February 23, 2024

A Photographer's Empathy


A Photographer's Empathy
Dmitry Markov. Wikimedia Commons

On January 16, Dmitry Markov, 41, known for his depiction of everyday Russia through smartphone photography, died in Pskov. Markov was a recipient of the esteemed Russian photo competition Serebrynaya Kamera ("Silver Camera"), the Getty Images Instagram Grant, and the author of the photobook Chernovik ("Draft").

"The place that Dima occupied in our photography was completely empty before his appearance. I can't recall anyone who photographed Russia with such affection and authenticity," said publisher Leonid Gusev.

Born in Pushkino, Moscow Oblast, Markov honed his craft under the tutelage of Alexander Lapin, a prominent Russian photographer and educator. He contributed his talents as a photographer and journalist for the newspaper Argumenty i Fakty ("Arguments and Facts") and collaborated with independent publications such as Meduza and Takie Dela.

After joining Instagram in 2012, Markov embraced the concept of David Alan Harvey's Burn Diary project, exclusively utilizing a mobile phone, and only posting images on the day they were taken.

Markov's signature style culminated in his participation in the 2016 iPhone 7 advertising campaign "Taken on the iPhone," marking him as the first Russian contributor among 15 photographers from around the world.

A group of nuns enters a church and a group of women leaves it
Photo from Dmitry Markov's Instagram.

He focused on life in Russian locations that are distant from urban centers, and on marginalized communities, including the homeless, correctional school alumni, substance users, individuals with disabilities, and prisoners. Despite criticism alleging that he offered a bleak portrayal of Russian life, Markov defended his focus on the gritty details, citing his empathy for those facing hardship, which was rooted in his upbringing in impoverished conditions and his journey overcoming substance abuse.

Markov also documented protests, capturing poignant moments, such as a 2021 photograph depicting a police officer clad in uniform and a balaclava beneath a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin, symbolic of the repression against dissenters in the way of Alexei Navalny's arrest. Recognizing the impact of his work, Markov auctioned the popular photograph to support an organization aiding political prisoners (it brought in over $21,000).

Markov also documented the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including scenes of Russian military departures. One of Markov's final images showed a Russian war participant in Alexandrov, Moscow region, concealing his face while reflecting on the horror of witnessing death.

Dmitry Markov's indelible contributions to photography offer a poignant testament to his empathy, capturing the essence of Russia with sincerity and compassion.

You Might Also Like

Sudden Death
  • February 18, 2024

Sudden Death

Alexei Navalny’s death was entirely expected, and completely unacceptable.
A Criminal Doll
  • February 12, 2024

A Criminal Doll

An artist was arrested while fleeing to Kazakhstan for the use of prison tattoos in his artwork.
What Russians Want
  • February 05, 2024

What Russians Want

Independent sociologists have sussed out what Russians really want from their government.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Marooned in Moscow

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955