The Russian city that was once known as Novgorod, Shuisky, then Gorky, and now Nizhny Novgorod, has a rich and storied history. Once upon a time, it was the trade capital of Russia, hosting millions of merchants and commoners annually. In this city, Alexander Stepanovich Popov invented the first radio receiver.

It is a beautiful city, but there is a side to it oblivious to most of the world.

The author Maxim Gorky (nee Alexei Maximovich Peshkov) lamented the dismal life of the very city which (ironically) would bear his name. Some would say that things haven’t changed much since then, but not everyone has given in to despair. The collective Bunker8313 is in the process of bringing creativity and art to Nizhny Novgorod. For them, success is on the horizon, and they will not stop until they have achieved it.

When I became interested in photography, I noticed that a lot of great photographers are from Russia. In your country, who inspired you to become a photographer.

Yes, we are in Russia, in the small town of Dzerzhinsk, near Nizhny Novgorod.

Becoming a photographer came from the desire to capture the beauty around me; beautiful people, women. Our city is not beautiful, so there was a need to create beauty where there is none.

I've seen some short videos at your Instagram. Will you pursue making full length videos, or are the videos on your Instagram only for promotion?

I will continue to make short videos. Instagram limited them to a duration of one minute, but I will do more. There will be more.

What is Bunker8313? What is the meaning of the number?

Just the telephone code of our city, and the Bunker is because we are underground.

Some of your photographs are erotic, but two of them are the most unique erotic photographs I have ever seen, the two photos with the woman and corn. Where did you get that idea?

I just saw a woman eating corn, and decided to implement it in the studio. It seemed beautiful and sexy.

Is photography your career, or is it a hobby?

For a long time photography was my work. I did a lot of commercial work, which is something I didn’t really want to do. I had to please my customers..

Now I completely refuse to do commercial photography. I do what I want, when I want, and for free.

It looks like you have created a brand with your company, with your name on bracelets and bottles. Should I assume you aspire to do greater things?

I would like to create a brand, a brand of free creativity, and it's not just photography. Music and video and painting and poetry - everything that is done from the heart, not at the request of the customer. For me it's very important!

Soon the new project "BUNKER SOUND LIVE" will begin. The essence of the project is to support talented DJ's, the videos with their sets will be on our channel in YOUTUBE. It will be in the format of a party, with photographers, models, musicians and so on.

For more Bunker8313 images, follow this link to their Instagram.