Russian drone photographer Yura Borschev talks drones, photography and landing big brand deals
Yura Borschev is a successful and well-accomplished drone photographer from Moscow, Russia. He believes in hard work and constant self-improvement as becomes quite evident in the interview down below. Yura has worked for multiple internationally recognised brands such as Nike, Adidas, VW and FIFA. He is also the CEO and founder of the online magazine The-challenger.ru.
We asked Yura about his personal photography journey, how he goes about his drone photography and how he manages to get big-ticket jobs with large, international brands.
Yura Borschev is a successful and well-accomplished drone photographer from Moscow, Russia. He believes in hard work and constant self-improvement as becomes quite evident in the interview down below. Yura has worked for multiple internationally recognised brands such as Nike, Adidas, VW and FIFA. He is also the CEO and founder of the online magazine The-challenger.ru.
We asked Yura about his personal photography journey, how he goes about his drone photography and how he manages to get big-ticket jobs with large, international brands.
“I am trying to raise the bar with every post and to improve my editing skills or creative collaborations. I don’t like posting ordinary content which I don’t love myself. As a result, my photos and projects speak for themselves.”
Throughout your exciting and fascinating career, there have been two stand-out themes that seem to underpin and connect everything you do. These are your clear love of Moscow, the city you call home, and drone photography. Can you tell us a little more about yourself and what you like the most about your beautiful city? Moreover, can you describe your history and connection to Moscow, and how it has influenced you as a person and in your photography?
My photography is all about aerial perspective. I put a lot of effort into each and every shot I post on Instagram and try to let my photos speak for themselves. As a result, the hobby I started 3 years ago is a big part of my life today. Next year, I am going to transform my photography to become more artistic than just capturing nature and landscapes.
Actually, shooting cityscapes is not what I love to do the most; nevertheless, I really love Moscow. This city is very dynamic and full of interesting and creative people.
I am happy to hear you were able to make this hobby a big part of your life. Can you explain the process of you getting your first drone to when you decided that this was something that you were really passionate about and wanted to forge a career doing?
I got my first drone as a birthday gift from a friend—this is how it all started. Before that, I had a Canon EOS 5D full-frame camera, but I used it rarely. For example, I only used it to take some shots of my family or friends whilst on vacation.
In what way has this aerial perspective changed your view on your hometown (creatively)? How does it change and challenge your perception of space and movement?
Great question. Actually, nowadays when I see some interesting place or object, I try to pretend how it will look like from above. It can be anything – crossroads, a courtyard, a lake, stairs, and so on.
You’ve procured an extremely impressive and diverse list of highly renowned big brand clients: You’ve produced a 14-second video for Adidas and FIFA that was televised to tens of millions of people worldwide for the 2018 football world cup, you’ve won multiple photography/videography awards and contests and had your work featured in multiple articles and DJI drone advertisements. What drives you to keep pushing the limits and to take on more and more challenges?
My main idea is that my next Instagram post should be better than the previous one. In other words, I am trying to raise the bar with every post and to improve my editing skills or creative collaborations. I don’t like posting ordinary content which I don’t love myself. As a result, my photos and projects speak for themselves.
Is there anything you haven’t done yet but would really like to try doing?
Yes, I have an idea of a photo project which requires me to travel to seven countries, and currently, I am looking for a brand who can sponsor it. This project’s theme is sports.
You work a lot and are very successful. What keeps you grounded and focused? How do you unwind, and what do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? What else are you passionate about?
Drone photography is still a hobby and not my main job. I spend 90% of my time being CEO and founder of an online magazine called The-challenger.ru. It’s #1 in Russia online media about healthy living and has more than 2 million site visits per month—so I am focused 24/7.
Working in advertisement means presenting the best side of a product or a lifestyle—but the work behind the scenes is not always as glamorous as it might seem when people see the finished product or pictures on a social media site. What have been the most challenging aspects of your job so far and how did you manage to overcome them? Has there been one specific job that has pushed you to your limits?
Please see the video on this post. There are English subtitles that will answer your question. This has been my hardest project to date.
For the sake of all drone operators and lovers out there, it would be remiss of me not to ask what drones you’ve used over the years and what your go-to drones are now?
I had a Mavic 1 Pro. These days, I am using a Mavic 2 Pro. All commercial projects have been shot with these two beasts. My drone is unique as it has been customized by Porkas Lampas.
Contacting and working with brands is something that every creative/influencer will have to do at some point if they want to turn their hobbies and passions into a career or will have to do to further their career prospects. Can you offer any insights into how this sometimes daunting next step and challenge can be undertaken? Is rejection a normal part of this process? And how do you deal with setbacks, client rejections and quiet periods where one might struggle to find paid work and big projects?
