I continued to organize new photo shoots primarily through web platforms for amateur models. In Berlin, I had more model options available to me than I did in Freiburg and Brest.

I also reached out to some modeling agencies in Berlin to arrange shoots with their models. However, the agencies would only send me new faces from their packages.

My next step was to assemble teams. I conducted online research for stylists, makeup artists, and hairdressers in Berlin. I would review their portfolios on their websites, then send messages to the selected artists to discuss collaborating together. I would share mood boards and ideas for potential photo shoots. Not all artists responded to my requests.

After a few months, I was able to build my first organized teams. We would discuss ideas for our photo shoots, select locations, and create mood boards. Stylists would bring outfits, and makeup and hair artists would work on the models' looks. This collaboration transformed my photos, making them appear more like fashion shots and more sophisticated.

I asked many questions about the fashion industry, such as how to start working for magazines, shoot campaigns, and acquire models from modeling agencies. I let my curiosity guide me.

Through our collaborations, I learned a great deal about the fashion industry and working in teams. I continued to build new connections and organize more photo shoots with new artists, learning by doing.

Most of my earliest photo shoots were unpaid. For the first few years, I didn't even think about charging for my work.

Sometimes I even had to spend my own money to make photo shoots happen. For example, I would pay for the models' train tickets or taxis to get to Berlin or the studio. These were my first small investments in photography.

Another significant factor in my progress during this period was finding more exciting locations for my outdoor shoots. I would walk the streets of Berlin, marking interesting spots for future photo shoots. Great backgrounds made my photography look even more compelling.

I conducted a photoshoot with two models from the Izaio modeling agency at Liquidrom in Berlin. It was my first major project involving a stylist, makeup artist, and hairdresser. We spent several weeks preparing for the shoot, and even had a fitting a few days prior to confirm the looks.

I visited Liquidrom multiple times to scout locations for the shoot, take some test shots, and assess the lighting conditions and potential shadows that could occur on the day of the shoot.

For me, this was a new level of preparation for a photoshoot. We were all well-prepared, and had a clear plan in place. The initial shots turned out to be very powerful, which further inspired the entire team. While we followed the predetermined concept, we also allowed ourselves room for experimentation. The final results were stunning.

I uploaded some of the photos to photosight.ru, and one particular image received a huge amount of feedback with many praising comments and reviews. For several weeks, this image was at the top of the charts.

In this photo, I was able to achieve a perfect artistic balance between composition and geometry, styling, and pose. Everything worked together perfectly. It's still one of my favorite photos I've ever taken.

This was a big achievement for me, and it made me more confident about my photography. The external approval from many professional photographers was a good sign that I was on the right track.

When people praise you for something, it's very pleasurable and gives you the energy to keep doing it.

In the end, these images were even printed in an independent fashion french magazine. Me and the whole team were ecstatic.

One of my photographs was unexpectedly featured on the popular German TV show "Germany's Next Topmodel." During the review of the contestants' portfolios, the jury noticed one particular photo that I had taken. They were so impressed by it that they asked who the author was. The model representing the photo then mentioned my name: Jurij Treskow.

When I received the video clip of that moment from the show, I was both surprised and thrilled. It served as a sign that my hard work and passion for photography were starting to bear fruit. I immediately shared the video with my parents, who were delighted to see that my work had received recognition.

This event became a wonderful reminder for me that dedication and commitment to photography begin to manifest in the form of early achievements and acknowledgment. It instilled confidence in me and motivated me to strive even further in my work. I realized that every photograph I take can have a significant impact and evoke delight in people, and that inspires me and encourages me to continue on my path in photography.

"Vsya Evropa" was a fashion publication in Berlin targeting Russian-speaking readers with high income.

I managed to arrange a meeting with the magazine's editorial team. I presented my portfolio, consisting of my best works at that time, which caught the interest of the editor-in-chief. She offered me the opportunity to shoot backstage during their next editorial session. Although I had initially expected to do my own photo shoot for them, I agreed to the offer, aiming to strengthen connections and learn more about the process.

On the day of the shoot, I got to meet the entire team and the photographer who had flown in specifically from Israel. We were working with a well-known model from one of the leading modeling agencies in Berlin.

I was deeply intrigued by how the photographer organized the creative process, directed poses, handled lighting, and managed the team. I also wanted to learn about camera settings, equipment used, and how ideas were communicated and discussed with the magazine's editorial team.

Although my main task was to capture backstage moments, I also took several photos of the model in different poses and outfits. As a result, in some of my photographs, the model is not looking directly at my camera but rather at the main photographer.

A few days after the shoot, I sent all the photos from the session, including some of my favorite shots of the model, to the editor-in-chief. To my surprise, they decided to include some of my photographs in the print edition as they were not particularly impressed with the other photographer's images. I couldn't imagine how the other photographer must have felt, but it was not my problem or fault.

