Anna Fors

How did your journey in photography begin, and what led you to specialize in black-and-white art-nude and fine art genres?

A love for photography was born through travel. My creative journey began in 2020 with training in travel photography, but I didn’t see a future in that direction, as I wanted to be useful to people and bring them positive emotions. A course on the basics of photography by Ekaterina Orlova laid a strong foundation for further growth. I began exploring the genre of art nude and fell in love with it wholeheartedly. After four years of working in this field, I went on to study fine art photography with Igor Brekhov. This training expanded the boundaries of my photographic perception and vision. I became interested in shooting in different styles, coming up with new ideas, and creating unusual images. That training, along with Nastya Speysi’s course, greatly influenced my perspective on art nude photography as well.

What draws you to the aesthetic of black-and-white imagery, and how does it shape your storytelling?

I love the aesthetics of black-and-white photography with all my heart. Black-and-white images carry a special atmosphere and artistry. Color does not distract the viewer from the story, from the essence of the frame. I strive to make my works “timeless,” to draw the viewer’s attention and evoke different emotions.

“With black-and-white you can suggest, while color makes a bold statement. A suggestion can lead to many thoughts, but a statement demands certainty.” — Paul Outerbridge

Anna Fors | Through the Lattice of Sunlight | 2025

Many of your photographs capture vulnerability and intimacy. What emotions or narratives do you aim to evoke in your viewers?

I strive to make my photography a powerful tool for self-discovery, acceptance, and self-love—both for the model and the viewer. I want it to inspire a deeper perception of oneself and remind us of the importance of genuine, imperfect beauty. My wish is that the viewer can reconsider their ideas of beauty and recognize it in simplicity and naturalness, in the uniqueness of every person.

How do you choose your subjects or models, and what is your approach to building trust and connection during a shoot?

I don’t choose models. I am interested in photographing different people and different stories. I enjoy working with any body, parameters, or shapes. Every person is unique in their individuality. I like to see and show, through photography, the distinctiveness and special qualities of each person.

During the shoot, I communicate with the model sincerely, openly, and in a friendly way, offering compliments and showing the resulting shots. My photo sessions are easygoing and fun. I strive to ensure that the person leaves the shoot full of impressions and emotions from the process, looking forward with excitement to the unusual and interesting images we’ve created.

Anna Fors | Embrace | 2025

What role do natural settings or environments play in your visual language?

Natural locations offer countless unique moments that can be captured in photographs, conveying a particular atmosphere and emphasizing the connection between humans and nature. A human being is an inseparable part of nature. He is nature. The human body, like the bark of a tree, has its own unique texture, lines, and curves. I enjoy exploring the human body as a unique creation of the natural world and showing, through visual images, the deep bond between people and nature.

I especially love shooting at the countryside dacha, catching moments of rural life. Old wooden houses with lace-carved windows, fields, meadows, haystacks, forests, rivers — all of this creates the distinctive atmosphere of village life. Old furniture, the bathhouse, bicycles, carts, domestic animals (horses, chickens, geese) — all these details add authenticity.

Everyday locations allow me to capture daily life, convey the atmosphere of a specific place and time, and become an archive of moments, memories, and events.

Anna Fors | Where the Shadow Lives | 2024

How do you balance spontaneity with composition in your work?

I see beauty in random moments.

I observe light, shadows, human movements, the curves and lines of the body.

Spontaneity lies in the details.

I pay attention to textures, reflections, and unexpected angles.

I am not afraid to break the rules of composition and framing, and I enjoy experimenting in my art.

Anna Fors | Silent Fusion | 2024

How has your artistic career evolved over the past five years? Which exhibitions, magazine publications, and photography competitions have been the most significant milestones on this journey for you?

My artistic practice changes and evolves with every new learning experience. I never stop learning from different photographers whose work resonates with me, trying myself in new directions, and expanding the boundaries of my photographic consciousness.

I felt a powerful breakthrough when I began participating in competitions and winning prizes, when I saw my works in print at photo exhibitions, and when magazine editors (Iconic, Dehazed, and others) began selecting my work.

The exhibition “Family: One World, a Million Stories” at GUM on Red Square in Moscow in May 2025 (organized by MFamilia) is a very significant event for me — a kind of culmination of my five years of experience in photography. It is an incredible feeling to realize that my work is being presented in the very heart of Russia! Also, in June, my work was part of the traveling showcase during NFT NYC 2025 in New York (organized by The Frame Society X Unfold Gallery). In November, my work will be featured at ImageNation Paris 2025.

Over the past year, I have won prizes and reached the finals in more than 10 photo contests and participated in more than 10 exhibitions.

Looking back, I realize that all my victories, diplomas, awards, and exhibitions are the result of my experience. What truly matters is becoming successful, recognized, and professional not only “among your own,” but in the art world as a whole. Your art must be seen by the audience.

Participation in photo contests and exhibitions is not just an opportunity to show your work to a wider audience but also an important step toward professional growth and self-development.