Public Republic

An invitation for sharing fantasy

Vanya Nikolaeva’s interview with the photographer Ivaylo Hristov

Photography enchanted Ivaylo Hristov a year ago. For him, photography is freedom and energy; it fascinates and challenges him.

In my photos I have always tried to reach perfection; by that I mean expressing a simple and pure shape, without any needless details. My photos are an invitation to the viewer to experience fun, dream, and fantasy. After all, we all live in a world that is in a hurry and not always colourful. An unexpected smile or emotion never harms–on the contrary. So, I try to express smiles and emotions.

In what way would you like your photos to stand out from those of other photographers?

I am not sure I want them to be different–I try not to be influenced by other photographers. However, this is inevitable. Having that in mind, I simply love going through a lot of photos.

What is your dream as a photographer?

I would not call it exactly a dream. I want my photos to be emotionally deep and generous, to give people joy and not to trouble them too much. And what I want the most is to give freedom to my imagination.

What always attracts your attention?

Beauty–and beauty is all over; we just need to be able to see it.

Is there any photo taken by some other photographer that impressed you utterly?

Oh, there are a lot of such photos! On the site where I share my photos, there are so many of them. I loved an exhibition of Japanese art I visited in Helsinki. The work of the Japanese photographer Shoji Ueda impressed me very much. We can learn a lot from him.

If you could not be a photographer, what would your interest be?

Right now I can’t imagine not being a photographer. However, I become fond of it really fast and I need to give my strength to something positive.

I love traveling, and really regret I do not have the time and opportunity to do this right now. I have a lot of hobbies, one of which is aquariums. I love animals in every forms and shape.

Is there any particular place you would like to visit, so that you can take pictures there and be fascinated by it?

Yes, Mars. I have heard people there live beautifully. However, I cannot escape the impossibility of going there. Therefore, I will be satisfied with traveling around my country. There are so many wonderful places that even if I had five lives to live I would not possibly see them all.