Silence - Limited Edition of 13 (2024) Photography by Ivan Zaitsev

I was born and raised in Vladivostok, Russia, in a family of lawyers. Since childhood, I have felt a deep connection with nature. During my school years, I was passionate about dancing, cross-country running, hockey, and assembling computers. I always loved observing the world around me, being creative, taking photographs, shooting, and editing short videos. However, in my teenage years, these passions didn’t receive serious development.

After finishing school, not fully understanding what I truly wanted, I followed in my family’s footsteps and enrolled in the law faculty at Far Eastern Federal University. After graduating with a degree in law, I worked for several companies and eventually co-founded a law firm with friends.

A few months into running my own legal practice, I had a realization: what I was doing didn’t inspire me. I asked myself a simple but important question: “Will I be happy if I spend my whole life working as a lawyer?” And my heart answered: “No.” That marked the beginning of a challenging but essential journey — the search for myself.

By the age of 29, I had made the decision to leave the legal profession and dedicate myself to filmmaking. I bought my first professional DSLR camera and all the necessary equipment and began learning and practicing every day. I completed a course in color grading using DaVinci Resolve and started taking on small projects. Later, I added a drone to my toolkit and began actively filming aerial footage.

Over time, I realized I wanted to return to the roots of visual art and immerse myself in photography — to deeply study light, color, and composition. I started learning from masters around the world and devoted nearly all of my free time to study and practice. In the beginning, I explored various genres: portraits, food, interior photography, street photography, and nature. After trying many styles, I clearly understood that nature is my main source of inspiration.

Having built a solid foundation of knowledge, I returned to video production — now with a new vision and deeper sensitivity to image and emotion.

In 2024, I launched IZIART — a project born out of love for nature and the world around us. Within the project, I travel, take part in expeditions, and create a cultural code (DNA) of natural landmarks, tourist destinations, cities, and companies with history.

I am now 33 years old, and I’m incredibly grateful that I once found the courage to completely change my life. I’m also deeply thankful to my wife, who supported me on this difficult but transformative path.

One thing I know for sure: I’m doing what I love — my true life’s work. And I have no intention of stopping.

In my photography and video work, I strive to capture the atmosphere of a place and the emotions I experience in the moment of observation.

• Nationality: RUSSIA
• Date of birth : 1991
• Artistic domains: Works by professional artists,
• Groups: Professional Artist Russian Contemporary Artists