Irina
Irina Mikhailova, singer for Kitka, Kaya Project, and many others. irinamikhailova.bandcamp.com
2002 · San Francisco Bay Area, California
Photos 1997–2026
Photographs
1997–2026
As an interaction designer, I’ve spent much of my career building digital experiences. Film is my escape from the screen, a practice in visualization and presence. I love the space between the moment a photo is taken and the moment, often weeks later, when it’s finally revealed.
This is a collection of some of my favorite photos from over the years. The groupings offer some context, but each one stands on its own. In the grid, time runs left to right, and the vertical axis moves from documentary at the bottom to artistic at the top.
The cameras behind these photos are a Yashica T4, Contax G2, Ebony 45S, Plaubel Makina 67, and the occasional iPhone. The Plaubel is my favorite and accounts for most of the photos from the past 15 years.
Enjoy, and please share any feedback.
Ammon
Bay Area
1998–2026
I’ve spent the vast majority of my life in the San Francisco Bay Area. Born and raised in Marin, and a fifth-generation Bay Area native, I grew up walking the ghostly trails of my father’s footsteps, and those of the three generations before him. Friends, interests, observations: this is a collection of photos I feel are worth sharing, with little context.
Burning Man
1998–2001
I attended Burning Man every year from 1995 through 2001. Each year, my involvement became more elaborate and consuming: larger camps, more complex structures, vehicles, sound systems, and so on. After the 2001 event, I called it quits and haven’t been back since.
Central Coast
2001–2025
Santa Cruz is our family’s second home; we spend quite a bit of time there. Exploring the coast in either direction is an endlessly rewarding pursuit. Farther south is the magical world of Big Sur, where our friendship with Magnus at the Henry Miller Library and the history of Henry Miller’s connection to my old home on the S.S. Vallejo bring all the pieces together.
Desbrats
2022
For the first 20 years of her life, my mom spent her summers in a magical place called Desbarats, Ontario, just over the border from Michigan. I grew up hearing stories about it, but I hadn’t been back since I was five. I joined my mom on a pilgrimage to her old stomping grounds.
DJ Culture
1997–2022
For most of my adult life, I’ve been a DJ. In my early 20s, I was playing several nights a week. Music is an important part of my life, and sharing it with others brings me a lot of joy. Many of my friends are DJs, and I love hearing their creativity come through in their sets.
Hawaii
2002–2025
I grew up visiting Hawaii with my parents. With family friends on many of the islands, it remained a favorite spot throughout my adult years. When we had kids, we found ourselves going every year, mostly to the Big Island.
Inyo Mountains
2025
10 days backpacking in the Inyo Mountains (south of Bishop, CA). At 7000’ on a plateau with a delicate ecosystem full of life.
Laura
2001–2021
Laura and I have shared a love of photography since we met. I try to document her career as a photo-based artist, and some of those images are worth sharing. But it’s the unexpected, slightly strange photos I like most. This is a collection of my favorite photos of Laura from our 25+ years together.
Multi Exposure
2000–2010
My old Yashika T4 would occasionally fail to advance the film and I’d end up with a surprise mutliple exposure. When I got my Contax G2 and found it had a mode for this, I went a little crazy. Some of my more successful attempts.
Peru
2000
In 2000, I spent two months exploring Peru on my own. I was inspired by a friend who had traveled through the Amazon and told me about Pablo Amaringo, an artist and shaman. I was also curious about Machu Picchu. I flew to Lima with no other plans and let spontaneity be my guide.
Road Trip
2004–2026
Travelling, adventuring, exploring - the jouneys to here and there. These are some places where the moment was kind to the camera.
Rotation
2002–2006
My Contax G2 had a button that held the film in place without advancing it, allowing in-camera multiple exposures. While experimenting, I flipped the camera upside down between exposures without changing the subject. The result was mesmerizing geometry: sky blowing out the ground, shapes emerging. After some trial and error, I found subjects that worked particularly well. I created this series over a few years, and it was exhibited in 2007.
Tahoe
2004–2022
I lived in Lake Tahoe for two years in my late teens, when snowboarding was my life. It’s been a frequent destination ever since.