Meet The Photographer Showing You What It’s Like To Be Young In Modern-Day Russia

Wistful youth, bare bums, freedom: Dima Komarov’s rose-tinted photographic take on Russia has him gaining worldwide recognition. There is a common perception of Russians: they don’t smile. At least, when it comes to the notion of “saying cheese”, this might well be the case.

Enter Dima Komarov. The St. Petersburg-based young photographer’s colorful snapshots of fresh-faced, aloof hipsters in his hometown recently earned him a Foam Talent Programme nomination, listing him among the world’s top 20 up-and-coming photographers. “I don’t control my photos. I tell my models to be themselves – whether they want to smile when being photographed, it’s reflected in the picture,” he tells us.

Yet the facial surliness of Dima’s portraits is as natural as everything else in his portfolio. “First and foremost, my work showcases friends, acquaintances, and acquaintances’ acquaintances. They all have their own style of thinking and their own original style, emphasizing their ‘I’.” The result is a dreamy, lust-filled pageant of elegant twenty-somethings, whose free personalities are expressed through their style, their surroundings, and their carefree essence.

More: Instagram h/t: rbth