On January 24, the opening ceremony of the exhibition of photographs by Serhii and Ihor Lavrov took place in the reading room of the Scientific and Technical Library, Lviv Polytechnic National University. The event was organized by the Ukrainian Photographic Society together with the Lviv Photo Museum and the Scientific and Technical Library, Lviv Polytechnic.
During his speech, Ihor Lavrov told the visitors of the exhibition how he got interested in photography.
«I was constantly watching wildlife. For some time I was even an avid fisherman. I really loved it. My father instilled in me a love for photography. He always asked me to select pictures for his exhibitions. I was a frequent guest at such events. At the age of 26, I started taking photos myself. I’m glad that I finally found something that really inspires me. I think that you should do what makes you truly happy», said the photographer.
Serhii and Ihor Lavrov have been researching and photographing the nature of Khortytsia for many years. For their first exhibition at Lviv Polytechnic, the photographers selected 32 photos from their visits to this picturesque region.
«Khortytsia National Reserve enchanted me with its beauty. Nature in this area is very rich. I have never seen some types of plants and animals in other parts of Ukraine. I have accumulated a large collection of photos from Khortytsia, which I use for author’s projects. I want other people to share these moments with me and see how picturesque this place is. I devoted a lot of time to macro photography. People often do not notice the world that lies under their feet. So it is important for me to convey the mood of every little insect that lives on the island. It took me several years to create a collection of photos in macro photography. I released a series of photo albums «Khortytsia Reserve» and calendars with the reserve landscapes. When I look at photos of insects, I see the whole story of their life. Today, the exhibition features quite a lot of photos saturated with different colours. The sun and green grass give them a lively style. I mostly photographed Khortytsia in autumn, winter and early spring. I stopped taking photos in the summer, because all the paths and fields are overgrown. I spent a lot of time looking for animals. Sometimes for several days I was searching for a location where there were animals. I wanted to photograph the unique moments of their lives, which are not easy to notice for an ordinary person. I put all my efforts into this matter. Some animals looked at me curiously and examined the lens. Sometimes they basked in the sun and went about their business. I managed to collect a whole collection of good photos from trips to Khortytsia», shared Ihor Lavrov.
Despite the winter weather, the atmosphere of the event was cozy, funny and relaxed. At the end, Serhii Lavrov expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the exhibition for the warm meeting and hospitality.
«I am very grateful to the organizers of the event, who offered us to hold an exhibition in Lviv. This is my second visit to this extraordinary city. There are many locations for photos, and the most important thing – friendly and benevolent people», added the photographer.
