Test Drive | Page 39

Special Issue Evgenia LAZAREVICH: After Moldova the shortage of sunlight has grown exceptionally acute... The prize winners in the contest My Country in the Eastern Partnership could choose to take part in a creative photo tour of one of the states of the Eastern Partnership. Probably the major outcome of the international contest will be not only the Eastern Family Album, but something much more significant: friendly ties between photographers from different countries, shared experience and fresh ideas brought along from the trips. While on a journey, a person is taken out of their usual context, and their eye, which lost freshness of vision in a permanent setting, becomes observant and watchful again. For a photographer recapturing freshness of vision is especially important, reckons Yevgenia Lazarevich, who took part in the August en plein air photo sessions in Moldova. – I really appreciate the choice of awards – the idea of organizers to send prize winners on creative photo tours. Visiting a new country is also a unique opportunity to communicate with like-minded photographers and share experience. I am at the very beginning of my journey into photography and this opportunity is very important for me. The group included a lot of accomplished masters and photog- raphers with a big name – one could learn a thing or two from both. Another benefit of going on a creative photo tour is to get to know what is going on in the field of photography in the neighboring countries and their photographic culture. When you live and work in Belarus, you are stewing in your own juice and often have no idea about photographic life abroad. It is always useful to walk outside the limits of the usual setting and break the mould. – What impressions of the ein plein air photo sessions did you get? – The program was incredibly busy: every morning we would take a minibus ride around the country and every eve- Evgeniya Lazarevich (Belarus) 39