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Chemical Engineering Student's Photos Hit National Scene
Minnesota Ag Connection - 05/01/2017

Alex Ganeev took the photo, "Cathedral of Christ the Savior," in January 2017 during a visit to his hometown of Moscow, Russia.

One day, he waited until after dark to shoot the lights of the bustling city. He put on warm clothes, took the subway to the city center, and set up his camera and tripod for long-exposure photography. The evening offered him time with the famous landmark without crowds, which works for that kind of photography.

Alex plans his strategy before he goes on a photo shoot and is especially proud when those photos turn out. "A good photo reignites my passion and determination for photography," he says.

Alex, a chemical engineering major at UMD, has made waves with his photography ever since he arrived at UMD. He spent a lot of his freshman year exploring Duluth on foot with a camera in hand. He was amazed at the differences between Duluth and Moscow. Attempting to further his skills, he connected with other photographers.

From volunteer photographer for the UMD Statesman newspaper to staff photographer in his senior year, Alex adds vibrancy to the Statesman team. He's developed a following on Facebook and Instagram and can get thousands of hits on a single photo. Even the Minnesota tourism industry uses his images.

His most shared photo, "And then I realized: I'm gonna get drenched" has done very well, reaching over 20,000 people through his Facebook page and scoring 1,608 likes. It was also featured on the tourist sites like Destination Duluth and Only in Minnesota.

His main focus in his photos are landscapes, nature, and ephemera like the Aurora Borealis. Duluth and the North Shore are some of his favorite locations and he looks for beauty in the great and small things alike. Lake Superior "seems different everyday," Alex claims. He has also taken pictures of people, social gatherings, and sporting events through his work with the Statesman.

Alex will graduate in fall 2017 and he plans work in a job that pertains to his chemical engineering major.

He'll keep photography as a hobby and a small side business. While looking for a job and pursuing a career in chemical engineering takes up a lot of time, photography is something to help him relax and have fun.

He can't stop thinking about that perfect shot, it may be dramatic weather, a sunrise, a sunset, or a time-lapse. No matter how busy his days are, he's happy to sacrifice sleep for his art.


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