Boys and Girls 

Romantics of School Corridors. Zarechny, September 2012.

The process of creating the series Boys and Girls (School No.216, Zarechny, Penza Oblast, Russia) gave an interesting opportunity to observe teenagers, to get to know them better, and to acquire the closest possible insight into the aspects of their socialization processes: how they are learning to build inter-sexual relationships and how to behave vis-à-vis their peers of the opposite gender – sometimes still childishly, though sometimes almost like young adults. 

Jelena Jelejeva (Samara, Russia, b.1979). Studied at the Academy of Architecture  and Construction. She has been engaged in art photography for 6 years. A member of the Russian Union of Art Photographers since 2010. Studied at the Photography School Samara (2008–2012), teacher Mikhail Musorin. She gives preference to direct monochrome photography, which, within a flash of the moment – the so-called inter-esse – transfers into the very essence of beinga blend of the precision and graphical expression of a reportage with emotions and empathy. 

2011

Prizewinner, photography competition Fotosojuz 2011 devoted to the 20^th anniversary of Russian Union of Art Photographers, Chelyabinsk, Russia

Marsciano Arte Giovani, Festival of Contemporary Art, Italy

Pulse of the City, personal exhibition, gallery Novoe prostranstvo, Samara, Russia

2012

Prizewinner, competition Young Photographers of Russia – 2012,Cheboksary, Russia

Pulse of the City, personal exhibition, curator J. Molodkovec, St. Petersburg, Russia;

Winner of the First Russian Young PhotographersPhoto Symposium Tournament, Zarechny, Russia

Prizewinner, international competition Life Balance 2012 (FIAP and UPI Honorary Mention), participant of the exhibition in Belgrade, Serbia

2013

Main Prize, Art Photo of the Year at the Open City Competition Samarskij Vzgliad 2012, Samara, Russia

Laureate of the State Arts and Culture Grant for the realisation of cultural projects

Prizewinner, competition Young Photographers of Russia – 2013, Pless, Russia

Exhibition of laureates of the competition Young Photographers of Russia – 2013, Vilnius, Lithuania

Grand Prix, VII International Festival A Point on the Map, Uglich, Russia