Photographer Alexander Petrosyan has lived in St. Petersburg for more than 35 years, and he sees Russia’s second city with a keen insider’s eye. His work reveals a beautiful, seedy, sunny, funny, madcap, and often bitterly cold city – sometimes all in the same photograph. Born in Ukraine, the 47-year-old Petrosyan took up photography seriously in 2000 before landing his current gig as a staff photographer for the Kommersant publishing house. He’s won many awards for his work, which has appeared in “Newsweek” and “National Geographic,” among other publications. A collection of his photographs, titled “Peter,” was published in “I support the view that pictures can say more about the photographer than he can himself,” Petrosyan tells RFE/RL. “I don’t have any special philosophy or concept. I just trust my instincts and the feelings that suggest themselves when I shoot.”

cast Photo collection by Alexander Petrosian images credit www. Music Артур Руденко Лето created o.e. thanks for watching