We continue with a series of interviews with professional Ukrainian documentarians.
In this issue you will talk about the new generation of Ukrainian documentary photographers, the objectivity of documentary filmmaking, the ethics of documentation and what documentary photography will be like next.
Elena Guseynova: The long winter of 2013-2014 is the time when a new generation of Ukrainian documentary photographers appeared. Both of you were not yet 30, you, I assume, like all of us, went out to the Maidan not as photographers in the first place, but had this tool, and started with it to do what you could do. Was it so? Is this such a perfect picture that will then be written about on Wikipedia?
Evgen Maloletka:
I think that if you are a professional, then you have to restrain any emotions or thoughts in relation to your work. And work should always remain basic. If you come as a professional, then you have to do what you came there for. If you came to the Maidan, yes, maybe you do not like something. But you work and tell everything as it is, and you record what you saw.
The Maidan was not perfect and was not a peaceful protest. This is the reality. At some point, weapons were used there. And we've seen it, and documented it. And it was also important to show that not everything is as painted. And this is one of the documents of why our work is possible, and why it should be objective.
Anastasia Vlasova:
If someone asked to hold a stretcher or a flag because their hands are busy, no, we do not do that. And of course, I support most of the messages for which people come out to protest, but I also went to the Maidan not as a citizen first and foremost. I worked at Kyiv Post at the time, and at some point we had a policy that we had to bring a fresh photo from the Maidan every hour. And it just killed any fervor that people who went there to recharge with feelings, moods, because for me it was work.
Elena Guseynova: Did any special language of Ukrainian documentary film have formed on the Maidan then? Does it even exist?
Anastasia Vlasova:
I perceive Maidan as a preparatory phase that had to be passed before we went to Crimea, then a full-scale war would begin, that is, step by step.
The revolution has its difficulties, but compared to the war, the work of a documentary filmmaker has much greater risks during an active war.
Yevhen Maloletka:
Maidan simply helped to learn how to work in extreme conditions for a certain number of people who were interested in journalistic activities, photojournalism. And for us, too, it was the school of life.
Elena Guseynova: How can you not trust a documentary photographer? Why?
Yevhen Maloletka:
I will say that foreign media, they have their vision of the country, or history, or in general how a person works on a topic, and what they want to show. What visual solutions or style is characteristic of the photographer or the photographer. And even more so when it's a revolution, or a war, every photograph, it's very carefully reviewed what was taken.
Anastasia Vlasova:
I wanted to add more about agencies. What does it give at the start of work? It gives more recognition, and it is important for young photographers. Because we all want to work not with national, but with international media. And here is the fact that on the Maidan it was possible to sell your photo as a freelancer to the agency, as well as in the Crimea, then it could be sold to the EPA, to AFP, to Reuters. And after 3-4 photos that you sold, editors more often notice and remember you. And it really works. Then I was told in the States that they looked at the photos that I took within the agency, came out to me, because a certain image had already formed that “she films war and social themes.” That is, it really gives at the start of the profession a good opportunity to declare yourself. But for this you need to have something to declare.
Elena Guseynova: do you fully believe in the objectivity of documentary photography?
Yevhen Maloletka:
Photography is a message. Whether it's one photo, or is it a series, and what you wanted to say with it, because it's important. I don't work with 360* spherical photos, where you can show everything at the same time from all sides. I have a frame, in a clearly defined field, and in the corner of my lens, and what I want to say with that. And this is part of our work, style, objectivity and so on. And it is impossible to give away the amount of information that you have missed through yourself completely. It is always a very concise framework. And the editors say that less, less, less, because it is very long, it does not matter, people do not read so much now.
Anastasia Vlasova:
Photography is like a quintessence of meaning for me. With video, it seems easier to me because there is a certain amount of time to engage the viewer. Plus, due to the fact that the picture is constantly changing, we pay more attention to videos than photos that are frozen in time.
For me, a photograph is always of interest because it has a very limited time to interest, to keep the person on that information, to make them read the signature and perhaps the article that complements the photo. And it may be short enough, for us, but for someone else, it may be enough.
Elena Guseynova: ethics: what does it mean now after February 24, 2022? Is there a chance of not accepting the objectivity of the person you are photographing? Is there a chance to stay within these ethical boundaries?
Yevhen Maloletka:
I think it's important here not to lose yourself in this great amount of grief that surrounds you.
The viewer will read that concise version, and you will pass it through yourself. And it's difficult. This is your big backpack, which will always be a memory for you.
Anastasia Vlasova:
Not everyone can perceive and reveal tragic stories, but it is important to talk about them. Because, unfortunately, these stories are very quickly displaced, erased and lost. We, as journalists, have a responsibility to tell the complex but vivid stories that our country lives. Just so that there is this uncomfortable reality for many, so that there is not only one side of the coin.
Yevhen Maloletka:
You have to react and document whether it will be the main news of the day or not, no matter. It doesn't matter to me who cares or does not care to see if he has arrived. I don't care about the person who has too much blood or too much war. I will continue to do it anyway. Because that, unfortunately, is our job. I would not want, of course, for this to happen in my country, and not to drive through these shelling, not to drive to these broken houses, not to film funerals, and much more. But this is the time when you have to do the work. And you will reflect after the end of the war.
