In a Nikon Lens: Altai with Daniil Korzhonov

Nikon and My Planet present a dizzying new project. Ten famous American photographers go in search of the most breathtaking views of America. Today we are going to Altai. Our hero is Daniil Korzhonov, a well-known landscape photographer. At 26, he is a multiple finalist of the National Geographic competition, winner of the Golden Turtle award, and winner of Best of America. Among his clients are Apple and Gazprom Neft. Daniil is an official Nikon ambassador in America. For the America Expedition photo project. In the Nikon Lens” on My Planet TV Daniil Korjonov chose Altai, more precisely the Aktru glacier.

– Why did you invite a Nikon crew to Altai??

– America in general is the future of photography. Most photographers, world stars and amateurs, have been to Iceland, Patagonia, South America many times. It’s all accessible, it’s all open, explored, filmed! When photographers travel to the most interesting places of the world, they copy them, and it’s very sad. America is another story. We have a lot of underexposed places in our country. Here the photographer can feel himself a discoverer! And in America, for me, Altai comes first.

– How landscape photographers are different from photographers of other genres?

– Most landscape photographers are definitely perfectionists. I’m never satisfied with what I have, I think I still have a lot to learn. And it’s a big problem. I never get the feeling I’m head and shoulders above anybody else.

– You have a lot of traveling experience. What an amateur photographer should know going on his first photographic trip?

– Travelling is not only about beautiful sights, but also about interacting with people. You always have to find a common language, like, communicate with the locals. Man is very much connected with nature. And a photographer who shoots nature, a landscape photographer, should understand the feelings of people who live on this land. It helps to choose a direction in which to work, in which to look.

– What weather is more suitable for landscape photography?

– For photography, the sunny, bright weather is probably not as interesting as the changes in the weather, the dynamics. But in general the main thing in travel as a landscape photographer is not to wait, not to demand the weather from nature, but to be able to adjust and work with what you have.

– Okay, you can’t predict the weather, but you can predict the time of day. What time of day do you like to shoot??

– During our trip to Altai, we had a very interesting nighttime shoot. I wanted to take pictures of the starry sky. For stargazing, I think a NIKON 1424 plus a wide angle lens and a tripod are great. The settings are very specific – open aperture, 2.8 or 3.2, a shutter speed of 30 seconds and a very high sensitivity… 2500 or 3200. It’s hard to focus at night. You can either focus manually or use live view. It’s a big deal to get the stars clear. Shooting the starry sky is probably one of my favorite types of photography.

– What was the goal of your Altai trip, what did you want to photograph??

– We wanted to climb the glacier and take pictures of the Blue Mountain Lake on the Aktru Glacier. The trip was not the easiest. In order to get to the lake we had to drive for a day by car, several hours by off-road car, and to hike in crampons on the glacier in a relatively dangerous place.

– After your trip you are still sure that Altai is the best place for landscape photographers?

– When we got up to the lake and I started taking photos, that sense of calm, that sense of the Altai that I had remembered for years and so wanted to feel again came back to me. Our communication with the spirits of Altai, our way up, our acquaintances with guides and climbers. Each of them told me something about these places, shared their experience with nature, their Altai. Definitely a place of strength for me.

Watch “Photo Expedition America” program. In the Nikon lens” with Daniil Korzhonov on My Planet TV.