A month later, I bought my first printed editorial from a bookstore and sent a copy to my parents. Another task accomplished!

The collaboration with Vsya Evropa's editor had gone so well that I was recommended for a photography job with Patrick Hellmann, a well-known German brand.

Patrick Hellmann is a German fashion designer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and owner of the luxury fashion brand Patrick Hellmann Collection, which is known for its high-quality suits, menswear, and accessories. The brand has flagship stores in Berlin, London, and Beijing.

Natalia, the editor, had a good relationship with one of the magazine's advertisers and suggested me for the job. I was over the moon - not only was I about to shoot my first campaign, but it was also for a reputable brand and the pay was good.

Before the shoot, I was briefed on the concept and given references by the designer and his team. We were to shoot at his spacious mansion in West Berlin, which was decorated with designer furniture, but it was also quite dark. We needed to use strobes for the shoot, but I had no prior experience with them.

To help me, I enlisted the help of my friend Robert, who was also a photographer with more experience than me. He booked the right equipment for the shoot and showed me how to use the lights on set. We worked together to shoot 6-7 images for the campaign, and Robert even helped me with the retouching process since my skills were not yet at a commercial level.

The client and I were thrilled with the results. The images were not only used as advertising in magazines but also in some of his shops across Europe. This was a fantastic opportunity to work for a big client, and it became clear to me that I needed to learn more about retouching and lighting or have enough budget to hire an assistant.

After three intense months in Moscow, I was physically and emotionally exhausted, and I was almost out of money. I made the decision to return to Berlin and stayed for a couple of days at the trendy Flowers Boarding House in Mitte while looking for a new apartment. I decided to use the hotel as a location for a photoshoot and reached out to Helena, with whom I had previously worked in Freiburg.

Helena brought outfits and did her own makeup and hair for the shoot. As before, everything was stylish and exuded the aura of a femme fatale. Once we started shooting, I felt a strong inspiration from the creative process and the spontaneous ideas that came to life. We took numerous photos, completely losing track of time, just like the first time we worked together. Everything flowed seamlessly.

The results of this shoot were drastically different from my previous work in Moscow, as a new direction began to emerge. The shots had a cinematic quality, were powerful, and embodied the character of a femme fatale.

The shoot itself and the resulting images became a breakthrough for me, providing a fresh stimulus and pointing me towards a new direction in my photography. Slowly but surely, my dark period began to dissipate, making way for a new style to emerge.

In 2009, I started a project called "SladkoeNaPotom" (SweetsForLater) in Berlin, inspired by the popular magazines Snob and Esquire.

The project aimed to feature interviews with Russian-speaking photographers, models, stylists, designers, and other artists who worked internationally, creating a new way of thinking, life rules, worldview, and value system for the modern man.

I reached out to newcomers artists like Svetlana Tanakina, Valeria Lazareva, Alexandr Rogov, Dmitri Loginov, Masha Rudenko, Alina Lebedeva, Lys Inger, Esther Guer, Sasha Samsonova, Cate Underwood, and Nikita Manin, most of whom became good friends later on.

I registered a website, designed it, prepared interview questions, and emailed the artists to explain my idea. Many of them were happy to participate, and I edited the interviews and published them online.

The project proved useful when I later arrived in Moscow as I already had friends in the fashion industry thanks to this project.

Sometimes I manage to earn some money, but rarely do I manage to spend it properly. I still need to learn that well.

I love and respect my mistakes. Maybe that's why I make them so often. Time changes their essence, and they turn into elegant and well-thought-out decisions by me.

Oh, I'm great at and love laughing at myself.

I move from apartment to apartment on average every two months, sometimes every week. I have impenetrable armor; I can withstand any blow.

My last interview was edited so that I came across as a sweet, correct, and talented boy in every aspect, living only for photography. That's complete nonsense! People often hear only what they want to hear, not what I say.

I'd like to have a musical ear like my father, but all I got was a sense of humor.

Sometimes, I can go days and nights without talking to anyone. During this time, I'm either passionately working or decomposing myself with poisonous pessimism and destroying the bricks of sanity.

It's easier for me to ask for forgiveness after doing something than to ask for permission beforehand. Or vice versa.

I no longer try to understand women. I admire them in all their multifaceted manifestations.

Silence benefits me. There's nothing more healing for me than spending a couple of hours in complete silence.

I can start a new life every day tomorrow.

I remember the name of the girl I first kissed. Her name was Ulyana. She had long hair and was the darling of the whole garden. Alright. I never actually kissed her. But I genuinely, genuinely wanted to. I swear.

I have experienced many losses in my life. But life has compensated me with no less significant gains.

I find it cloying to communicate with endlessly correct people who try to seem sinless. People with flaws attract me more strongly. And I have plenty of flaws.

