Novosibirsk photographer Nikita Khnyunin captured schoolchildren several years apart. He took the first series of pictures in 2009, and the second, with the same characters, in 2016.
In these two pictures – Mikhail, the photographer’s brother
“In 2016, my younger brother Mikhail graduated from high school,” says Nikita Khnyunin, photographer and author of the #ThisLivePhoto project. – I volunteered to make several reportage shots from one of the last lessons of his class. And right during the shooting, I saw familiar faces and remembered that back in 2009 for some children, then still fifth-graders, I did portraits for the album. On the last call, I brought these archival footage with me and hastily tried to capture the changes that have taken place over 6 and a half years. And here is one more visual proof that time flies very quickly and everyone changes and matures right before our eyes, although it seems to us that we have always been as we are now. Time cannot be stopped, so all that remains is to manage to take such photos. “
“I really love taking portraits. Actually, my whole passion for photography began with a great desire to photograph people. But I confess that I do it in a completely amateurish way – for 8 years I have not read a single book about portrait photography. And I still think that all the technical aspects are completely unimportant, and it is enough just to be able to see, feel and empathize, ”the photographer admits.
In recent years, the #ThisLivePhoto project has grown and is already changing people’s lives. Nikita Khyunin regularly holds photo marathons, the profits from which go to charity – they help children with serious illnesses, as well as adults.
“If you have the opportunity to help someone, then do it!” – calls on Nikita.
The essence of the photo marathon is simple: Nikita began to take portraits, which each participant is free to buy at the price he considers fair. The principle of the free price worked: firstly, the photos are really very talented, and secondly, our people are easily imbued with someone else’s misfortune.
Evgeniya Zamoshnikova, Natalia Evgenieva