Alexey Miakishev
I believe everybody will agree that a conversation with an interesting person is an important event of one’s life. It is one of those good things that could possibly happen in our life. And especially if this conversation is with an outstanding person who is ready to answer to a number of very different questions. Such conversation happened with Alexey Miakishev.
In the endless series of events and work Alexey Miakishev has found some time for us. I was a little scared to meet him on my own and that is why I called not unknown Alexey Ivanov, who was also quite courteous and assured me that he will not miss the opportunity to have a few words with Miakishev. So this is how this interview happened. Between the three of us.
Is photography a worthy occupation?
In Soviet times there was such a saying: “If you want your friend to go bankrupt give him a photographic camera as a present”. I think that this saying is true now in all possible senses. Photography is a way of life. If you want to change it, then it is a worthy occupation.
Who did a photographer Miakishev want to become when he was a kid? Does he regret that he did not become that cosmonaut?
In my childhood I was very much fond of milk and milk products. When I was asked who I want to become, I replied with confidence “A director of a milk factory”. I found myself in life very early hence I do not regret anything.
“Sloppy work” – what is the payback? Or is it sometimes acceptable? Or is it sometimes impossible to do without?
If you don’t give yourself to what you do 100% then you will hardly achieve anything in life. You can apply this to any work. I am not used to doing differently.
When you take pictures, do you actually think? Do you have a shooting plan, a clear understanding of what views and angles you have to shoot from or is it just inspiration and grace?
When I go on a trip or simply walk in the street with a camera, I try not to think of anything like that. My head, as a rule, is a clear sheet of paper which in process of shooting gets filled with lines of the future chapters. I don’t think about angles and perspectives, I just trust my experience and intuition. A good shot to the most extent is providence, luck, good fortune, rather than the result of processes that take place in your head.
What is the role of women in your life?
Our life would be boring and unexciting without women.
Is there a principal difference between approaches to a reportage shooting for a customer and to shooting for “yourself” (like for the future book or exhibition etc)?
Of course, there is. Shooting for a customer is an order and you do what your client wants you to do based on the profile of the publication. You need to think how to make your pictures meet the necessary requirements. And for yourself you do things that make you happy. As a rule I have a clear separation. But exceptions do happen when whatever ordered coincides with your own vision and you have full liberty at what you do. Usually it is with big projects, which have some general theme and you work on it, and when you don’t have a specific task to shoot this and that. For instance last year I participated in the project “My Pacific Ocean”. I went to the island of Taiwan. I just chose places which I wanted to visit. But such projects are rare. The newest project in which I will participate is “From Black sea to White sea». It is organized by the group of documentary photographers "Liberty.SU". We will go on a yacht from Solovetskiye Islands to Sochi, we will cross the country by water. Perhaps this will be the most interesting project.
Do you have free time? If you do, why don’t you spend it on more shooting?
I have got plenty of free time but I spend it wisely. As usual this is work with my archive and the finished shooting material. I am not a robot that can do continuously one same part without a break. Sometimes eyes and brain need rest. I feel perfectly well without my camera. But many years have formed this habit of seeing all the pictures of life in the frame of 35 mm (my favorite focal length). This is, in a way, a visual training, which is necessary while shooting.
Why would an unknown amateur have a box of masterpieces 40*60, which he cannot show to almost anyone?
When I lived in Viatka no one saw my pictures except for a few friends. I had a sacred box with the best prints. I was thrilled that the number of prints grew bigger and it was a great pleasure for me to view them. It seemed to me then that I discover the Universe for myself. I did not care if anyone would see them and appreciate them. It was purely art, you just do what gives you pleasure and the rest does not matter.
Do you write poems? Do you read any?
It always seemed to me that poetry is a sister of photography. I don’t write poems. I like the ones of Arseniy Tarkovsky very much.
Do you drink vodka? Maybe before shooting? Maybe after?
I do drink vodka sometimes but moderately. Head must be clear before shooting and especially afterwards.
