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Alexander Gronsky

 

Alexander Gronsky: The Walk of Landscape and the Quiet City Edge

Alexander Gronsky (b. 1980, Tallinn/Estonia; based in Riga) is a photographer whose work lies at the intersection of urban peripheries, the overlooked landscapes of post-Soviet Russia, and the transitional zones between nature and construction. His acclaimed series Pastoral, The Edge, Mountains & Waters, and Norilsk interrogate how human presence and architecture transform space, often photographing spaces that feel neither fully urban nor rural.

Camera Gear

Here are the gear details for Gronsky found in credible sources:

  • In Wikipedia, it states: “Rather than use a large format camera with a tripod as is typical for this style of photography, he kept his equipment to a minimum, using just a portable Mamiya 7 camera.”

  • The AnOtherMag article says: “Using just a portable, inconspicuous Mamiya 7 camera that allowed him to get close to his subjects…”

Film & Technique

  • Gronsky often photographs at a distance, choosing vantage points that allow the environment to dominate rather than close-up human detail. In his own words: “I tend to be alone for long periods of time, walking around in search for places …” 

  • His shift to digital is referenced in interviews: the FKMagazine interview confirms that for one project he “swapped the medium format film camera for digital” when the technical demands required it.

  • His visual style often uses large framing, subtle color palettes, the interplay of industrial, human and natural elements, and a kind of quiet tension or indeterminacy.

Legacy

Gronsky has become one of the major contemporary interpreters of post-industrial and peripheral landscapes. His work questions our perception of space, the border between urban and rural, natural and built. Through Pastoral, The Edge, and his more recent projects, he invites viewers to consider how modern life occupies these in-between zones. His minimal gear choice (as verified) reflects his philosophy: to remain unobtrusive and present within the terrain he photographs.

Books Featuring Alexander Gronsky’s Work

  • Pastoral (2013) – his foundational book exploring Moscow’s outskirts.

  • The Edge – part of his essays on suburban and peripheral space.

  • Mountains & Waters – his diptych-based project in China and elsewhere.

  • Norilsk – focusing on a polar city and post-industrial space in Russia. 

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