“The birth of my son gave me super strength and power to move on,” begins Anna Bryzhan, reflecting on the key moments and inspirations in her life. Captured in the stunning landscapes of Tenerife Island, the latest photo series by photographer Vitalik Melnikov is a wonderful mix of honest moments and little details. In our conversation, Anna shares insights that resonate deeply, “Uncertainty is a good-luck killer, so that’s why I try to overcome it by all means and don’t let destructiveness have a place in my life.”
What’s a moment in your life that defined who you are today?
The war in Ukraine changed the lives of everyone who lost their homes, relatives, and faced a situation in which they didn’t know what would happen tomorrow. And in the middle of this nightmare, the birth of my son gave me super strength and power to move on.
If you could change one thing about the world through your work, what would it be?
I would definitely wish to rid this world of ignorance and cruelty towards everything. Be kind and responsive to all the people you meet on your way, wherever you are: at work, on the street, in the market. A kind word, a smile, and a helping hand to those in need will overcome evil. I want to believe in it.
“I would definitely wish to rid this world of ignorance and cruelty towards everything. Be kind and responsive to all the people you meet on your way.”
Can you describe a dream or goal that keeps you motivated?
My son’s smile is my motivation.
In moments of self-doubt, how do you find your way back?
Honest dialogue with myself is the lifeline for me. Being a bit desperate or confused, I let myself do what I love: having a cup of coffee, swimming in the ocean, reading a book, drawing — everything that makes me happy at once. So that I can tune in to solve problems and not give up. No one will do it for me. Uncertainty is a good-luck killer, so that’s why I try to overcome it by all means and don’t let destructiveness have a place in my life.
Has having a family changed your perspective on life?
The transformation in all aspects of my life happened as fast as a lightning strike. I just met a man, and that meeting changed my life. I believe many episodes in our lives to be inescapable and fateful. Now, my son gives me all my power to be limitlessly grateful to the Universe and to appreciate every moment of my life.
“Every woman at any age should allow herself everything; this is our way of self-expression.”
What is the most beautiful thing about living in Tenerife?
It is, of course, the insanely beautiful nature that was created centuries before my appearance and will exist afterward. The ocean, volcano, mountains, and forests of Tenerife can immediately distract me from sadness and everyday routine, which become so insignificant before the might of this nature’s beauty.
If you could send a message to your younger self, what would you say?
Less heels, more books. I’m kidding, of course. Every woman at any age should allow herself everything; this is our way of self-expression. But if only I could, I would have kept myself from groundless conflicts and empty quarrels with my mother. It’s so silly to hurt our nearest and dearest.
photographer- Vitalik Melnikov www.instagram.com/vitalikmelnikov_
model&idea- Anna Bryzhan www.instagram.com/anna_bryzhan
