I recall Steve Jobs’ speech and how he mentioned ‘connecting dots’ during his lifetime. In this first blog post I will try to connect mine dots and explain what is this blog about. And yes, this my first post is text-only.

Who?

I am Ukrainian, born in Kyiv in 1967.

My parents were engineers (optics), and my grandfather gave me first lessons on photography when I was about six. When I was eight, my mother put myself and my sister to the Art School of Naum I. Ostashinskiy in Kyiv, where for several years we’ve been studying basics of art, composition, drawing and painting. Many years later, in 90x, I was earning from painting for my living, and it help me to survive for several years. I like to paint, however I never considered myself a painter. However, while in school, I was reading books on design, architecture, industrial design, I drew what I imagined masterpieces of design (houses, vessels, cars, and so on). 🙂

While in the elementary school, I started doing my first steps in the photography, with the “Smena-8M” camera, which was very popular entry-level in xUSSR – it was the time when I learned black and white, light and shadow, dark room and film processing. It was something magical in photography process, from approaching the subject, finding ‘the point’, pressing the button, developing the film and being happy or unhappy, depending on how many good shots appeared from 36 taken. Later on I upgraded to Zenit camera, and started shooting with Kodak colour slide films, sending them for development and printing to the lab.

While studying in 145 school in Kyiv, under leadership of our physics teacher Leonid Podgorniy, we organised small section on holography, built the lab and started recording and developing holograms (with lasers, using Denisyuk scheme and glass plates). Here I further developed my understanding of optics, physics and lasers.

Then, in the Aviation Military Academy, I studied avionics, all the electronics staff, and further developed my understanding of optics at the laser/TV faculty. But… in my professional life I didn’t work single day as avionics engineer. After graduating from the academy, I started learning IT, programming and AI (knowledge engineer), while working in the research institute. Well, these new software skills helped me later to land my first commercial job with the german company, where I also learned desktop publishing and basics of graphic design.

Later on, after several years working as a software developer and computer engineer, I was hired for sales and management position by APC, being their first representative in Ukraine and Moldova. Since then, I was extremely lucky to work at different middle and top management positions for leading international companies, such as hp, Microsoft, and last years – closely with Apple. The experience I’ve got, was mainly in business development, sales, marketing & PR, operations and supply chain. I added knowledge of financial management and international business during study at IBR MBA school in Kyiv. These skills I was developing for almost 20 years.

And then I made a BIG SHIFT.

In May, 2013 I dropped my career with multinational companies and established Sergiy Kadulin Photography – becoming private entrepreneur and starting own business from ground zero.

Just before that, in 2009-2011 I graduated from Kyiv School of Photography and New York Institute of Photography (professional photography grades). I also graduated from Social Media Marketing University – distance learning course which helps to develop my business in online media.

My main focus today is in architectural, interior, industrial and landscape photography – quite technical field, if you compare it with, say, wedding, fashion or portrait photography.

However, it nicely combines all the skills I have:

• artistic (drawing, colours, light and shade, composition, graphic design – I put them definitely to the first place) and technical (optics, IT and electronics) as part of photography process
• business development, financial management, sales and marketing – I use them both for growing up Sergiy Kadulin Photography and to help grow business of my customers
• software skills – for digital photography development process, web-site development, support and online marketing
• training and presentation – I use them in sales and teaching for my clients

See, how the dots are connected?

What?

• I will share my knowledge and expertise in photography, as well as backstage of photoshoots I make for my clients
• I will blog about marketing and sales-related topics which will be beneficial to read for my clients, especially taking into account that local markets I work for, all need certain efforts in market development
• I will add specific category topics (like photography for HoReCa, or industrial/construction photography), where local content does not exist in both printed and online media
• I will do blog posts both in English and in Russian

Why?

1. Because I believe my clients and friends, existing and future, will benefit from the knowledge and experience I share
2. Because I believe that by sharing, I will help to develop markets I work for
3. Because I believe that blog is a great tool for historical loopback and analysis for my own business.