Anastasia Vlasova:
I don't think this is a marketing strategy. I'm not sitting around thinking about how to attract more social capital or media support to Ukraine.
I understand that we are not alone in the world, and if it does not happen, the same terrorist attack could happen there the next day in Israel.
I do not believe that any photograph can stop a war. I just can't help but talk about it anymore. And it doesn't matter to me how many people read it, how many people see it. I can't help but tell you what happened, that's all.
Elena Guseynova: What will be the photo, in particular, documentary, next?
Yevhen Maloletka:
War creates a demand for truth. And this demand is giving birth to a new generation of photographers who are willing to risk their lives to bring this truth to the world. I believe that the main task of people who work in the fields is simply to keep doing what they are doing. And that's important now.
Anastasia Vlasova:
This war shook the notion of objectivity. We were told we had to cover the two sides of the conflict, but now it looks absurd. We could not cover what was happening on the occupied side, although there were no Russian military there. On the other hand, we see what is happening with press freedom in Russia, where Evan Gershkovich of The Wall Street Journal has been sitting for more than a year for trying to cover both sides. The same applies to humanitarian organizations. People began to understand that on paper it does not work the way it does in real life, and that there can be no neutrality. So many fundamental things have changed.
I have often heard from the military that this is the first war that looks black and white. At the global level, we are the party that defends itself. Therefore, what can be the concept of objectivity or whether to give the word to our enemy? Anastasiia Vlasova
We are grateful Work.ua for supporting and assisting in strengthening the voices of Ukrainian documentary filmmakers.
Thank you.
Anastasiia Vlasova— photojournalist. She covered the events of Euromaidan, the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas. In her work in Donbas, Anastasia focuses on simple human stories of joy and sadness rather than on great military victories or defeats.
Yevhen Maloletka— Ukrainian photojournalist, who gained wide popularity with a photo report on the blockade of Mariupol during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022. Winner of the 2022 Knight International Journalism Awards from the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ). Laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine (2024).
Elena Guseynova— Ukrainian writer, radio host, radio producer and moderator of the meeting. Since 2016, he has been working on Radio Culture (Social). She is currently the editor-in-chief of the Editorial Radio Theater and Literary Programs.
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Marusya Maruzhenko
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
We continue with a series of interviews with professional Ukrainian documentarians.
In this issue you will talk about the new generation of Ukrainian documentary photographers, the objectivity of documentary filmmaking, the ethics of documentation and what documentary photography will be like next.
Elena Guseynova: The long winter of 2013-2014 is the time when a new generation of Ukrainian documentary photographers appeared. Both of you were not yet 30, you, I assume, like all of us, went out to the Maidan not as photographers in the first place, but had this tool, and started with it to do what you could do. Was it so? Is this such a perfect picture that will then be written about on Wikipedia?
Evgen Maloletka:
I think that if you are a professional, then you have to restrain any emotions or thoughts in relation to your work. And work should always remain basic. If you come as a professional, then you have to do what you came there for. If you came to the Maidan, yes, maybe you do not like something. But you work and tell everything as it is, and you record what you saw.
The Maidan was not perfect and was not a peaceful protest. This is the reality. At some point, weapons were used there. And we've seen it, and documented it. And it was also important to show that not everything is as painted. And this is one of the documents of why our work is possible, and why it should be objective.
Anastasia Vlasova:
If someone asked to hold a stretcher or a flag because their hands are busy, no, we do not do that. And of course, I support most of the messages for which people come out to protest, but I also went to the Maidan not as a citizen first and foremost. I worked at Kyiv Post at the time, and at some point we had a policy that we had to bring a fresh photo from the Maidan every hour. And it just killed any fervor that people who went there to recharge with feelings, moods, because for me it was work.
Elena Guseynova: Did any special language of Ukrainian documentary film have formed on the Maidan then? Does it even exist?
Anastasia Vlasova:
I perceive Maidan as a preparatory phase that had to be passed before we went to Crimea, then a full-scale war would begin, that is, step by step.
The revolution has its difficulties, but compared to the war, the work of a documentary filmmaker has much greater risks during an active war.
Yevhen Maloletka:
Maidan simply helped to learn how to work in extreme conditions for a certain number of people who were interested in journalistic activities, photojournalism. And for us, too, it was the school of life.
Elena Guseynova: How can you not trust a documentary photographer? Why?
Yevhen Maloletka:
I will say that foreign media, they have their vision of the country, or history, or in general how a person works on a topic, and what they want to show. What visual solutions or style is characteristic of the photographer or the photographer. And even more so when it's a revolution, or a war, every photograph, it's very carefully reviewed what was taken.
Anastasia Vlasova:
I wanted to add more about agencies. What does it give at the start of work? It gives more recognition, and it is important for young photographers. Because we all want to work not with national, but with international media. And here is the fact that on the Maidan it was possible to sell your photo as a freelancer to the agency, as well as in the Crimea, then it could be sold to the EPA, to AFP, to Reuters. And after 3-4 photos that you sold, editors more often notice and remember you. And it really works. Then I was told in the States that they looked at the photos that I took within the agency, came out to me, because a certain image had already formed that “she films war and social themes.” That is, it really gives at the start of the profession a good opportunity to declare yourself. But for this you need to have something to declare.