A few days after the shoot, when the photos are ready, I instantly forget about them.

I try to delete all comments on my work on the internet as quickly as possible. Otherwise, everything turns into a trash heap.

I have no daily routine. No matter how much I try to make schedules and discipline myself. And honestly, deep down, I really like it.

My favorite book? It's "Robinson Crusoe." It's definitely my favorite and most instructive book.

Sometimes I know what I'm talking about. But that's even rarer than just sometimes.

I'm often asked if photographers sleep with models. Of course, they do. Do doctors sleep with nurses, do doctors sleep with orderlies, do teachers sleep with other teachers? Everyone sleeps with each other. Even animal trainers in the circus sleep with their pets...

I've noticed that sometimes when I try to be as correct, polite, and sweet as possible (considering that in reality, I'm hardly like that), people start to take advantage of me and push me around. It's not pleasant.

I stopped looking for what and how people write about me or my work.

I know everything about myself. I prefer to read about others.

Often, I fall asleep with thoughts that this day was complete crap. However, when I wake up, I usually don't remember it anymore.

There was a time in my life when everything was terrible. I filled the bathtub with water, submerged my head, and counted how long I could hold my breath.

My Skype is always in invisible mode.

I can listen to what others say. But I don't always understand what they're talking about.

The king of nature is definitely the skunk.

In 8 out of 10 cases, I don't finish what I've started.

I cannot stand betrayal and crude forms of illiterate impudence...

The stupidest question you can ask a child is "Who do you love more: mom or dad?"

Once, a girl I was dating confessed her love to me in a dream. It was my most intense love shock. By the way, in the same dream, I replied that I loved her too. But we broke up anyway.

I am limited by my laziness, stupidity, and insecurity.

If I were asked if I would write a book or make a movie, my answer would be: I would write a couple of short stories and make a couple of short films. I'm not capable of more than that yet.

I probably don't leave a good impression after a first meeting.

There are no boring subjects in school, only boring and tedious teachers.
I have a hard time digesting criticism aimed at me, but compliments also furrow my brow.

By the way, my ears often turn red.

People expect too much from me. I expect even more from myself. But I'm unlikely to fully live up to the hopes placed on me.

For me, it's better to say "no" more often and insistently than "yes."

I often scold myself for my endless laziness. But it's my forge of ideas and fantasies.

When I want to impress someone very much, or make them leave me alone, I start to be extremely and cynically sarcastic.

I get annoyed when people ask me the same questions over and over. It was flattering at first, but now it's infuriating. "How did you get into photography?" Oh, a thousand devils! It's because nothing else worked out well for me, and it still doesn't.

Sometimes your talent makes you do things you don't want to do, and you end up in places you wouldn't even dream of in a nightmare.

I always drank the whole glass of juice rather quickly, instead of sipping it through a straw for hours, clinking ice cubes against the glass walls.

I'm the worst joke-teller.

I'm not the kind of person people often ask for advice.

Me, me, me, me, me, and once again me, almost all of my sentences start with "I."

I don't like it when there's someone on the shooting set besides me and the person I'm shooting.

Boredom is not for me. I just get depressed quite often.

I was born in Belarus and lived there until I was 17. It's my fortress of memories, a warm, sticky lake where I can dive when it's completely cloudy and cold in reality.

I have no idea what I'll be doing or where I'll be living in 5 years. No idea at all.

In the last year, I've lived in four capitals (and enjoyed all of them), changed 8 or 9 apartments. Two suitcases of belongings and a suitcase of lights - that's all I've accumulated by 26. The trend isn't promising. But I don't care.

I shoot black and white photos because I like how my photos look in black and white. In color, they almost always look much worse. There are no other significant reasons.

I live in Paris, I've trampled almost all its streets, but my eyes just can't get enough.

For my project SladkoeNaPotom, I conducted interviews with models, and one of them was LYS INGER from Moscow. We continued to stay in touch even after the interview was completed and published, and soon we decided to meet in Amsterdam.

To make a long story short, we fell in love with each other, and I made the decision to move to Moscow.

I had always thought about moving to Moscow because of my strong connection to Russian culture, history, literature, and traditions. Until the age of 17, I lived in Belarus, and many of my friends had already moved to Moscow and told me vibrant stories about their experiences in the city and the opportunities it offered.

When I shared my intentions with my parents, they couldn't believe it was true. Initially, they were skeptical about the idea because Moscow had a bad reputation, particularly considering the legacy of the 90s.

But nothing could stop me. I was determined to move, partly because I was in love with LYS, and partly because I believed I could make a living as a photographer in Moscow.

I still don't know where this unwavering determination comes from.

Today, I can attribute my photography's dark period to my inadequate technical skills in handling digital cameras and equipment. It was easier to create eerie and sometimes scary images, to break rules and challenge conventions.

