Today we’d like to introduce you to Madeline Derujinsky.
Madeline, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I come from a long line of artists on my mother’s side, my great grandfather, Gleb W. Derujinsky immigrated to the US in the ’20s to fulfill his dreams as a sculptor, he went on to have work displayed in many prestigious galleries and museums such as the metropolitan museum of art in New York. My grandfather, Gleb Derujinsky Jr, was a well-known fashion photographer in the 1950s and 60s for Harper’s Bazaar, and my grandmother his muse. My mom, Andrea lived her life pursuing mixed media art, jewelry design and later wrote a book about my grandfather’s career. I guess you could say this was my destiny, I was born with art in my blood.
My love for photography started as a child being constantly surrounded by it and attending 42 art shows a year with my parents. I started taking photography darkroom classes in high school, just messing around with black and white film developing and printing. It wasn’t until I was in college that I realized it was what I wanted to do as a career. I was on the path to get a BA in Communications from UCLA when I flipped the switch. I had been in the photography program at Santa Monica College for about a year taking intro classes in photography and adobe creative suite software, and I just loved it. I would spend any spare time that I had shooting, editing, or printing in the darkroom (mostly printing in the darkroom).
I asked a professor of mine that I admired very much, Steve Moulton if he thought that I had “IT”, that thing that would make me a success in this world. He was very honest with me and said he didn’t know but that success in photography was 90% hard work and 10% talent and that he didn’t think I would regret the decision to pursue photography. I turned down my acceptance to UCLA, took more classes at SMC, built a website, and started booking clients.
I have found a lot of happiness and so far succeeded in my choice to be a photographer. Since I started this journey, I have been published in two online forums, as well as multiple volumes of Enzo the Magazine, and worked with some amazing creatives, models, and brands.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
By no means has this journey been easy. I don’t think it ever is with art, that’s where the starving artist trope comes from. I started a business without any idea of how to start one, from how much to charge, how to meet the expectations of clients, how to brand myself, and how to keep up with the ever transitioning scene that is social media. Not to mention the pandemic that has put quite a damper on all businesses but especially small creative ones. On the bright side, I have been able to take a lot of time to redirect my goals and make plans to actually achieve them.
It’s overwhelming, but thank God for Youtube, my friends, and my professors who have guided me through some troubling times.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Los Angeles-based portrait and product photographer. I am known for having dynamic photos of people both on 35mm film and digital formats. I also photograph products for brands, mostly within the beauty and health/wellness industry. I am really big on working with brands that are owned by women, members of the LGBTQ community, and people of color.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can reach out to me via my website to inquire about booking a shoot or collaborating.
You can also support by purchasing prints of some of my 35mm film photos on my website, prices start as low as $12.
Pricing:
- Photoshoot: $125/hr *Message for more details*
- Prints: $12, $20, $40 + shipping
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.derujinsky.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derujinsky.jpeg/
