By Eva Williams 21 days ago, Photographer
Sashko Ilov is a Macedonian photographer who became famous thanks to his creative works in multiple genres. These days, Ilov is considered one of the most universal artists out there: he’s engaged in portrait and architecture photography, enjoys graphic design, creates and professionally edits video clips.
Learn what makes Sashko Ilov tick as a professional and how he managed to create dozens of interesting and creative photography projects. This article also goes over the gear that he most commonly relies on for work.
The artistic career of Sashko Ilov is currently spanning over 20 years. His first photo exhibitions back in his home country, Northern Macedonia, took place in the late '90s. Gradually, his work became more recognizable and he started to participate in exhibitions in other Balkan countries, and later on – in Europe, Asia, and the US.
Nowadays, Sashko Ilov is a popular photographer, graphic and web designer, and art director. He works in different genres, mixing traditional Balkan and modern elements. Additionally, during the last 5 years, he started sharing his experience with beginner photographers by teaching the art of photography and graphic design.
Ilov likes to engage in both studio photoshoots and outdoor photography. Most of his works are done in black-and-white. His portfolio includes portrait photography, still-life photography, architecture photography, and film photos.
The majority of Sashko Ilov’s work is represented by studio photography, typically still life and portrait images. Nearly all portraits are taken in black-and-white tones that Ilov loves to work with. His still-life photography consists of a variety of works: from bright advertisement photos of cosmetic products to more restrained and stricter photos of jewelry items and old cameras.
Another genre of work that should be mentioned in this Sashko Ilov review is photos of architectural elements. His "architectural" portfolio is also an example of black and white photography.
Sashko rarely takes photos of an entire building, preferring to focus on individual elements. Additionally, you can trace a penchant for geometry in his works since Ilov strives to convey the perfect symmetry of a structure’s architectural elements.
Analog works are another important part of Sashko Ilov’s portfolio. The photographer loves to experiment with analog photography and often abandons his usual black-and-white style in doing so. That’s why his portfolio includes both black-and-white and color nature, still life, and architectural photos.
Sashko collaborates with Ceci Temkova Ilova to produce creative photography books that are also done in a black-and-white style. The photographer’s official website features several shots from these photo books.
For instance, the “Dzolomari” project depicts moments of a pagan Macedonian ritual dedicated to a half-legendary hero who freed his city from witches. The website also hosts the “One fairy tale, two colors” project that intertwines images from four performances into a single coherent story.
In addition to photography, Ilov also provides video editing services. He’s ready to create a quality mini-movie out of photos, produce music videos, or enhance a finished video clip. His website portfolio also features clips that were created using graphics rather than photos or video footage.
Sashko Ilov isn’t just known as a photographer, but as a graphic designer as well. He offers web, advertisement, and logo design services. Sashko is also willing to help his clients create branded products like t-shirts, notebooks, etc. A separate section of his portfolio is dedicated to designing printed matter and books.
One of Sashko’s favorite and most commonly used cameras is the Canon EOS 6D. It’s a DSLR with a full-frame CMOS sensor (36x24mm) that has an effective resolution of 20.2 megapixels. It’s suitable for both professionals and beginners. Ilov usually uses this camera for taking black-and-white photos.
Even though the Macedonian photographer doesn’t like to brag about what gear he’s using, the cameras he relies on for analog photography are definitely known. His favorite camera is the Kiev 88 – a medium format single-lens mirror camera that was released in Ukraine back in 1980. These days, you can only purchase it from collectors or order the production of an equivalent camera from private companies. Ilov treats this camera as his main one.
As for the optimal film sheet for this camera, Sashko chooses the Ilford Delta 100 and Kodak Portra 400.
Another camera that Ilov uses for his works is the IBSOR D.R.P.. It’s another rather rare item of German origin that was used in the middle of the last century. Nowadays, the production of such cameras has ceased, so the only way to get one is from a collector.
Those who became interested in Sashko Ilov photography can order his services on the official website. He works on all projects himself without delegating them to other photographers. The prices for portrait photos by Sashko start at $100 for 15 minutes of shooting. If the client is interested in product photography, the prices start at $1125.
As mentioned before, graphic design represents a separate package of services offered by the Macedonian photographer. For instance, Branding Identity & Logo for your project will cost at least $990.
Creating a logo from scratch starts at $490, and if the client wants to refresh an already existing logo, it will cost $390 or more. Ilov is also ready to build a website for you from the ground up. In that case, the prices are as follows: Website Design packages start at $1500 and E-commerce Online Store packages at $3000.
The photographer highlights the fact that he’s ready to work with clients from all around the world on a remote basis.