Many photographers undergo this phase in their career, just as beginners painting or playing an instrument create hectic brush strokes or press all keys on an instrument they do not know how to play. These creations have a special value to them.

I did not study instructions, but instead played with the settings on my camera and lighting equipment to achieve some unusual and captivating effects. I worked with amateur models who often posed awkwardly, and I too did not know much about posing and directing models. I lacked an understanding of how to materialize my ideas through model direction.

The Berlin of that time also had an energy that was rather gloomy, and it seeped into my photography.

In the future, the cities I lived in would significantly influence my photography. Additionally, the work of photographer Chadwick Tyler, while not necessarily my favourite, certainly elicited a reaction from me with its raw, dark, and even terrifying images.

I was checking out some interviews with photographer Chadwick Tyler and he was describing his style. He said that he tends to focus on capturing the energy and presence of his subjects, rather than trying to create some kind of perfect or idealized image. Tyler also mentioned that he's really drawn to the idea of creating images that have a bit of a "timeless" quality to them, so that they don't feel too stuck in one particular moment or era. Overall, it seems like his approach is very much about tapping into his own intuition and creativity, rather than getting too bogged down in trying to follow any particular rules or techniques.

In December 2009, just two months after meeting LYS in Amsterdam, I made the decision to move to Moscow. Thanks to my connections through the SladkoeNaPotom project, I was able to find a room in a spacious apartment near one of Moscow's most famous streets - Arbat.

My neighbors in the apartment were creative individuals, each with their own unique story. Our apartment became a hub of activity, where something was always happening: constant guests, ongoing movement, dinners, and parties. The guests were talented and unconventional: photographers, artists, poets, models, journalists, filmmakers, stylists, musicians, and designers. I absorbed the atmosphere, admired it, and learned so much from it.

Our apartment became one of the hottest spots in Moscow's underground scene. I believe that this helped me forge new connections when I arrived in Moscow from Berlin. My previous experience sparked interest and opened some doors for me, but ultimately it depends on the individual.

Living in this art apartment taught me to observe how creative people live and interact with each other. It greatly changed me.

I used to see this bohemian life only in movies, and now I became a part of it.

I realized that to become a photographer, I needed to immerse myself and become a part of the creative life. It means that photography is not just a job but a way to express your creativity and passion. It's a 24/7 commitment, without weekends. You need to create art that inspires you, not just think about making money.

Prioritizing your artistic vision over commercial success or fame is also a key aspect. It's about dedication to your craft and being willing to take risks to achieve your goals.

My girlfriend Lys was represented by Avant agency in Moscow, and she suggested that I meet with the agency and see if they liked my work, and maybe I could shoot some model tests for them. It was an opportunity to earn some money, as Avant paid for the tests, and they had two photographers that they worked with a lot at that time.

* A model test is like a photoshoot that models do to create a bunch of photos for their portfolio. They show off their looks, poses, and emotions to impress people like modeling agencies and photographers. These pictures can help the models get more modeling gigs and make a name for themselves in the fashion or entertainment industry.

I had nothing to lose, and Avant had a great selection of models, so I went to their office to meet with the owner, Yulia. I showed her my portfolio with images from Berlin, most of which were quite dark and artistic.

I had never shot any model tests before, and I didn't know much about their specific requirements. However, Yulia decided to give me a chance and organized a few shoots. Every week, new faces arrived from all over Russia, Ukraine and Belarus who needed to test.

I stayed true to my dark style, as it was all I knew at that moment. We did around 10 shoots with models from Avant, resulting in some crazy and weird images that were not typical of model tests.

To my surprise, Yulia liked most of the tests and paid me in cash.

From 2010 to 2022, Moscow became a new home for me, where I found wonderful friends and experienced unforgettable moments.

The cultural and art scene of the city was incredibly vibrant and inspiring, and I always sought to learn and experiment. During this period, I had the opportunity to showcase my works in exhibitions and deliver several lectures, which allowed me to meet other photographers and engage in artistic discussions. I also conducted numerous photoshoots with models in Moscow, many of whom became my muses and greatly influenced my progress.

The art scene of the city was rapidly evolving, with new galleries, exhibitions, and cultural events emerging. I noticed a growing interest in contemporary art and the emergence of a new generation of young artists who were more experimental and open to new styles and techniques.

One of the trends that stood out in Moscow's art scene was the increasing interaction between the worlds of art and fashion, creating new opportunities for collaboration between photographers, artists, and fashion brands. This also helped elevate the popularity of both industries. New magazines were launched, independent publications emerged, and there was a lot happening in the realm of digital art.

I am incredibly grateful to Moscow for everything it has offered me on my professional journey. The city's art scene was characterized by creativity, innovation, and collaboration, and it was a time of growth and expansion.