REFLECTIONS ON A YEAR IN UKRAINE
Over a year has passed since my feet touched the ground in Ukraine and my life will never be the same without this experience. I have traveled and travailed across this country with some of the most amazing people I could ever know. I have come to say, Ukraine isn’t just the beautiful land. It is the people of this land that make the experience so profound.
In the process of taking in the experience, I always kept my cameras busy documenting the world around me. This included the beauty of the culture and the devastation of the war to eliminate that identity at it’s core.
THEN CAME THE TERROR OF WAR
The destruction of so many areas of Ukraine led to travels to each corner of the country. There were so many strikes across the country from air power and many cities, towns and villages destroyed by ground forces battling across the north, east and south.
In the opening months of the war, I traveled back to Kyiv, then on to see the devastation in Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka, Makariv and Moshchun. Later, I to Kharkiv, Mala Rohan, Olkhavka to see the impact on the northeast. Then to Izyum to bear witness to the mass graves and stories of torture.
After the first of the year, I traveled to Dnipro, Bilohirvka, Chornobaivka and Kherson.
FIRST THERE WAS BUCHA
KHERSON
After the November 2022 liberation of the right bank of the Kherson oblast and Kherson city, the destruction was all around. From the villages of Bilohirvka to the shorts of the city’s river edge to Dnipro, and through Chornobaivka, we traveled to see what had happened in the battle to retake Kherson.
THE DRONE VIDEO
From the Battle of Moshchun to the fighting in Kharkiv, the devastation of Izyum, Bilahikra and Posad Pokravske, we were fortunate to be able to get drone coverage of the destruction by the Russian Federation invasion of Ukraine.
OCCUPATION STORIES
Beginning in Bucha, Makariv, Irpin, Kharkiv, Izyum, to Kherson, the stories of occupation were invaluable records of abuse by the forces of the Russian Federation.
THE POWER OF THE MUSIC
The range of music choices seems endless in Ukraine. The images of people walking around with a guitar gigbag across their back, with a cello case in hand, a violin case slung around their bags is very common.
Over the next 12 months, I was blessed to record dozens of artists in Kyiv and Lviv. To the end of my days, I will be grateful for the invaluable opportunity to document and enjoy these amazing artists. The results of all of these videos may become a documentary if the stars align.
In addition to the architecture, the most delicious portion of the city for me were my fellow musicians as they filled the air with strings, melodies and harmonies. The first instinct is to record their works and give them context in the time of war. The songs have meanings that are very contemporary despite the decades of legacy.
But it is in the public square, the corner of people flow, the nice parks or the cafes that you’ll find brilliant artists of all ages playing a range of music for you. I developed a good bond with so many of these artists that also gave me repeated interactions so we developed a relationship that resulted in better photos and better videos that can only help to promote their works across the country and across the world.
In the coming year, if we’re lucky, the documentary, One Note At A Time, will show you some amazing music, amazing people and deep felt stories of perseverance and determination during the war.
Across the country, artists shared their craft and their stories with me and I love each and every one of them for the time they so kindly spent with me and the bonds we’ve built along the way.
THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE
Ukraine is most certainly a beautiful country for its terrain, lush fields, vibrant weather, flowing rivers but it is most precious because of its people. More than just photos, it was a blessing to develop several videos including interviews, timelapse, and lend help to various causes via documentary coverage.
DEPTH OF MEMORIES
The pain of many lives lost lingers deep in the consciousness of the people of Ukraine. Babin Yar, Holodomor, Bykivnya, The Wall of Memory of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine in the Russian Ukrainian War are all deeply important locations to visit in honor of those killed in this country’s painful history. And now with the Russian aggression against the country, makshif memorials continue after many airstrikes.
