Baikal. It was here that for the first time I breathed in crystal clear and incredible air of the place which gave me the gift of its strength, clarity and undeniable sense of freedom. And no matter where fate would send me to, no matter what I did, I always felt Baikal's royal presence. It feeds my imagination and draws beautiful landscapes in my memory. The idea to capture Lake Baikal has been living in my heart for a long time, waiting to resurface, waiting for the right moment, and now the time has arrived, just like a muse arrives into the artist's world and inspires him to take up the brush and create a portrait.
It has been two years since I have started to prepare for this expedition, two years of planning of this photo-album/book, and I pledged to Baikal that its story would be told, its ancient legends and insightful sagas would be translated into images in order to represent in its entirety what Lake Baikal truly is. I know that it won't be easy, that a lot of time and energy will be dedicated to this goal. However, with the help of my trusted friends and collaborators, whose assistance is very much appreciated, I know that this project will be possible.