Meet Andrey Boltyansky | Freelance Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrey Boltyansky and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrey, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
For me at least, it was never about being a self-declared “artist” or anything like that. It was about finding a path that didn’t make me dread waking up in the morning. It was about finding a balance between working to live and not living to work. Across all of the various jobs I’ve bounced through, I could never come to terms with just how much I disliked working – and that feeling can poison other aspects of your life. Ending up in a creative career just happened to be the solution for me to both actually enjoy my work, but also brighten the rest of my life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Since art is subjective, it’s hard to answer these questions. I mean, is my work really that different from anyone else? Or if someone else was in my shoes at that moment, would their photograph look any different? I like to pride myself on 2 other things instead – it’s better for my ego that way.

I’m willing to drag my camera anywhere and everywhere no matter how inconvenient. I’d say that’s led to some of my favorites – it was less about technical skill and more about being crazy enough to bring delicate gear somewhere with a high mortality rate for said delicate gear.

And second, I just try my best to make my clients feel comfortable. After all, it’s their photo. If they don’t feel relaxed in it, then it doesn’t matter how pretty of a shot it was. They probably won’t like it.

Oh, and as for challenges, there were plenty. It wasn’t easy getting to this point and there’s still a steep road ahead. But being stubborn can be an excellent quality when it comes to powering through the hard times.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My ideal week in Cleveland? I’d do my best to disprove all the stereotypes. For art and culture, we have plenty of museums, music venues, and art galleries that I’d love to visit. The Cleveland Museum of Art and Cleveland Orchestra alone are worth flying in for.

If you want nature, the Cuyahoga National Park is only 30 minutes away. How many big cities are that close to a national park? Between the waterfalls and rocky hikes, you could get lost in there for a few days easily.

As for food, that’s probably my favorite part. Live life on the cheap side with some authentic tacos from La Plaza. Pretend to be rich and go to Pier W. Actually be rich and go to the Marble Room. In between all of those options, you’ve got ethnic restaurants galore. One of my personal favorites is #1 Pho in Asiatown. I haven’t found better pho nationwide.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My dad definitely deserves a lot of credit – he bought me my first camera and always let me borrow his gear. Without his help, I wouldn’t be where I am today. If anything, I view my own success as a continuation of his story. As a refugee from the USSR, he never had the opportunity to take his photography further than a hobby, but thanks to him, I’ve been able to make it my career.

Website: https://www.swankyboltstudios.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swanky_bolt_studios/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrey-boltyansky-04051567/

Image Credits
Andrey Boltyansky