The interview is taken from our new digital issue 21. Exploring the contrasts between a backdrop of industrial conformity and the expressive rebellion of street style, Denis Grigorev is a name that now resonates across the photographic corridors of Berlin Fashion Week (BFW). Marking his territory with a win at the coveted Street-Style Photography Contest, Denis’s lens captures more than moments; it encapsulates stories woven into the fabric of the city’s fashion tapestry.
Decoding the unpredictable and often fleeting world of street fashion, Grigorev’s ability to parlay spontaneous elegance into award-winning snapshots has earned him the spotlight and a new venture with the Fashion Council Germany (FCG). As he prepares to lend his eye to the upcoming BFW, we sit down with him to understand the man behind the camera and the passion that turns the cityscape into his canvas.
Join us as we traverse the insightful pathways of Denis Grigorev’s world, where every capture is a testament to the beat of Berlin’s vibrant heart.
What initially drew you to photography, and at what point did you decide to pursue it professionally?
I used to live in an industrial city the center of heavy industry and oil refining and there was not much beautiful around. This motivated me to take up photography to create and document what I like and what I think is beautiful.
Street-style photography has a spontaneous element to it. How do you prepare for the unpredictability of this genre?
I just set my camera to fast shooting mode. Thankfully we live in a period when there are fewer and fewer technical barriers to creating quality content.
Winning the Street-Style Photography Competition at Berlin Fashion Week must have been an exciting moment. Could you share your experience with the event?
I haven’t entered any competitions for a long time but I’ve recently moved to Berlin and I have to fight for my place in the sun in the world of photography. That’s why I took part in the competition at Berlin Fashion Week. Winning brought positive emotions. I hope that this is my first small step towards getting to know about me in Berlin so that I can be more active in what I love to do to give people beautiful moments.
In street-style photography, capturing the essence of the fashion moment is crucial. What is your secret to getting the perfect shot?
I guess I don’t have a secret. It’s just a general awareness, the ability to catch the right light and the desire to make people look beautiful in the pictures.
Given your diverse experience, how do you adjust your mindset and techniques when switching between different photography subjects like architecture and fashion?
There is a general understanding of what is best for this or that type of shooting. What angle, focus, and depth of field? Especially nowadays the boundaries between subjects in photography are blurred and you can easily experiment.
Read The full interview here:
Interview by Marcel Schlutt
Follow Denis Grigorev @denisgrigorev
Special thanks to Fashion Council Germany @fashioncouncilgermany (FCG)
and Berlin Fashion Week @berlinfashionwe
