Digital Image Cafe Photographer Profile
Mitchell Kanashkevich - Australia

As a small boy growing up in the drab, gray landscape of a Soviet apartment block, Mitchell Kanashkevich was forced to use his imagination to amuse himself. He drew, he invented characters and he dreamed of traveling to distant lands. Though he has now lived in Australia for 15 years, Mitchell is still constantly dreaming of travel to other countries.

Mitchell's interest in photography, which began six years ago, grew out of his interest in travel. Initially, he experimented a lot and photographed every imaginable subject. However, as he traversed different countries, he realized that what captivated him most was never the grand ancient monuments, and not the amazing natural surroundings. "Wherever I went," Mitchell says, "I was always most curious in and drawn to the local people." People are now the main subjects of his images and, through them, he explores his destination and connects to it.

When Mitchell is home in Australia, he makes documentary films and sells his photos. However, as soon as he has accumulated enough money, he sets off on another journey to a distant land he has yet to tour. Mitchell has been a Cafe member for about five months. Over this time, he has enjoyed the interaction and feedback from other members. He says that the best part about participating has been simply seeing other people's work. "Some of it has been truly inspirational and for me has been a real learning resource," he adds. Other professional photographers who have inspired Mitchell are: Steve McCurry, Henri Cartier Bresson, Olivier Follmi, James Nachtwey, and Eugene Johnson.

Due to some twists of fate, on Mitchell's last visit to India, he ended up in some very remote tribal areas. There, he discovered what felt like a different dimension. And what he describes as "an almost mythical world." Among the tribal people living in this world, he says there was a presence of something genuine, an innocence and a beauty that he rarely saw or felt in the developed countries. While looking into their indigenous faces he often felt like he was looking into eternity itself. His time in these areas has inspired him to search for particular images, and to photograph more disappearing cultures. "I want my photography to be kind of a testament to the existence of such cultures and peoples. I want my images to reflect that which is special about them and to be a part of a historical record of humanity," concludes Mitchell.

From the black and white images of his youth, to the varied landscapes of the land down under, to magical indigenous people, Mitchell's art has undoubtedly evolved in both depth and color.