An independent documentary photographer and photojournalist, his work examines social transformation, political and institutional systems, and their human consequences. After studying astrophysics at Kazan State University, he turned to photography in the late 1980s and has since covered armed conflicts, post-Soviet transitions, and everyday life beyond official narratives.

From 1991, he worked for many years with the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad, while his photographs have also appeared in Time, Stern, Le Monde, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and other international publications. His long-term projects address isolation, memory, marginalisation, and institutional life, resulting in books including RUSLAND (2004), Calamity Islands (2022), and Outcasts (2025).