Galyna Andrushko: my work is a reflection of my life in pictures

Friday, 12 June 2009 14:31

Sunset in Himalayan mountain© Galyna Andrushko

Galyna Andrushko is an outstanding stock photographer from Ukraine. Her work features breathtaking landscapes, travel and adventure photographs glittering with warm, almost unreal light. In this interview, Galyna talks about her work, sharing with us the guidelines that she follows in her photography.You can see more of her work here: Shutterstock.com, Dreamstime.com, Fotolia.com, or at Sockxpert.com.

Where are you from? Tell us a few words about yourself.

I'm from Ukraine. I believe, that I belong to the type of people who can start life from the beginning for the dream. Almost 5 years ago I left a successful business for the possibility to travel as much as I want.

Why did you choose photography?

I like to travel very much. So, in our trips and expeditions we can see many unusual places, some of them so inspiring, that it's almost impossible to leave them. And I begun photography to take some “peace of inspiration” with me. In general, I like to have a wizard profession ;-) I think all photographers are wizards that can catch that wonderful moment, which would remain unnoticed without them.

Could you tell us more about your work?

Oh, it's simple: my work is a reflection of my life in pictures. And I'm very glad, that people need my pictures. Usually I process my photos on my computer when I don't make them ;-)

What stock agencies are you working with?

Shutterstock.com, Dreamstime.com, Fotolia.com, iStockphoto.com, Sockxpert.com, 123RF.com and some others.

What equipment do you use? What equipment would you like to have?

Now I use a Canon 5D Mark II camera mainly with two lenses: the EF 70-200 f/4L IS USM and the EF 17-40 f/4L USM. Also I have the EF 100 f/2.8 Macro USM lens and the Speedlite 580 EX II flash. What I would like to have? The same, but 4 times lighter. Also I'm short of telephoto lens, but all good ones are extremely heavy. The thing is I usually shoot all the time: despite we are going by car, we are climbing a high mountain up to the waist in the snow, or we are hiking through the impassable jungles. The camera and lens are on me, not in the backpack.

What are your favourite types of photography?

Landscapes and wildlife. Nature as it is.

What are your favourite subjects?

I don't know ;-) Maybe elements of nature.

What inspires you?

Light, Colour and Shape. For example, when I saw the Sahara desert for the first time, it was at dawn and it's impossible to describe my feelings: there was Light, Colour and Shape and nothing more!

Are you a full time photographer/illustrator?

Yes, of course.

What other interest do you have besides photography?

Travelling. Especially I like to travel independently. I mean following style of travel: usually we (my husband and I) decide on a place or region which we want to visit, buy a guidebook, surf the Internet, make the plan of the trip, buy tickets and go to the adventures, changing our plan according to our feelings during the trip. It can be an extremal expedition to wild mountain country or a simple route by rental car.

What is your best accomplishment as a photographer?

I hope my best shots are in future ;-)

Can one make a living from selling stock images?

Sure, now it's my “best accomplishment” ;-)

What photographic code guide you?

“Shoot all the time” and “Forget the rules”!

How do you see the evolution of the photostock market in the next years?

I already feel tightening of demands regarding the quality of images. So, with qualitative images the microstock will take big part of the macrostock market niche. As we can see all big players understand this. And they already come to the microstock business. I welcome this tend, because you can sell only few images a month on traditional stock and several hundreds a day on microstock. It means my work can help to several hundreds people every day. It's more important for me then revenue from one photograph. It's like applause for artist in a theatre.

Your favorite artists?

Liv Friis-Larsen, I like his work very much.

What do you think about microstock versus macrostock (traditional stock) photography?

I think I already answer this question.

Do you have a personal website where you advertise your work?

No, I think it's not effective to spend time for maintaining the own site.

A message/advice for starting photographers?

Your inspiration and your love to the photography are primary. If they are real, the success will come. And don't hesitate to search for your style (or even create your own one).

Anything else you would like to add?

I wish everybody to have enough courage to be free ;-)