Born in Moscow and currently based in New York where she studies photography at the Tisch School of the Arts, Ush demonstrates a distinctly unique and captivating approach. Her entrancing images are a hypnotic blend of mythology, portraiture and cinematic intensity. She has a palpable depth to her artistic style and the results can only be described as otherworldly, as well as whimsical. Various materials and locations are used in her photos and these intriguing images have been featured in numerous publications, including Vogue Russia.
Ush is involved in her photography at every stage, which is perhaps why she’s been so successful in her editorials. “I once read that 150 years ago a language was invented that everyone understood,” she tells MOJEH. “That language was photography. Being a photographer means you can express yourself in every language in the world and that’s fascinating for me.”
Her pictures range from spontaneously captured reportage to carefully prepared portraits, exquisite in their intimacy and often intensely visceral. Deeply connected to her work, Ush regularly photographs friends and family, providing affectionate and profoundly personal insights into her own life.
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Photography is an ever-evolving artistic medium and widespread technological advances like digital cameras and social media have made it simultaneously easier and more challenging to pursue a career. “It’s not just about being able to press the shutter button, it’s about something you are able to see in the small viewfinder and being able to make it look tremendous,” explains Ush. “It’s a challenge, but I love challenges.”
Already an experienced fashion photographer at 19-years-old, Ush is strongly influenced by her life in America, as well as her upbringing in Russia. “New York is full of opportunities. I’m not saying that in Moscow there is nothing to do, but in New York City it’s easier to get noticed,” she reveals. Nonetheless, working in Moscow does have its advantages. “One of the most challenging things every photographer in New York will face is getting permission to shoot,” she laughs. “There are only two ways of solving this problem: get permission, which requires a lot of time and paperwork; or try to shoot without it. Most people choose the second option.”
And obtaining photography permits isn’t the only challenge Ush has encountered. For her shoot titled ‘Holi Powder’, she spent hours at the beach in freezing temperatures, before her models had to strip off and throw paint at each other. “I still remember the shiver we all had after that shoot!” she laughs. For another project, ‘For The Dust’, her team had to discreetly meet in the middle of a remote Russian forest so they “could shoot colour fires and not get caught.” ‘Sirenia’, however, was her most challenging venture. “There were no special effects. The main actress, Claire Gieringer, had to actually dance barefoot in a snowstorm for two hours. It got to the point where I thought I was going to kill her if I didn’t stop the shoot!”
© Olga Ush | olgaush.com^
There are also various industry barriers for female photographers. “There’s still a stereotype that men are better with equipment and take things more seriously,” explains Ush. “Just look at the Fashion Photo Industry; most of the successful photographers are men. Annie Leibovitz is a huge exception.” But in New York, she says, where the feminist movement and ideology is inching its way into society’s collective consciousness, there are industry perks for women. “I have noticed that most of my clients feel more comfortable when they’re working with a female photographer. It’s easier for them to unleash themselves,” she explains, before adding: “Also when my assistants are men, I always let them carry the equipment!”
Ush’s inspiration “can be literally anything” and is often found in spontaneous snapshots from daily life, whether it be a book, person or song. Her work focuses on the viewer’s perception of the photograph and tells a story as much as it captures a moment. “Photography is the most objective and, at the same time, subjective form of art. This nonsense actually makes sense for me. Only in photography can you place objects, alter lighting and set the focus so you’re able to tell a whole story with only one frame.” American photographer Arnold Newman’s photograph of Alfred Krupp has been particularly influential for Ush. “Even without knowing who Krupp was, you still get this sense that he was the villain just because of the lighting, which makes him look horrendous. And he was: he used slave labour to make weapons for the Nazis.”
More recently Ush has spent time in Moscow where she shot a Soviet-themed editorial. “The Soviet story is very personal because, even though I was born after USSR collapsed, I was still brought up by the people,” she explains. “I want to make those stories understandable to other people who were brought up in a completely different culture”. In the meantime, Ush wants to develop her ability to speak Japanese. “I feel so proud that I’m already at an intermediate level,” she smiles. “Maybe someday I will be able to work for Japanese Vogue! We’ll see.”
