The Malta Independent on Sunday
Malta street photography showcased in new book
Portrait and documentary photographer Daria Troitskaia has captured the essence of Malta’s streets in ‘Maltese Exposures’
A new book showcasing street photography of Malta by internationally-acclaimed photographer Daria Troitskaia will be released next Tuesday, 24 November.
Malta-based Troitskaia, who specialises in documentary, portrait and street photography, has carefully selected around 160 of her own photographs of Malta’s unique streetscapes for publication in Maltese Exposures, a hardcover book designed by BDL.
“Malta is the perfect place for street photography. The light here is special and always impeccable – it is flawless almost every day – and there are lots of charismatic, expressive, open and friendly people, and you witness interesting situations wherever you go. It is astonishing how, in such a compact country, you can find both modern and retro motifs, particularly the old shops that feel like they are from another epoch,” explains Troitskaia. “As a photographer I felt the urge to document these impressions. The book sums up my experiences on the streets of Malta very well, with each picture selected to tell a little story. I hope that the readers will see these stories and connect with the protagonists and the situations that they are in.”
Drawing upon her extensive arts education, award-winning photographer Troitskaia creates breath-taking images for a variety of mediums including commercial, domestic, creative, fashion and documentary, while her work has been repeatedly exhibited in
Spain and Malta.
Extremely passionate about her work, Troitskaia believes that what makes photography a true art form is the preparation. “With the advance of digital photography and the availability of highquality cameras on our phones, photography is accessible to everyone,” says Troitskaia. “However I believe that despite easy access you need to study how to create a frame, set up the lighting, and to convey emotion through a pose and capture it accordingly. It is not merely a matter of clicking and you have a good picture,” she adds.
Moreover, Troitskaia confides that her Arts History background very much influences her shots in one way or another and she delved deeply into Maltese history before embarking on her latest project. This had an impact on the photographs that appear in the book, helping her to identify real elements of tradition and separating them from the merely exotic looking ones.
“The book publication is the latest milestone in my photography career. It represents the closing chapter in my Malta street photography project, while it also documents some of the historical events of 2020, ranging from everyday life into the first quarantine of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malta,” Troitskaia shares. “It also symbolises my love for this wonderful country, with its rich history, strong identity and wonderful people without whom the book would not have been possible. In Malta I have found unlimited support from all my new friends and acquaintances, which, combined with the encouragement of my family, has helped me to reach my potential as an artist. I am hugely grateful to them all for believing in me!”
There will be 250 copies available of this hardcover first edition.
Maltese Exposures with photography by Daria Troitskaia, foreword by Giovanni Bonello and introduction by Anastasia Glawion is designed by BDL. It will be available from BDL’s online shop at www.bdlbooks.com from 24 November.
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