Interview with Andrei Savin on Photography Trends

Website:
https://socprofile.com/uw.art/

Country: Philippines

Photography Genres: Underwater, Nature and Wildlife

Fave Camera Brand: Sony

Socials:
Instagram

What’s in your camera bag?

• Sony A7R IV (starting September 2023 – A7R V)
• Panasonic GH5 (backup hybrid camera) + Atomos Ninja V
• About 10 lenses (favorites Canon 8-15mm, Sony 90mm macro, Nikon 60mm ED)
• 7-8 underwater strobes (Retra Pro, INON, Backscatter Mini Flash, SUPE, Nikon)
• 8-12 underwater video lights (Sola Pro, Nitescuba, SUPE, Weefine, …)
• Underwater housing and underwater optics from Nauticam

Are there any specific equipment or gear innovations that you believe will have a significant impact on the industry in 2024?

I don’t think we should expect this from tech devices except for a significant strengthening of the position of mobile photography (in my case, the growing popularity of underwater video shooting on a smartphone). At the same time, I am sure that the explosive development of AI will have a huge impact and change the consumer perception of photography and video.

Where do you get the latest news on new gear? Where do you usually buy new gear?

Internet search, email newsletters from manufacturers, and social media. I buy big things from Hong Kong and Singapore or order everything inexpensive on Marketplaces.

How is photography making the world a better place in 2024?

A good photographer tells a story and good stories change worlds, making us better versions of ourselves.

What emerging photography trends do you foresee gaining popularity in 2024?

• Widespread, diversified use of generative AI.
• Dominance of mobile (software) photography.
• Vertical form factor.
• Splicing and interpenetration of photos and videos.

If you could pick a photography mentor in 2024, who would you pick? Why?

They would probably be photographers from areas I like but are still new to me – I want to try diving in cold Arctic waters and learn to tell stories like Paul Nicklen, dive in black water with Steven Kovacs, adapt for underwater photography the skills of Peter Lik to create striking landscapes.

The unavoidable question: How do you see the use of artificial intelligence or machine learning impacting photography in 2024?

The number of professional photographers will decrease, and those who remain will become more creative. AI will become an indispensable assistant in photo processing, human-made live photos will become even more vivid and natural, AI will penetrate every camera and will help to choose focus and remove noise, and stock photos created by AI will gradually become dominant.

What is your favorite photography-related book or resource that will continue to have a significant impact on your career in 2024? Why?

When it comes to career impact, it’s definitely Instagram. Why? It has become more useful than it was before. I understand how it affects my career, and I have a lot of followers. Behance has also become my priority lately.

What is your go-to method for overcoming creative block and finding inspiration in 2024?

The following methods help me: I regularly participate in photo competitions, study the works of famous photographers in other genres, deliberately limit myself in the use of lighting devices, visualize the process before immersion, and come up with interesting subjects and scenarios in advance.

If you could give one piece of advice to a beginner in photography, what would it be?

Start a daily cycle of personal growth: shoot > analyze > change > shoot > change > shoot.

Can you share a specific tool, technology, or software that has revolutionized your workflow and significantly enhanced your creative process as a photographer?

In recent years, all improvements have been more like an evolution than a revolution. But if I think back to when I took my first shots underwater, Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop can be considered tools. Photo processing allowed me to make a qualitative leap and reach a new level. It is also impossible not to mention the motivating role of Instagram – in the first years, it helped me a lot.

Any thoughts on the relationship of NFT and photography?

I was extremely skeptical of the already completed NFT boom, but in the future, I think it will become a common tool and take its place in the digital world.

What is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness as a photographer in 2024?

My strength is that being a programmer is my first education. I can approach all tasks systematically and think analytically. This is often lacking in creative people. And the weak side is that I am now little motivated by the process of making money, and as a consequence – I work on myself less than I should. I comfort myself with the fact that my perfectionism has not gone anywhere.

A good photographer tells a story and good stories change worlds.

Andrei Savin

What is the biggest challenge in your photography genre in 2024? What are the solutions?

In the genre of Underwater Photography (as well as Wildlife Photography in general), it is increasingly difficult to shoot something unique. There have been no fundamental improvements in underwater techniques for many years. You can find photos from 10 years ago that would easily win some prestigious contests even now.

I see some way out of it: to look for new places and dive where few people have been before. Another way would be to boldly bring underwater photography equipment, techniques, and methods from different genres and fields. And let’s remember AI – maybe it will soon be able to help us come up with better stories.

What is the most important factor to consider when choosing a photography niche or specialization in 2024?

If you consider photography a craft, you should probably choose a niche from those that will be particularly difficult or impossible for current and future generative AIs — for example, Event Photography. But in general, I think the most important thing is that the genre should be spiritually close to the photographer. Without a deep attachment, it will be difficult to create something alive, real, and eternal.