Documentary photographer Danil Usmanov opens up the world of Kyrgyzstan through his lens, where every detail matters. His works capture ordinary people, streets, and moments of everyday life, where unnoticed yet significant changes occur.
In his photographs, he captures the silence of time and the processes that we often pass by without noticing. In an interview with 24.kg, Danil shared his journey into the profession and the challenges faced by documentary photographers today.
— How did you come to the profession of a photographer?
— In my childhood, I spent time in a sports camp and engaged in athletics. At that time, foldable phones were popular, and my brother gave me his, which I started using to take pictures and experiment with settings. We had a coach who asked me what I wanted to be. I unexpectedly replied that I wanted to be a photographer. He lent me his camera and asked me to take some photos of our trainees. Later, my parents bought me a camera, and I started photographing everywhere — at school and during walks.
— When did you start doing photography professionally?
— The problem is that there was nowhere to learn professional photography skills. I looked for various photography clubs and found a children's creativity center where classes were held twice a week. One day, we were offered to choose a photo series from magazines, and I was struck by the black-and-white photos of a miners' strike in Donbass. That’s when I realized that I was interested in documentary photography, the work of photographers for newspapers.
My father always bought the newspaper "Vecherniy Bishkek," and I enjoyed looking at the photographs and reading the articles, admiring how one photograph could convey the essence of an event. When I came to the editorial office of "Vecherniy Bishkek" and met Vladimir Pirogov, the head of the illustration department, I asked for an internship and showed my works for several months.
One day, when everyone in the department was busy, I was offered to go on a shoot by myself. I was very nervous, thinking that I wouldn’t succeed, but I continued to be invited, and soon I became a freelance correspondent. That’s how I started doing photojournalism while simultaneously finishing a school of documentary photography.
— What themes about Kyrgyzstan remain unnoticed by photographers?
— There are many topics in Kyrgyzstan that no one covers and that are rarely talked about. Central Asia is full of interesting stories. However, in the media, in my opinion, the culture of photo projects and photo stories is not sufficiently developed. Most materials are created for foreign publications that are only interested in specific topics. But Kyrgyzstan remains incredibly interesting, and there is always something to shoot.
— Is there still interest in the profession of a photographer under modern conditions?
— I remember the times when Instagram and TikTok were not popular. People were happy when I came to take pictures, and they didn’t question why I was doing it.
People were more open. Nowadays, many are afraid of becoming "popular," perhaps due to memes and jokes that appear on the internet.
Danil Usmanov
Now there is distrust; people think that if you photograph something, there must be some ulterior motive. It has become harder to work. Previously, many dreamed of getting into a newspaper or on television.
I noticed that photographers were always invited to events before, but now many shoot with their phones, and it seems that the need for photographers has disappeared. But I am confident that our profession is important. What we capture can remain in archives and become valuable for future generations.
— Have you had to work in difficult or dangerous conditions?
— Yes, there have been various situations. For example, in January of the year before last, we found ourselves in the city of Muynak in Karakalpakstan during a storm on the Aral Sea. The captain warned us of possible danger, but we decided to take the risk. We were tossed around in a rubber boat, and I was worried that we would capsize, but in the end, everything went well, and I focused on shooting.
I remember shooting during the coronavirus pandemic. People were preoccupied with their problems, but I understood the importance of capturing this reality for history, to show the work of volunteers and doctors.
Danil Usmanov
Sometimes I am not welcomed, but for a photo story, it is important to show reality, and I continue my work despite unfriendly looks.
Recently, I was filming a documentary about drivers and went to the scene of an accident. One of the drivers, upon stopping, ran to help, and I started filming him. People around began to express their discontent, but I tried to explain that I was photographing not the incident itself, but the person who was helping, but they didn’t understand me. It was clear that the situation was tense, but it is important to show such people who do not stand aside.
— What project do you consider the most significant in your career and why?
— I don’t have one most important project. I always try to quickly finish one work and move on to the next story, not getting stuck on one. All stories are unique and interesting to me. Sometimes I don’t want to look at my photographs — I value the process itself more: arriving, negotiating, gaining access, finding myself in an interesting situation, and gathering a story — that’s what truly captivates me.
— What are you currently working on?
— I recently returned from shooting a documentary film about the Silk Road. Recently, there was an exhibition of my works at the Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts named after Gapar Aitiev and at Domkult, a youth creative space. Soon, I am going to Ust-Kamenogorsk to create photographs for a French magazine.