I do not search for the clients that pay me, they actually come themselves. But when I go on my regular photo trips (I organize one every 6 months), I look for partners: brands that give me and my group transport (cars), gear (as the Sony cameras on my last trip to Norway), clothes (e.g. Reebok, also on my last trip), someone to pay for the tickets or hotels that give us a discount, and so on. I email them and yes, I do have rejections (although not many).
A lot of effort goes into creating the presentation that explains where are we going, how long it will take, who the photographers of my group are, and what we can offer to our partners (like posts, stories and/or a video about the trip, just like this one). The better your presentation, the higher the chance that the sponsor will get your idea, trust you and give you what you want. Therefore my advice: learn to describe your ideas! And try thinking from the client’s point of view, like “why should they like what I offer?” or “does this fit with their corporate values or marketing needs?”.
These are good tips, thank you! What are the most rewarding things about the lifestyle that you are living and the career path that you have chosen? What are some of the biggest sacrifices that you’ve had to make?
My lifestyle philosophy is: “Don’t start doing things/projects that you won’t finish at your best.” If you do something, you have to try to do it better then anyone before you. The main sacrifice is time – but it always pays off.
New Interview uploaded every Sunday at 07:00 Eastern Standard Time
American photographer Brian Johns discusses quitting the 9-5, pursuing his passions, and Traveling North America
Brian Johns is an American photographer with a rather unique perspective on the American dream. In his interview, Brian discusses his transition from Officer in the US army, to nature photographer and social media influencer. Brian’s story is one of overcoming many challenges and setbacks, his journey to finding his passions and achieving varying levels of success, his current situation after three years on the road, and his plans for the future and advice for others thinking of doing something similar to him.
Brian Johns is an American photographer with a rather unique perspective on the American dream. In his interview, Brian discusses his transition from Officer in the US army, to nature photographer and social media influencer. Brian’s story is one of overcoming many challenges and setbacks, his journey to finding his passions and achieving varying levels of success, his current situation after three years on the road, and his plans for the future and advice for others thinking of doing something similar to him.
Brian Johns
“But I wasn’t happy. Just because I was making about $6000 a month with full benefits as a captain in the army does not mean I sensed I was where I ought to be in life. I needed something more. The office wasn’t cutting it for me.
...Leaving the 9-5 hardly describes my whole journey, but it was a necessity to start a new life”
What's heartwarming about you, Brian is that you're a person living your dreams on the road and making a living doing what you love. You're popular on social media, you take some absolutely amazing photographs, but what is the most inspirational – at least for me – are the captions of your images: you come across as an extremely humble and honest man who's very open about some of the issues that you've had in the past, and how you have got to the point in your life now. This transparency is a breath of fresh air on a platform such as Instagram. Could you please elaborate on some of the big turning points in your life, personal issues that you've had to face and decisions that you've made that have lead you to the point you're at today, and why you think it's important to be honest and transparent with your followers?
I would be honoured to tell you a little more about my photography journey: I grew up with a family that certainly valued the outdoors, and for that I am fortunate. I was very involved in the Boy Scouts with my father as my scoutmaster, and he very much encouraged high-adventure outings often. So in that respect, I believe that from a young age, I always had an inkling for the outdoors. However, I was not pushed into taking pictures until I was 27 years old.
That sounds great. Can you maybe elaborate more on your photography journey? Have you always loved travelling or was this something that you discovered later in life?
I have been doing photography for a little over 3 years. I would say that I have been taking it very seriously for closer to 2.5 years though, and every year, I develop my craft further. I had actually started my Instagram page a few years prior with a focus on fitness and parkour. This was a means to show what I was doing at the time, which was daily training at a facility called @junglemovement. But jumping forward, I had left the army and started traveling. It was the traveling that inspired photography, not the other way around. I wanted to see cool things, and that inspired me much more. I decided that I wanted to make it a career probably about 4-6 months into traveling. My traveling had more to do with finding myself than it did finding nature, even if I wasn't making that abundantly clear while posting initial adventures to Instagram.
"Three years ago I quit the 9-5" is currently written in your Instagram bio. This would be the dream of a lot of people reading this right now. What made you decide to quit your job and pursue photography and travel as a new career path? What were the biggest challenges that you faced?