Elena Guseynova: do you fully believe in the objectivity of documentary photography?
Yevhen Maloletka:
Photography is a message. Whether it's one photo, or is it a series, and what you wanted to say with it, because it's important. I don't work with 360* spherical photos, where you can show everything at the same time from all sides. I have a frame, in a clearly defined field, and in the corner of my lens, and what I want to say with that. And this is part of our work, style, objectivity and so on. And it is impossible to give away the amount of information that you have missed through yourself completely. It is always a very concise framework. And the editors say that less, less, less, because it is very long, it does not matter, people do not read so much now.
Anastasia Vlasova:
Photography is like a quintessence of meaning for me. With video, it seems easier to me because there is a certain amount of time to engage the viewer. Plus, due to the fact that the picture is constantly changing, we pay more attention to videos than photos that are frozen in time.
For me, a photograph is always of interest because it has a very limited time to interest, to keep the person on that information, to make them read the signature and perhaps the article that complements the photo. And it may be short enough, for us, but for someone else, it may be enough.
Elena Guseynova: ethics: what does it mean now after February 24, 2022? Is there a chance of not accepting the objectivity of the person you are photographing? Is there a chance to stay within these ethical boundaries?
Yevhen Maloletka:
I think it's important here not to lose yourself in this great amount of grief that surrounds you.
The viewer will read that concise version, and you will pass it through yourself. And it's difficult. This is your big backpack, which will always be a memory for you.
Anastasia Vlasova:
Not everyone can perceive and reveal tragic stories, but it is important to talk about them. Because, unfortunately, these stories are very quickly displaced, erased and lost. We, as journalists, have a responsibility to tell the complex but vivid stories that our country lives. Just so that there is this uncomfortable reality for many, so that there is not only one side of the coin.
Yevhen Maloletka:
You have to react and document whether it will be the main news of the day or not, no matter. It doesn't matter to me who cares or does not care to see if he has arrived. I don't care about the person who has too much blood or too much war. I will continue to do it anyway. Because that, unfortunately, is our job. I would not want, of course, for this to happen in my country, and not to drive through these shelling, not to drive to these broken houses, not to film funerals, and much more. But this is the time when you have to do the work. And you will reflect after the end of the war.
Anastasia Vlasova:
I don't think this is a marketing strategy. I'm not sitting around thinking about how to attract more social capital or media support to Ukraine.
I understand that we are not alone in the world, and if it does not happen, the same terrorist attack could happen there the next day in Israel.
I do not believe that any photograph can stop a war. I just can't help but talk about it anymore. And it doesn't matter to me how many people read it, how many people see it. I can't help but tell you what happened, that's all.
Elena Guseynova: What will be the photo, in particular, documentary, next?
Yevhen Maloletka:
War creates a demand for truth. And this demand is giving birth to a new generation of photographers who are willing to risk their lives to bring this truth to the world. I believe that the main task of people who work in the fields is simply to keep doing what they are doing. And that's important now.
Anastasia Vlasova:
This war shook the notion of objectivity. We were told we had to cover the two sides of the conflict, but now it looks absurd. We could not cover what was happening on the occupied side, although there were no Russian military there. On the other hand, we see what is happening with press freedom in Russia, where Evan Gershkovich of The Wall Street Journal has been sitting for more than a year for trying to cover both sides. The same applies to humanitarian organizations. People began to understand that on paper it does not work the way it does in real life, and that there can be no neutrality. So many fundamental things have changed.
I have often heard from the military that this is the first war that looks black and white. At the global level, we are the party that defends itself. Therefore, what can be the concept of objectivity or whether to give the word to our enemy? Anastasiia Vlasova
We are grateful Work.ua for supporting and assisting in strengthening the voices of Ukrainian documentary filmmakers.
Thank you.
Anastasiia Vlasova— photojournalist. She covered the events of Euromaidan, the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas. In her work in Donbas, Anastasia focuses on simple human stories of joy and sadness rather than on great military victories or defeats.
Yevhen Maloletka— Ukrainian photojournalist, who gained wide popularity with a photo report on the blockade of Mariupol during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022. Winner of the 2022 Knight International Journalism Awards from the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ). Laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine (2024).
Elena Guseynova— Ukrainian writer, radio host, radio producer and moderator of the meeting. Since 2016, he has been working on Radio Culture (Social). She is currently the editor-in-chief of the Editorial Radio Theater and Literary Programs.
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Marusya Maruzhenko
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
UAPP is an independent association of professional Ukrainian photographers, designed to protect their interests, support, develop and promote Ukrainian photography as an important element of national culture.
UAPP's activities span educational, social, research and cultural initiatives, as well as book publishing.
UAPP represents Ukrainian professional photography in the international photographic community and is an official member of the Federation of European Photographers (FEP) — an international organization representing more than 50,000 professional photographers in Europe and other countries around the world.
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