First of all thank you very much for your contribution to our project. Can you please introduce yourself for us?

I am Anna Pliusnina, artist and photographer from St. Petersburg, Russia. I studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Russian State Pedagogical University, and I am also a graduate of the Faculty of Photojournalism Academy of Photography and of the school of documentary photography 'DocDocDoc'. I work as a photographer and as a teacher of a course on photography for children and adolescents. I prefer to work on documentary and social projects and am interested in topics such as childhood and adolescence. I also have some work on topics like isolation and the connection between man and nature.

How did you start in photography?

I started photography as a teenager. Back then I was engaged in painting and graphics and wanted to become an artist. But photography completely captivated me and still doesn't let me go.

What is 'Charmed' about and what was your motivation behind this project?

'Charmed' is a project about the first love. I was prompted to shoot the project by my own not very successful experience of first love. I wanted to figure out how this happens in modern teenagers, to find out their stories. I photographed young couples in love. In parks and places where they spend time. I was attracted by what is characteristic of youth: awkwardness, emotional instability, naivety, dreaminess and euphoria from what is happening. Some of the couples have known each other for months, finding support on each other, creating a together experience of growing up. Oddly, all of them think that the first love it is forever.

I shot the project for about a year and sometimes go back to it. By the end of the project, many couples had already parted ways, but others are still together and one has even married.

What inspires your work in general?

In my work, first of all, people inspire me. I want to look at them, discover, solve and shoot them. Also music, painting, graphics and movies inspire me.

Who are your favourite photographers / artists?

I like to look at the works of Michal Chelbin, Alec Soth, Paolo Verzone, Michal Solarski, Rineke Dijkstra.

What is your favourite photo book?

I like many photo books. It is difficult to distinguish a certain one.

Thank you very much for your time and contribution to analog magazine.

Thank you for your interest in my work and the opportunity to show it!

All images © Anna Pliusnina