I was born in 1964. Spent my childhood in Kerch,the Crimea. Moved to Leningrad in 1982. Served in the Soviet army as a photographer the Soviet Military Force Group on Cuba from 1985 to 1987. Graduated from Leningrad Politechnical Inctitute in 1991 with a B.A. in physics.Worked in the laboratory of scientific and technical expertise in the Hermitage Museum. Graduated from St-Petersburg Faculty of photojournalism in 1998. In 1999-2003 was a staff photographer for the "Izvestia" newspaper. Since 2003 I work with a German agency "Focus".

2001  Russia Press Photo contest:

First Place in "Culture" (single) category

First Place in "Daily life" (project) category

First Place in "Daily life" (single) category

"Golden pen" award from the St-Petersburg Union of Journalists

"Photographer of the year" award from"Ogonyok" magazine

2002  Russia Press Photo contest:

First Place in "the Nature, ecology and an environment" category

Third Place in "People" category

Third Place in "Humour" category

"Photographer of the year of St-Petersburg" award

"Best report of the year" award from the Russian Academy of Journalism

2003  Russia Press Photo contest:

First Place in "the Nature, ecology and an environment" (single) category

Second Place in "People" category

Second Place in "Culture" (project) category

Second Place in "Culture" (single) category

Third Place in "News" (project) category

Special jury award

2004  World Press Photo:

First Place in "Arts and entertainment" (single) category

Russia Press Photo contest:

First Place in "People" (single) category

Second Place in "Daily life" (single) category

First Place in "Culture" (single) category

First Place in "Culture" (project) category

2005  UNEP International Photographic Competition on the Environmental:

Honorable mention

2006  World Press Photo:

First Place in "Daily life" (single) category.