BY: GAURAV SHARMA
Photographers are the witnesses and artists who can distill the mayhem and beauty that surrounds us. And the people who make up today’s thriving photographic community are our eyes to the world. Whether established artists and journalists or passionate emerging voices, they inform us, they inspire us, they amaze us, they put our world in the broader context of history.
Photographers are the dedicated, passionate and sometimes half-crazy individuals who are willing to give their lives, too often quite literally, to show us what needs to be seen, what needs to be known. I can think of no greater honor nor privilege than to have lived a life surrounded by images and the amazing individuals who create them and share them with us.
Alexander Voskresensky a 28 year old Russian rooftop photographer says, “Our community also faces great challenges — dwindling sales, increased competition and a fragile trust in photographers’ mission to inform. Too often, those factors can make those of us in that community, photographers and photo editors alike, lose sight of what drive us.”
Alexander answered our questions that - Why do the photographer do it? Why do they wake up every morning ready to take photographs, to edit them, to publish them? Why is photography important to them and, by extension, to all of us?
Alexander started capturing photos with his compact camera in July 2013. He had ascended a 215-meter tall abandoned steel girder communication towers in a Moscow satellite town and several other skyscrapers around the place and also in other countries as well.
“What better way to improve your own work than to be inspired by others? I always read different articles on the internet and check the work of the other skillful photographers”, he said.
He started capturing photos after inspired by photograpers Vitaliy Raskalov, Ivan Kuznetsov, Daniil Korzhonov.
In the answer to the question about his favorite work he said, “I don't have one favorite work, I have some favorite works: photos from the top of Kudrinskaya square Stalinist skyscraper in Moscow, photos from the top of Guangzhou IFC, photos from the top of Marina 101 Tower in Dubai.”
According to Alexander, “photography is important because photography speaks. When I discovered and later understood photographic visual language, I saw that this language could inform, educate and move audiences worldwide without the need for a shared spoken language. A successful photo story, when well-authored and edited, is universally understood.”
About safety and risk he said, “I always use safety measures, But rather than anything specific, there is one principle – I never do anything that I am not sure I am capable of.”Despite being afraid of height in the very beginning he overcome that fear in short period of time and become successful.
He said it is very difficult to survive if you are totally dependent on photography for livelihood especially as the industry becomes ever more volatile & because of steeply declining pay. He said he also invest in share market to earn his living.
About his achievements and future plans he said, “In general about my achievements: I’ve achieved satisfaction by climbing a lot of cool rooftops in Moscow - my hometown. In Russia I also climbed in Saint Petersburg and Voronezh. I also visited Shukhov tower near Dzerzhinsk, abandoned TV tower near Galich and abandoned radio tower near Elektrostal to climb them. My photo was selected in top 50 photos of world in the nomination of “Urban Landscape” by 35Award Photo contest.
In foreign countries I’ve climbed up the skyscrapers in China and United Arab Emirates and it was a great experience.
I think that it's better to speak about what is done, not about what I'm going to do. I will say that I have some plans for future trips - to see interesting cities and to see beautiful nature.”
His determination shows us that if once you have decided to go after your goals there is nothing which can stops you.
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