Meet Kirill Ignatieff: Photographer | Interviewer | Videographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kirill Ignatieff and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kirill, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
I’d say in general I see life as a beautiful dance where the purpose of it is the dance itself and not some final destination. And even if sometimes I feel like I need to take a break and sit down to rest, it’s still a dance. Taking a break is my dance at that particular moment. And the same goes for goals, I don’t have a final end goal that I’m trying to achieve. I look at them as milestones after which new ones emerge. I focus more on the process and not on the goals themselves, which comes down to being present with every moment as much as possible. But that doesn’t mean I do not have directionality and intention in whatever I’m doing. Before I introduce a few milestones that I’m moving towards, I’d like to introduce to you a new concept that I’ve been working on. I call it “Video Portrait.” You know how the majority of people in the world can’t communicate their message online in such a manner that others believe it and get it right away? I’ve come up with a system that brings out the most authentic, raw and human sides of people so that they are able to communicate their message in the most visually appealing, concise and clear way. And in this process I see myself as a scientist who is not using conventional tools like a microscope or a telescope but who is using his curiosity and ability to ask great questions in order to learn about life through human experience. I’ve also invented a technology (in the process of patenting it) that allows me to capture both participants looking straight at the camera while having direct eye contact during a conversation. So keeping all these in mind, here are a few milestones that I’m currently moving towards – (1) Have video recording studios in every major city that would allow anyone to reveal his or her essence on camera; (2) Have a popular podcast where I interview the most extraordinary people; (3) Write a bestselling book based on my lifelong findings which creates a significant shift in the minds of other people and; (4) Use most of the profits from my businesses to go towards promoting higher consciousness. This is as far as I can see at this moment, but the path I’m walking on is revealing itself more and more as I’m walking along. 

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business 22portraits.com specializes in capturing the true essence of people both through photography and video. In photography, we use special techniques that shift the attention away from the camera, to something that feels comfortable and familiar. Once the desired state of mind is achieved, a photo is taken. When your mom or someone who knows you really well tells you “Oh wow! That’s a great photo of you!,” that’s a good indicator that we’ve succeeded at taking your photo. In video, our specialty is to help our clients tell their story in a very authentic, real, human way. It is about asking questions that make them very comfortable and at ease. The videos my team and I create help our clients build genuine trust with their customers.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to Northern California where I spent 11 year before moving to Miami. There is so much to see there. Lots of amazing hikes and vistas. Visit all the cool hidden spots in San Francisco

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my parents for cultivating a strong sense of discipline and respect for others and shoutout to my uncle Alex for teaching me how to dream big.

Website: 22portraits.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/22portraits

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/22portraits-miami-3