation. I would like to learn how to compile a good series of photographs and shoot a film.


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