One year journey with Irix 15mm - interview with Irix Ambassador Dmitry Kupratsevich
Tell us - where did you go with Irix in 2018?
Irix came to me in May 2018 when I began active travelling. I visited different regions of Russia – Adygea, Krasnoyarsk Krai, the Urals, the Caucasus, the Kola Peninsula, as well as Bulgaria, Slovenia and Iceland. Yes, in just six months the lens has visited a large number of regions of the Russian Federation and other countries. I’d say it became a true friend and helper in my travels.
Bulgaria
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. iso 200, f/9, 30 min
How did the lens behave in different conditions (weather, climate, time of day)?
What can I say? The lens is suitable for real professional travellers because it never has any problems. It works any time – day or night – in conditions of heat and cold, in any weather. During this time, it never failed me. With this lens, I was always confident in the quality of the photographs.
Iceland
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/11, 1/60s
As a photographer, what place on your travels did you like the most and why?
I remember Slovenia. I didn’t expect such a small country would be so interesting when compared to Russia’s standards. And, of course, Iceland is a photographer’s paradise; so much is unusual and interesting. You can take pictures in any weather and get spectacular photos.
Slovenia
ISO 100, f/100, 1s
What is your favourite photo taken with Irix and why?
It’s rather a series of works with a model in a red dress, which I did in Iceland. With all the beauty of Iceland, the weather’s very unstable, and it sometimes can take a very long time waiting for the right state of light or nature. But I wanted to take as many excellent photographs as possible, and so staged shooting is very helpful. In addition, some places seem empty without a plot, so the model creates a colour accent, a story in the frame, a riddle, and is unusual.
Iceland
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 250, f/8, 1/160s
Iceland
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/4, 1/250s
Iceland
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/8, 1/320s
Iceland
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/8, 1/250s
How has Irix enriched your photography?
Basically I take my photos with a wide-angle lens, and last year I took most of my good shots with Irix. Therefore, I’m grateful for Irix for the joint work and new opportunities.
Iceland
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/160s
What is your favourite feature with Irix and why?
Well, that’s not to say Irix has just the one good function. This is generally an excellent lens in which I like the wide viewing angle, excellent sharpness and detail, the ability to twist the filter in when the hood is worn, the ability to put in gelatin filters, its monumental design and durable materials.
What are your photography plans for 2019?
As always, I plan to travel loads and discover new countries and regions within the Russian Federation. What will come out of it I don’t know. But I hope the year will be as rich as the last.
Russia
ISO 100, f/11, 1/320s
As a photographer from Russia, what would you advise travelling photographers coming to your country for the first time and why? Also, when is the best time to go and what kind of photographs should we be taking photos of?
From a photography point of view, I think everyone will like the Caucasus, Lake Baikal, the Altai Mountains and the Kamchatka Peninsula. These are very famous areas in Russia among foreign tourists, but not as popular among photographers outside the Russian Federation, except for China. Chinese photographers have already discovered Russia. In fact, we have many unexplored regions. Russia’s very big; in our country you can travel around for a lifetime and still discover new places.
Russia
Canon 6D + Irix 15 mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/11, 1/20s
This year I discovered the Ergaki Nature Park in the area of Krasnoyarsk Krai. This is a very beautiful place but, unfortunately, hard to reach. You can only go on an autonomous journey with a tent and plenty of equipment. It’s hard to believe that there’s real wildlife in this park; some species seem as if they’ve been created by designers. But unfortunately, because of the weather, I took very few photos of this place.
Russia
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/9, 1/125s
My favourite is the Altai. The best time for photographs in these Mountains is autumn. As a rule, this begins on the 20th of September. At this time the larches are painted gold and stand out against the blue sky and snow-white mountains. You can also get blanketed in fog and receive the first snows of the winter season, along with other states of nature. I think that in autumn the Altai may become another Mecca for landscape photographers like in other places in the world, for example, Tuscany, the Dolomites, and the Lofoten Islands.
Russia
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/11, 1/5s
For photographers, Lake Baikal is interesting in the winter when huge expanses of water surface are covered with transparent ice. The best time to visit is from mid-February to mid-March, when the ice is at its strongest. In winter, it’s interesting to go to the caves and grottoes, as well as to photograph the splashing of water, the hummocks and the individual ice floes.
Russia
Canon 6D + Irix 15 mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/11, 1/100s
The Caucasus is a majestic mountain region headed by Mount Elbrus, the top of Europe. It’s interesting to me almost at any time of the year; rhododendrons bloom in the summer, the mountains are decorated with trees in golden foliage in the autumn, and everything’s snowy in the winter.
Russia
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/11, 1/25s
But I just have to visit the Kamchatka Peninsula, so I can’t yet say anything specific.
What place in Russia as a photographer do you especially like, although it is not highly publicized and why?
In December 2018 I was invited to the village of Malinovka, in the Arkhangelsk Region. I'd never heard of this place before, and very few others know anything about it. But it turned out that there’s everything for photographers – beautiful views, authentic villages and local people. It’s important to know that you can go there and stay in a hotel. I hope that I’ll return there to find out more about this place and take more photographs.
Russia
Canon 6D + Irix 15 mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/11, 1/6s
What should every travelling photographer bring to Russia?
A good mood and a desire to discover something new. In general, don’t be afraid to go to Russia; we have everything for travel and tourism. Yes, if we’re talking about natural photography and the regions that I talked about without a guide, then it’ll be very difficult. Infrastructure in these regions is not very well developed. But we have a lot of places with nature at its most pristine, and much of it is still little known around the world. Russia remains an unreported country.
Russia
Canon 6D + Irix 15mm f/2.4. ISO 100, f/11, 1/160s
About myself:
Dmitry Kupratsevich - professional landscape and travel photographer, official ambassador of Irix; photo tour organizer in Russia, along with Europe and Asia.
Winner of 35 awards in Russian Wildlife Competitions, – 100 BEST Photos, the My Planet Award, finalist at the RGO Contest for Most Beautiful Country, Russian Photographs, Prophotos; author of publications in National Geographic, GEO, Russian Photo, PhotoCasa, Prophotos; author of the landscape photography course "In Search of the Frame”, as well as two video courses on landscape photography.
Interview with photographs:
http://myirix.irixlens.com/blog/12-questions-to-dmitry-kupratsevich-irix-ambassador/
Personal web page:
https://www.dkupratsevich.com/
Social media:
https://www.instagram.com/dkupratsevich
https://www.facebook.com/dkupratsevich
Irix 15mm f/2.4