Meet Yana Bobri

We were lucky to catch up with Yana Bobri recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Yana, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

Where do you get your work ethic from?

I always envision the final result in my mind. Even when it’s difficult to manage all my other responsibilities, I’m constantly thinking about what my next photo project will look like, and that’s such an exciting feeling. The process of bringing ideas to life is, of course, not quick, but it’s the final image in my mind that drives me to keep creating. Most of my work is really work of the imagination. It’s not just about the concept of the shot, but also about figuring out how to bring it to life. So, I make it a habit to grab my notebook each day and jot down what and how I’ll make it happen: which props I’ll need, the best colors to choose, and so on. Like everyone, I have moments of burnout where I need a break, but if there’s even a small spark of inspiration in my day, I make sure to save it or sketch it out for future projects.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My name is Yana Bobri, and I have been working in creative photography for over 10 years. Art has been the core of my life since childhood. I’ve explored painting, sculpture, sewing, and design, but my greatest love has remained photography. In this field, I’ve consistently craved more, which is why I moved beyond simple portraits and began creating mystical, surreal narratives born from my imagination. I am particularly drawn to dark fairy tales. I’m fascinated by the secrets a shadowy forest might hold, the story whispered by an abandoned house, the mystery of who holds a burning candle in the night, and the hidden wonders of distant planets in our universe.

I constantly ask myself questions that have no clear answers, and instead of solutions, I find ideas — my own fairy tales. Bringing these visions to life is an immense challenge, often filled with obstacles. It’s like living a small life that is entirely separate from reality. I live through my art, and I am profoundly grateful for the journey it allows me to experience every day.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Without a doubt, perseverance is key. To bring both large and small projects to life, you need to be relentless because things don’t always go as planned. Almost every day, I face new obstacles, but it’s worth it. Never give up — that’s the mindset that keeps me moving forward.

The second essential quality is a keen eye for beauty. In creative work, it’s incredibly important to notice the beauty in everything around you and to transform it in your mind into new ideas. This is a continuous process; whatever I’m doing, wherever I go, my eyes are constantly observing and absorbing everything around me.

And finally, don’t be afraid to take risks. Truly, the best moments in life and in art come when you push fear aside and simply do what you love without worrying about others’ opinions.

My advice for anyone starting out is to just take that first step. The first step is always the hardest, but you’ll never regret it. Work hard, work a lot, make mistakes, redo things as many times as necessary. When you finally achieve what you’ve envisioned — that feeling is pure joy!

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

I’m absolutely in favor of developing a wide range of skills. Throughout my life, I’ve tried an incredible variety of activities, and each one has contributed something valuable that I now use in my creative work. It’s wonderful to be an expert and devote yourself entirely to perfecting one craft, but personally, I think it’s essential to occasionally explore other pursuits.

Firstly, stepping into different areas gives you a chance to change things up and avoid burnout. Secondly, it allows you to gather new skills and experiences that can enrich your primary work. And thirdly, it opens doors to meeting more interesting people! I can confidently say that I’m a “jack-of-all-trades.” I’ve been drawing since I was a child, which gave me a strong sense of color and composition. I also studied sculpture, which has become an invaluable skill since I make a lot of my own props for photos by hand. Plus, I have a degree in interior design — while I’m not designing interiors now, those project planning skills have been incredibly helpful in my current work.

When I get inspired to learn something new, it’s only a matter of time before I dive in. Each new skill adds a layer to my creativity, and I’m grateful for all the paths I’ve explored so far.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bobriart.com/
• Instagram: Bobriart