Yes, I was an officer in the US army: a steady paycheck, benefits, and retirement all lined up. For lack of better wording, according to the “popular” American Dream, I had it going on. Why would I say “popular” American dream? Because I see America steadily and consistently teaching, influencing and pushing us to pursue the path that makes the most dollars, the most comfortable for money and retirement etc. A career as a military officer fits that mould. I won't even say that is the biggest reason why I joined because it’s not - but that story would even require a completely different blog post. I fit the mould regardless, but I wasn't happy. Just because I was making about $6000 a month with full benefits as a captain in the army does not mean I sensed I was where I ought to be in life. I needed something more. The office wasn't cutting it for me. It actually reminded me of high school, a time in my life where I felt I did not fit in. The military officer path felt similar. I also was very much affected by the fact that I had failed a crucial stepping stone as an army infantry officer, which was a US army ranger school. Without the ranger tab, I was left in a very tough position at work. I was constantly reminded - every single day - by peers, superiors and even subordinates that I am not good enough because I am not ranger qualified. This lead to anxiety and depression, which created a space in my mind that was likely to explode - I had to run from it. Leaving the 9-5 hardly describes my whole journey, but it was a necessity to start a new life.
That sounds like a really rough but also an inspiring personal story, Brian. Can you explain to everyone what you believe are the most important things to consider and to focus on for those who decide to follow a similar path as yourself? Do you wish you'd done anything differently?
I had many challenges to face after leaving my 9-5. I have overdrafted my account more times than many people reading this realized. I had constant doubts about whether I should keep going because of financial struggles and later even debt collectors. This journey has been especially difficult, yet something inside me drives me to keep going.
What would you say are the biggest benefits of the lifestyle that you're currently living? What are some of the biggest drawbacks that should be considered by others who may be thinking of doing something similar?
I believe the most important things to focus on for those wanting to pursue a similar path are numerous, but I’ll break them down:
You should focus on being yourself above and beyond all. Don't try to be anyone else. I have really succeeded because of this.
Keep going even when others - and I mean so many others - try to distract you, point you back to your career, or your old financial comforts. Keep going. Like one of my favourite inspirational human and the founder of @spartanrace and @realjoedesena says, “Nothing in life that is comfortable is truly worth it”.
I wish that I had done more planning at the onset. I am a go-getter and very good at that, but planning is also important.
Your Instagram feed is filled with beautiful images of nature in animals from countless national parks around North America. What attracts you to them to explore and photograph them?
Biggest benefits: a sense of purpose and an escape from normal society for those like me who don't feel that society should dictate who we are or what we do and at what time. Also, seeing beautiful places, connecting with other artists and developing my artistic career on my own timeline.
Biggest drawbacks: finances are hard. Some months I don't get the deals I am looking for, and my bank account is still there, and things can get tough.
Could you tell us your top three favourite national parks in North America and why? Also is there one that you've always wanted to go to but haven't managed to get to yet?
Yellowstone and the Grand Teton, Yosemite, and Big Bend National Park. They all have breathtaking landscapes and beautiful animals. Big Bend is a hidden gem that only the daring will find time to explore.
Where have you wanted to go that you haven't gone? Denali!!! I want to make it to Denali so bad to find the wolves and other animals.
What are some ways that photographers, videographers, influencers, etc. can monetize their passions and start getting more recognition for their work? Are there any methods that you've tried but wouldn't recommend? What has worked for you and what could you recommend to people instead?
Great question, and one I am still learning about daily. Ways that I have been successful more than any has been to sell the right to post my images to a company. I have had particular success with my images of wolves and bears. Sponsored posts are also an avenue as well as sponsorship. In 2020, a big goal of mine is to get more paid sponsorships, workshops, sell things like presets, and also classes on Lightroom and Photoshop as well.
Do you read books or blogs or follow any YouTubers or listen to any podcasts that you can recommend to others?
I love reading fiction books to inspire my creativity. A few of my favourite are Vince Flynn (sadly deceased), who writes political thrillers, as well as James Patterson’s crime novels. I also love reading books from the self-help genre. Tim Feriss also has some wonderful books; I would like to include Tools of Titans, which is a personal favourite. I also enjoy the podcast Spartan Up hosted by @spartan CEO and founder @realjoedesena. This podcast is amazing for finding out ways to overcome mental barriers and obstacles in life.
If you could offer one final piece of advice for someone wanting to escape the 9-5, what would you tell them?
One final piece of advice: listen to your intuition, not society! Society will always pull you away from your real dream. Don't ever give up, and don't ever give in - no matter how hard it gets.
Where can people find out more about you and your story? And what social media platforms can we all follow you on?
I am most active on my Instagram @brianjohnsadventure, but also have a public Facebook, Brian M Johns, a Facebook page, Brian Johns adventure, and a TikTok account. All my social media is under Brian Johns adventure.
New Interview uploaded every Sunday at 07:00 Eastern Standard Time