Real life and virtual – can they be separated? Why?
Both are forms of life. No, I do not separate them really. The forms of virtual life are sometimes closely connected with real life and vice versa. There are many people who do not have a slightest idea about virtual life and they don’t really need it. But due to virtual communication I have found a lot of friends and contacts. If life and progress give us different forms of communication it is silly to reject them.
Does photography gets in the way of private life? How often?
It does not get in the way. The main thing is that your significant other understands you.
Stimulus and catalyst for creativity and work – what is it for Miakishev?
I can’t say I really thought about this. I know places where I can find texture and interesting themes and I just go there. For example, right now I am very interested in the Russian North and its religious aspect. Once I have read a book of Yuri Koval “The lightest boat in the world” and realized that I was totally captured by the North-West of Russia. Of course, I was captured earlier, but this is a different story. Life in the province has always interested me. My roots are from there too. So I can say that my catalyst is province.
Is it necessary to have education in photography? Or is it enough to have a broad soul, warm heart and a Leica?
The best is to have an education in photography, broad soul, warm heart and a Leica. I don’t think I can set a good example but I learned everything myself. And I keep learning because life changes. From the beginning of the 90s a lot has changed in my profession and I am also changing. I have become more flexible although I mainly shoot black and white film. But I keep track of all the new things that appear in digital photography. I keep an eye on the new tendencies in photography and in art in general. I review masterpieces of cinematography and I read a lot. I constantly grow, try not to remain static. This is the main thing for the photographer.
Why war has to be photographed?
I don’t know. Perhaps because it happens in life. And there has to be someone to show us the truth. You can change things with the help of photography… But to tell you the truth I do not believe in this anymore. Starting with the day when “Life” magazine had died, a photographer seized to be a catalyst of change for the better. Nowadays a photographer at war is mainly a media representative.
What is your worst photographic falure?
I had a dreadful case in Turkey. In Istanbul in taxi I have forgotten all my cameras with all shooting materials and they all left in unknown direction. It was an assignment given by the newspaper “Kommersant”, I had to shoot an earthquake in 1999. But this failure had a happy ending. The taxi driver appeared to be an honest man and he returned everything safe and sound.
Any techturbation takes place?
Well, men like to discuss all those technical thingies, why not? But the important thing is not to turn it into priority. The main thing is the result – a photograph.
Are amateurs of any interest to you, do you look at albums of “non – masters”? Who of the “masters” is the most interesting to you?
The fact is that professionals grow from amateurs. It is always a hobby in the beginning. I have an acquaintance who is a very good photographer, but he does not consider himself as a professional because he earns his bread doing something totally different. But this does not prevent him from making great pictures. Speaking of professionals I adore Josef Koudelka, Robert Frank, Henri Cartier- Bresson, Karel Cudlin, Elliott Erwitt, Sergey Lobovikov and many many others. Thank God, the world has given us a plethora of gifted photographers.
Have you ever been called from Magnum?
No.
Is Alexey Miakishev a Russian photographer? Does/must photography have a nationality?
This is a difficult question. On the one hand I am not German, of course. But on the other, photography itself does not have a nationality. There is a language of photography, it is a visual language, understood by everyone. On the other hand nationality has impact on this language. For example, Kertész was Hungarian, he shoot Paris and many people think he is a French photographer. But I always asked myself a question: “If there is Russian painting and Russian ballet, then why couldn’t there be Russian photography?” Perhaps we have to grow up to have a Russian photography.
Do you have a plan and goal in life? Or you just go with the flow?
My life is a jazz and a total improvisation. There is no clear plan because any plan makes everything boring from the beginning. I want to finish and publish my first book. I want to travel a lot a shoot a lot. But everything flows in life like it should. Everything happens in its time.
On the thought of jazz, future, and improvisation in our life our conversation came to an end. I would like to thank both of these outstanding Alexeys for their time and willingness to have this interesting talk with us. Good shots to all of you!