A minimalist web site, of a colorful design, that plunges you into the creative world of Anatoly IVANOV. This photographer / graphic designer likes the aesthetical, coupled with simplicity and why not a bit of interactivity. Select your language and follow the guide.
I am a professional, free-lance photographer, as well as a graphic designer and art director specialized in photography and its interaction with graphic design, both in branding identity systems, and in visual communication in print and on the web. Additionally, I am an expert in client-side web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and a UNIX and Mac OS X sysadmin (System Administrator).
At the time, in 1999, there were very few photography sites with beautiful design and it was difficult to find talented, meticulous web designers in Paris, who also new how to write clean and elegant code. Moreover, web agencies’ estimates of the time were simply astronomical. So, with my fellow artists, we have formed the Sylipsi group (www.sylipsi.com), and have made the site by ourselves.
AnatolyIVANOV.com is the first site by Sylipsi. The challenge was, on one hand, to ensure the validity of the code against the W3C standards, the World Wide Web Consortium, standards that must be respected by internet browsers [a posteriori remark by Anatoly IVANOV: I had certainly failed to explain this point to the journalist clearly enough: the challenge was to ensure smooth operation of the site in generation 4 browsers that were not respecting the W3C standards]; and, on the other hand, to manage the content in three languages, images and texts. My shooting and post-production leave me little time to update the site as often as I would like. Also, after years spent with scanners, I have just switched my workflow to 100% digital, including the image capture phase, for a cheaper, faster, more efficient, more flexible photography production. And certainly a time-saver for future updates of my site.
My site asserts my brand, my photographic style by the omnipresence of colorful photography and minimalism, and my quest for aesthetics and spirituality. Navigation is kept to a minimum and maximum space is given to photography. All the sites we have made at Sylipsi apply this approach of simplicity, beauty and ergonomics. Also, my site is trilingual to be accessible to the greatest number of people, as well as to answer my professional needs and why not represent my roots: English, French and Russian. This site has helped my relationships with my clients: it is so much easier and quicker to show my portfolio online.
Obviously, I would not make it exactly the same pixel per pixel, but with a graphical and technological solution very close to the existing site. I am currently working on a new version of AnatolyIVANOV.com, with updated design, code and content, and trying to reconcile two types of approaches: see few pictures quickly or see a lot of them while taking the time. In any case, I invite you to look at the new version upon its release: to be notified, just subscribe to my newsletter.
On the Web, many great photographers are unfortunately not present, or, when they are, downplay the design of their site. These two sites, www.rui-camilo.de and www.simonladefoged.com, are for me the rare examples of sites combining beautiful photography with beautiful design, exactly what I look for.
Edited by IXO Publishing, the French magazine Photo & Vidéo Numérique talked about the gear and technique of digital photography and digital video. Avoiding technical jargon, the magazine offered news articles, gear reviews, analysis, practical advice and presentations of photographers and of their creations. It is now called Micro Photo Vidéo and is part of the Groupe Tests - 01net family of magazines.
/ Marilia DESTOT writes for the photography press. Also a photographer, she works on her art projects, specializing in portraiture.
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