Katia Platonova is a self-taught photographer based in St. Petersburg, Russia. She graduated as an economist and later studied design for two years at the Academy of adult education. She now runs her own photography studio.
Katia was shortlisted in the Professional Conceptual category of the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards with her series 'Man in the Hat'.
Anyone can enter the Professional competition free of charge.
Hi Katia. Please introduce yourself and your photography
I was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. This city is beautiful; people call it "rainy", full of mist and "slow motion" compared to Moscow. I graduated as an economist, but later studied design and photography, and finally, photography turned out to be a full-time occupation rather than a hobby. Now I run my own studio in St. Petersburg.
Why photography?
I’m a visual thinking person. Sometimes I feel my vision accounts for 100% of my sensory input. Recently I was at a theatre watching a play by Andrey Moguchy. I entirely fell for what I saw on the stage, therefore, for the first 20 minutes or so, the audio stream didn’t reach me.
Photography makes me more concentrated on my inner world, on what I’m really interested in at that very moment and in the long run. I usually don’t need a team or too much money to carry out a project. It gives me freedom.
Please remind us of your successful series 'Man in the Hat'...
The series was a collaborative project with Andrey Kazakov, a friend of mine, who used to study at an academy of dramatic arts. When we started Man in Hat, we were inspired by an idea of a man as a mediator between two worlds. The grip of ordinary, well-known life contains lots of unapparent possibilities. Our personage is a catalyzer of these possibilities. He is a trickster, who blurs the limits and launches alternative scenarios.
Do you have a photographic philosophy?
In my photography I rarely feel like shouting, it's more about introversion, silence and hovering within the moment. I’m interested in "hidden" things that give you a chance to take a more attentive and an observant look in an effort to unveiling the unseen.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I have always been interested in architecture and design. Some people find this influence in my style. I like going to museums: from primitive art to contemporary – it adds to yourself and inspires you. Watching movies is a crucial thing for a photographer I guess. Federico Fellini, Lars von Trier, Luis Buñuel, Michael Haneke, David Lynch, Andrey Tarkovsky, Paolo Sorrentino, 5/4 by Ivan Maximov and some others are among my favorites.
Creating new meanings is an inspiring process. Making up a scene, assigning a location, dressing it up with distinctive signs. As with the spheres series (coauthored with Andrey Kazakov) – we made two of them, brought them to the spot, and their presence altered the environmental features, inspired us to explore further and to create a series.
plato-nova.com
worldphoto.org/swpa
