Val Tourchin on Fstoppers

Black Russian Studio

I am a Russian-born NYC based professional photographer and retoucher who excels in a wide variety of types of photography - from commercial product to fashion and lifestyle; from sport and fitness to corporate and private events; from landscapes and cityscapes to architecture and interiors; from studio portraiture to street photography and photojournalism.
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Equally diverse are my photographic styles - from traditional commercial to contemporary urban; from old school Black and White, to ultra modern exposure blending and HDR photography.
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Timelapses are my specialty when it comes to videography.
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My strongest suit is the ability to see the light, as well as create complex dramatic and precise lighting, both in the studio and on location. For me, photography is not about fitting the subject in the frame and setting correct exposure, but rather painting an image with the light and shadows.
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For over 20 years, main subjects of my personal photography projects were night cities and black people, mostly close friends and their families. Many started calling me "Black Russian", and it became my nickname. Not surprisingly, eventually my studio became known as Black Russian Studio. The mystery is solved for those who wonder.
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My tools of choice are Canon and Fujifilm cameras, Carl Zeiss prime lenses, and Profoto lighting.

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