Ukrainian documentary photographer Oleksandr Rupeta won the Xposure Photography Award 2024 for Best Independent Freelance Photojournalist with his series "Other Days of Life." For over a year, he captured life across different regions of Ukraine, offering a personal perspective on the war.
Oleksandr Rupeta shared insights into working on the series, the opportunities to document the full-scale war in Ukraine, and why it is important now to focus on the personal experiences of the conflict.
— Where were you on the first day of the full-scale war? Did you ever imagine documenting war in your own country?
— "My parents' house is located near a military airfield. On the first morning of the full-scale Russian invasion, I drove there to evacuate my relatives and witnessed the missile strikes along the road.
I had been photographing the war in my country periodically since 2014. However, I didn’t have any specific plans to document it in the event of a full-scale invasion."
— When did you begin documenting the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war? What were the first images you captured?
— "In the first months of the full-scale war, I hardly picked up my camera. I only returned to photography after ensuring that my loved ones were relatively safe. The first photo I took, if I recall correctly, was of my mother in a temporary housing apartment for displaced people."
— What war-related themes are important for you to document? Why?
— "The Russian side commits crimes daily. Documenting each new crime is a necessary and important process. At the same time, photography, when viewed as art, allows for means beyond the literal to convey the horrors of war. For instance, it can involve reflecting on individual experiences or tracking broader trends—ultimately, anything the author deems necessary to explore through visual imagery."
— Before the full-scale Russian invasion, did you photograph vulnerable populations frequently? Do you continue working on similar projects?
— "Before the full-scale war, I explored topics in Ukraine and abroad, mostly focused on the challenges individuals face due to the structure of social life. I still keep in touch with some of the subjects from my previous projects. However, right now, the biggest challenge is the war—under the current circumstances, I don't see a more important topic."
— How beautiful or aesthetic can war photography be?
— "'Beautiful' and 'aesthetic' are not synonymous for me. Documenting with the author's detachment is also an aesthetic choice. If there is a vision guiding the selection of material, this implies an aesthetic decision. Photography can take on any form as long as the author perceives a certain approach as a tool and understands why and how to use it—it will work."
— Do you think certain "clichés" have already emerged in photographing the full-scale war in Ukraine?
— "It seems to me that clichés in war photography were established long before the war in Ukraine. Capturing something truly new is difficult, regardless of the conflict. I believe the key to avoiding clichés lies in reflecting on one's personal experience, which is unique for everyone."
— What emotions do you think your photos of the full-scale war should evoke in viewers?
— "I prefer to trust the viewer in their interpretations."
— Can you tell us about your project Other Days of Life? When did the idea come about, and where and how long did you work on it?
— "Initially, I planned to create a series of photos about Bakhmut. I spent several months shooting there, but I wasn't fully satisfied with the result. So, I decided to broaden the theme and not limit myself to a specific front line. As a result, the series consists of photos taken over the course of about a year.
I wouldn’t call Other Days of Life a project per se, as it captures various aspects of life affected by the war, shot under different circumstances. Whenever I had the chance, I photographed for the series; other times, I took advantage of opportunities to get to the front lines. I was shooting on assignment but always kept certain images in mind to later select for the series. Most of the photos were taken in Donbas and the Kharkiv region, but there are also images from other parts of Ukraine."
— Who helped you select the photos for the series? Which photos didn’t make it into the final selection, and why?
— "I have a few close friends whose advice I trust. This year, I was selected for the VII agency's mentorship program, so I now have the opportunity to discuss my work with a mentor and other colleagues. However, I had already been working on Other Days of Life before this. I don’t have a final version of the series yet—at a certain point, the selection seemed like the best fit, but it may evolve."
— Which subjects of your photos have stayed with you the most, and why?
— "That's a tough question. When it comes to the photographs taken after the full-scale Russian invasion, what stands out most to me are the children and the elderly, as they are often the most helpless victims. Their stories are mostly sad, not always meant for the public.
Behind many of the photos lies the tragedy of an individual or a family. It's difficult for me to single out one specific story."
— With your series Other Days of Life, you won the award for Best Independent Freelance Photojournalist at the Xposure Photography Award 2024. Could you tell us why this competition is important to you?
— "The finalists in the competition represented both the Ukrainian and Russian perspectives on the war. It’s good that the Ukrainian perspective won."
— Can interest in the war in Ukraine be maintained through photography? Which images, in your opinion, work best for a foreign audience?
— "Absolutely, photography can maintain interest in the full-scale war in Ukraine. However, it’s difficult for me to generalize about the audience. The more diverse the material, the more layers of the audience you can reach."
— Working on personal projects allows for a deeper dive into a subject. Do you have that opportunity right now?
— "In the series I’m currently working on, I want to focus on personal experiences of the war. The work is progressing more slowly than I’d like, but I hope it will come together in the end."
