I was born in July 14th 1937. Photography became my passion since childhood. In 1957 the Moscow Festival of Youth and Students came to my life and I became overwhelmingly captured by my will to express the history in photo. I was granted the 2nd prize on the contest of Moscow photographs. It was a great success and it has changed my entire life. It was the moment when I began to recognize photo art as a profession. The Committee of youth organizations took a great control of us — the youngsters, who desired to become the future of soviet photographic art. It has become a tendency: all over the country day by day more and more exhibitions named «Our Youth» were being opened those days. I was offered a job of photo correspondent by the «Soviet Woman» magazine. There I met Kirik Vladimirovich Orlov — a man who taught me so much, who showed me the hidden values in photography and in my own life as well. I started to become a popular photograph. Shooting all over the Soviet Union, shooting in Kremlin…The award for the best year?s material became my personal award. In 1962 foreign press called me one of the best world?s photographs. Since 1964 I worked for the «Mental Outlook» («Krugozor») magazine. On the All-Union exhibition in 1961 I was awarded for my work «SISTER» («SESTRA»). In 1962 — for my work «In the Carpathian Mts» («V Karpatah»). This photo was also used by L.P. Dyko in her book about photocomposition. She usually placed my works in her books, where all of them were thoroughly analysed and examined. L. Volkov-Lanit also placed my works in his books. For the «brilliant» work at 1972 I was granted an award by the «Mental Outlook» («Krugozor») magazine. In July 19 1972 I graduated the Journalistic Mastery Institute. In 1974 I was granted an award of the «New Time» («Novoe Vremya») magazine. Then comes the award of the country?s largest exhibition «The 40th Anniversary of the Great Victory.» I become a graduate the All-Union Institute of Cinematography, the operator faculty. Still work for the «Knowledge» («Mental Outlook») magazine. As a result of a hardworking period in 1986 I was granted the award of «Literature Newspaper» («Literaturnaya Gazeta»). In 1989 the Ministry of Culture grants me a title of the Actor of the Colloquial genre.
In that period my idea of the «Photo theatre» was finally and completely formed.In 1999 I start to work only for my own artistic and emotional experience. Then comes the honored title of KODAK-MASTER. I put all my thoughts and desires to global projects, one of them is my book «Moscow in races», which was officially published by Moscow government. Nowadays, just like 50 years ago, I increase my creative forces just by holding a camera in my hands and peering at the world around me.

Yours sincerely, Leonid Lazarev.