Sergey Kivrin’s love for horses translates to bronze at AIPS Sport Media Awards
Russian sports photographer Sergey Kivrin placed third in the Photography Portfolio category of the AIPS Sport Media Awards
AIPS Media
LAUSANNE, March 5, 2020 - As an amateur volleyball athlete back in the day, Sergey Kivrin had little interest in the results of competitions. “The main thing for me has always been the psychology of sports; human behavior, emotions, and of course, beauty,” he says. So after ruling out every possibility of turning professional, he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and express his passion for sports through photography.
“My dad, Vladislav Kivrin, was a famous Soviet photographer and he shot a lot of sports. The son’s natural desire is to become like his father. In 1978, I graduated from the Journalism Department of Moscow State University and began working as a photojournalist for the magazine Soviet Union.
“My son, like me, graduated from the same faculty of journalism at the University and could become a very good photographer, continuing our dynasty, but he chose a business. At first I was worried, but now I’m very glad that my Denis is doing what he loves, and besides that, he’s also well paid.”
Vladislav Kivrin and his son Sergey Kivrin. (Photo supplied by Sergey Kivrin)
Born in 1955, Sergey, who became interested in photography when he was 15 years old, now has 16 Olympic Games (summer and winter) to his name. The Russian is widely regarded as a master of his craft and most recently his work earned him global recognition at the AIPS Sport Media Awards.
“I honestly did not believe that I would get into the finals of such a prestigious competition. It so happened that in 2019 I filmed a little sport. Once at the Nomad Games, I became interested in the exotic of what was happening and tried to convey it in my photographs. I took pictures of the Nomad Games Festival for the magazine Azerbaijan Airlines, which I have been working with for 11 years,” he enthuses.
It was Sergey’s first time attending the Nomad Games, a competition involving horses, arrows, rocks and fire. The 2019 edition was held in the town of Gedebey. Participants demonstrated their strength, dexterity, ability to accurately shoot from the archery and deftly control the horses. And Sergey’s collection of photos from the event led him to third place in the Photography Portfolio category of the AIPS Sport Media Awards.
- What lessons did your father teach you that you have carried on till this day?
- Photos cannot be taught! Photos can only be learned by yourself. Dad sometimes gave me advice and this, of course, was very important to me. In particular, he said that during the shooting it is impossible to root for some team or worry about the result of some athlete. All emotions will go away, and photos will not be interesting. You have to be absolutely calm and cold-blooded when shooting, then the photos will turn out emotional and you will never miss an interesting moment. In addition, you must always follow the background. There should be nothing superfluous and bright in the picture that would distract from the main thing.
Sergey Kivrin hoists his AIPS Sport Media Awards third-place trophy
- What can the AIPS Sport Media Awards bring to the profession and to the new generations of journalists?
- Each participant can see what trends prevail in modern photography as well as how colleagues work. This is very important for the photographer’s self-development and is especially important for young professionals. It is considered very prestigious to become a laureate of the AIPS competition. For example, all the central publications of Azerbaijan, as well as radio and television, reported my victory. And this is despite the fact that I live in Russia and only occasionally come to work in Azerbaijan.
- What did the Nomad Games represent to you and what was your favourite discipline?
- It is very interesting to take photographs of non-traditional sports, when there is also a national flavor in competitions, this is generally the dream of every photographer. All sports related to horses were the most interesting for me. I like to shoot those species with the most emotions. In addition, I really love animals.
- What are your next goals as a photographer?
- I would love to work at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Beijing. But I don’t know if I can do this because of the doping scandal with our team. I am a Russian journalist and talk about the athletes of my country. If our team is not allowed to the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Beijing, I will have nothing to do there either. Who should I report on?
-How is the doping scandal affecting sports in Russia?
- The doping scandal is destroying sports in Russia. Athletes have been preparing for many years in order to take part in the Olympic Games and suddenly, many are not allowed into these competitions, others can go, but they do not have the right to use the symbols of their country. Many people's lives will be broken. In addition, parents do not want to send their children to sports schools, and this will affect Russian sport in ten years.
To view all winners of the AIPS Sport Media Awards’ second edition, please click here.