The material was created by:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Katia Moskaliuk
Editor-in-chief: Viacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary editor: Yulia Futey
Site manager: Vladyslav Kukhar
Ukrainian documentary photographer Oleksandr Rupeta won the Xposure Photography Award 2024 for Best Independent Freelance Photojournalist with his series "Other Days of Life." For over a year, he captured life across different regions of Ukraine, offering a personal perspective on the war.
Oleksandr Rupeta shared insights into working on the series, the opportunities to document the full-scale war in Ukraine, and why it is important now to focus on the personal experiences of the conflict.
— Where were you on the first day of the full-scale war? Did you ever imagine documenting war in your own country?
— "My parents' house is located near a military airfield. On the first morning of the full-scale Russian invasion, I drove there to evacuate my relatives and witnessed the missile strikes along the road.
I had been photographing the war in my country periodically since 2014. However, I didn’t have any specific plans to document it in the event of a full-scale invasion."
— When did you begin documenting the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war? What were the first images you captured?
— "In the first months of the full-scale war, I hardly picked up my camera. I only returned to photography after ensuring that my loved ones were relatively safe. The first photo I took, if I recall correctly, was of my mother in a temporary housing apartment for displaced people."
— What war-related themes are important for you to document? Why?
— "The Russian side commits crimes daily. Documenting each new crime is a necessary and important process. At the same time, photography, when viewed as art, allows for means beyond the literal to convey the horrors of war. For instance, it can involve reflecting on individual experiences or tracking broader trends—ultimately, anything the author deems necessary to explore through visual imagery."
— Before the full-scale Russian invasion, did you photograph vulnerable populations frequently? Do you continue working on similar projects?
— "Before the full-scale war, I explored topics in Ukraine and abroad, mostly focused on the challenges individuals face due to the structure of social life. I still keep in touch with some of the subjects from my previous projects. However, right now, the biggest challenge is the war—under the current circumstances, I don't see a more important topic."
— How beautiful or aesthetic can war photography be?
— "'Beautiful' and 'aesthetic' are not synonymous for me. Documenting with the author's detachment is also an aesthetic choice. If there is a vision guiding the selection of material, this implies an aesthetic decision. Photography can take on any form as long as the author perceives a certain approach as a tool and understands why and how to use it—it will work."
— Do you think certain "clichés" have already emerged in photographing the full-scale war in Ukraine?
— "It seems to me that clichés in war photography were established long before the war in Ukraine. Capturing something truly new is difficult, regardless of the conflict. I believe the key to avoiding clichés lies in reflecting on one's personal experience, which is unique for everyone."
— What emotions do you think your photos of the full-scale war should evoke in viewers?
— "I prefer to trust the viewer in their interpretations."
— Can you tell us about your project Other Days of Life? When did the idea come about, and where and how long did you work on it?
— "Initially, I planned to create a series of photos about Bakhmut. I spent several months shooting there, but I wasn't fully satisfied with the result. So, I decided to broaden the theme and not limit myself to a specific front line. As a result, the series consists of photos taken over the course of about a year.
I wouldn’t call Other Days of Life a project per se, as it captures various aspects of life affected by the war, shot under different circumstances. Whenever I had the chance, I photographed for the series; other times, I took advantage of opportunities to get to the front lines. I was shooting on assignment but always kept certain images in mind to later select for the series. Most of the photos were taken in Donbas and the Kharkiv region, but there are also images from other parts of Ukraine."
— Who helped you select the photos for the series? Which photos didn’t make it into the final selection, and why?
— "I have a few close friends whose advice I trust. This year, I was selected for the VII agency's mentorship program, so I now have the opportunity to discuss my work with a mentor and other colleagues. However, I had already been working on Other Days of Life before this. I don’t have a final version of the series yet—at a certain point, the selection seemed like the best fit, but it may evolve."
— Which subjects of your photos have stayed with you the most, and why?
— "That's a tough question. When it comes to the photographs taken after the full-scale Russian invasion, what stands out most to me are the children and the elderly, as they are often the most helpless victims. Their stories are mostly sad, not always meant for the public.
Behind many of the photos lies the tragedy of an individual or a family. It's difficult for me to single out one specific story."
— With your series Other Days of Life, you won the award for Best Independent Freelance Photojournalist at the Xposure Photography Award 2024. Could you tell us why this competition is important to you?
— "The finalists in the competition represented both the Ukrainian and Russian perspectives on the war. It’s good that the Ukrainian perspective won."
— Can interest in the war in Ukraine be maintained through photography? Which images, in your opinion, work best for a foreign audience?
— "Absolutely, photography can maintain interest in the full-scale war in Ukraine. However, it’s difficult for me to generalize about the audience. The more diverse the material, the more layers of the audience you can reach."
— Working on personal projects allows for a deeper dive into a subject. Do you have that opportunity right now?
— "In the series I’m currently working on, I want to focus on personal experiences of the war. The work is progressing more slowly than I’d like, but I hope it will come together in the end."
The material was created by:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Katia Moskaliuk
Editor-in-chief: Viacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary editor: Yulia Futey
Site manager: Vladyslav Kukhar
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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