Join me in thanking Oleksandr for taking time out to participate in this interview. Oleksandr has a unique surrealistic style that is enticing to contemplate on when you take a look at his photographs. Do read on

We all know you as just the photographer, but we’d like to get to know the true person behind the lens. Tell us a little about you.

There are a lot of self portraits in my gallery; I think you would not really recognize me on the street...but if you would like to meet me on the street you should go to Vienna where I’m living now, or to Ukraine where I’m from and where I spend a lot of my holiday.

I think it makes pretty much no sense to write something about my person (as I’m no photographer) here, because even people who know me in real life don’t really know me at all...if someone would really like to know more about me just come to Vienna for a cup of coffee, and you’ll know much more than from any interview.

When did you first discover your passion for photography?

When I was eight I got my first camera, but I’ve photographed only one wedding with it and I think without film inside The second time I realized that I like photography about six years ago in school, I think it was because ~zort was photographing a lot during this time in the class.

What does conceptual photography mean to you?

When I have a concept before making a photo.

How long has it been since you started conceptual photography?

After the first time when I was not just going to take photographs, I was going to some special location with some special thing which I wanted to photograph...I think this was one of the first:

What equipment do you usually use to create your photos?

Digital, my good old d70, but actually I can use pretty much everything that can make photos, camera obscura is the principle.

How would you describe your career as a photographer? (amateur, professional, hobbyists, experimentalist, other)

Richard Avedon and Ansel Adams maybe would say that I’m an amateur; a lot of amateurs would say that I’m professional. I think as long as I am making money for what I’m photographing, I’ll say professional, and for myself I try to be experimentalist.

What is the driving force behind your ideas and how you come up with them?

Brain..in my head. It’s like a black hole that takes a lot of information from the world, and then it makes big bang with ideas.

Who are what motivates you, where do you get your inspiration?

It’s actually nothing special, but good music and people who are living around me...and also good old memories.

When you have an idea how do you go about implementing it into a concept?

If I have an idea, I already have a picture in my head...and if I have no time to realize it I sketch it...results you can see in my sketch project.

What has your growth of conceptual photography been like?

The development was pretty constant...I was never upset when something was coming out not as I wish...I was just photographing.

How has deviantART contributed to your growth as an artist?

Oh, I must say a lot..I think i started making conceptual photos because of deviantART, and because I’ve seen a lot of good things here...I think you can see some concept parts of popular dA concepts in my photography...

like

was inspiration for

and

What types of settings and set ups do you usually include in the making of your conceptual photographs?

Most of them are on location...location is very important thing for the visualisation of your concepts, and I think lost urban places give you a lot of possibilities to implement your concepts.

How would you describe your style?

I like the word surreal...

As a photographer what do you aim to achieve with your conceptual photography?

Actually a good picture counts and a lot of people can’t really differentiate between conceptual and non conceptual photography, but to make a really good picture you need a concept.

Who are your favourite photographers here on dA and outside of dA?

There are a lot of good people out there...thinking back about three years ago there were some photographers where I said that I want to achieve the same results as them, I didn't know how to make such pictures and most of them are not on dA anymore. Now it's different. I like some pictures, but now it's harder to be excited like it was three years ago.

I have no favourite photographer, maybe it's something that helps me to take photographs.

Outside of dA: I’m making a presentation about Rodney Smith for photo school now, and he is a really good one, I like his concepts about photography.

What is your personal favourite(s) conceptual photograph from your gallery?

One of them is ‘Unknown’

because it was a really fine day with good memories.

What advice would you give to new photographers who are perusing conceptual photography?

Try to realize as much ideas as you have.

Is there anything else you wish to say?

If you want to hear something more just come to Vienna for a coffee.

With best wishes, Oleksandr Hnatenko.